1st Getai Experience!

Dragged by Charlene to accompany her to go for the 881 (a local movie directed by Royston Tan) roadshow, we went to grab dinner before going. Thinking that the Claypot Rice that we were going to have is nice. I decided to take a picture of it before digging in. Oh man what a complete disappointment it was. People, do not eat the claypot rice from the Haig Road food market. Anyway, as you might have heard, the 13 of August 2007 is the first day the 7th month ghost festival to Chinese believers. How could I not then capture this tradition of burning joss sticks and offerings along the pathways below HDB flats? It was surprising however to witness these young guys without any adults there burning joss sticks. I swear they are having initiation rights to a gang hahaha. I guess it really can be considered a tradition that perhaps is dying out (burning below blocks) because apparently it is no so common in the newer estates in Singapore. Anyone has any take on this do enlightent me so drop a comment about this. Interesting... Anyway, walking towards the getai stage (yes I only found out late yesterday that it was being held at a getai stage), visually seeing its vibrant colours and the beat of the guas actually made me a bit excited to reach there! This is the first thing we saw when we reached there. OMG it was flooded with people!!!! No joke there were easily 500 people there (mostly the AHs lah). After squeezing our way through and finding a relatively decent standing spot, we settled in and was immediately absorbed into the sheer experience of the getai. I stood there for a while... looking... thinking about how sad it is that this business is getting less and less popular. I never thought I would ever say this about getai but I really hope that the tradition can run as long. Song after song, performance after performance, I actually found myself moving to the GROOOOOVE of the hokkien guas and enjoying myself. Check out the crowd above! It's quite sad that the crowd itself was rather dead. Just having sheer numbers definitely do not make the mood. Can you imagine me, Kelvyn Li, actually being one of the most active participant there? haha. Anyway, apparently the queen of getai was there (i think she is also part of the cast of 881) and thats her - the one in tube, and these 4 girls are some champion from Malaysia. Finally out came the cast of 881, which we originally came to see. Throughout the show, my camera went snap snap snapping away. Love it! (although i might just have had irritated some folks behind me) and Charlene said that I could maybe sell some photos to the Qi Yu Wu fan club. ahaha this an idiotic picture of him spreading his hands. Overall I would say that my first Getai experience was a really memorable one and I certainly would love to catch another good one sometime. ANYONE Game to go with me? haha. Oh yes btw the 3 songs which they performed live in the soundtrack of 881 are really good. I went straight home to Youtube and d/l it cos stupid Charlene refuse to let me rip it off her cd. So go listen to them. Nice Nice!
This was taken below my house and in respect to the Chinese I just apoplogized to the ghosts for taking photos of their offerings.