**The Silver Strings Family ReUnion Lunch**

The Silver Strings and everyone else had a post-VivoCity ReUnion lunch in November 2008 to celebrate the success of the show on 8th November.

Image lineup: Audie (Bass/Boss), Aloysius ( EGuitar), Jerry Fernandez (MC), Veronica Young (Vocals), Bobo (EGuitar), Mike (Vocals), Danny Boy (Drums), Andy Young (Vocals), Herb (Vocals), Louis (sitting: 2nd Drums).

Cliff Richard and The Trailers?

Mr Winston Koh singing Cliff Richard numbers with The Trailers at the VivoCity ReUnion on 8th November, 2008.

This band is still rocking it up. Their average age is 62.

Photo: Courtesy of Steven Farram, Australia

Roll Over Beethoven - Shades of Chuck Berry!

More pictures coming in, this time from Steven Farram in Australia. Steve is a great fan of 60s music and flew all the way down from Darwin to watch the VivoCity Concert in Nov 08.

Here's one of The Esquires. They kicked off the night with their rock numbers setting the pace and mood for the show.

Notice the stage? Open air and lots of space. So different from SBH.

More about each band member in later blogs. Roll Over Beethoven!

Chuck Berry In Singapore! No The Esquires Are

Would be interesting to note what band members of the 60s are doing now? Are they still singing and working at the clubs and hotels? Are they working in other fields? Have they migrated?

The gig at VivoCity (image) made me realise that the music community is important. The crowd and supporters that watched the concert were wonderful, cheering us all the way, responding to our every move and dancing to the music.
Image: Mike & Herb Collection.

The ReUnion Of The Sixties - Silver Strings

The concert above in November 2008 was the stimulus to start this blog. (Image: Courtesy of Colin Lim)

Rocking The Night Away! Where's My Car?

Saturday, 08-11-08

The large crowd at the VivoCity Amphitheatre was wonderful, enthusiastic, appreciative and applauded all the way. Many of them came to the stage after the show to shake hands with the band members and singers. Were you there?

It was my first time ever on stage after a 43 year break (if you want to call it that; I was hard at work being a parent, teacher, lecturer and globe-trotter).

It was a night I could not forget because ten minutes before I appeared on stage I was searching for my purple shirt which was on a hanger in the car in the very wide and large car park at Vivo City. 

Worse, it was my second time at that Mall, a pretty new place to me and the basement park was a vehicle wilderness that I got lost. I called Audie and he told me, "Better find it. Not much time..." The maroon shirt was part of the costume we had to wear since it was the Silver Strings' big night (image below).

The shirt that I was looking for. For uniformity.

I was sweating, worried and nervous because I had to appear on stage at the rooftop to perform my three songs. After nearly one hour (55 minutes actually) I found my car and quickly donned my maroon long-sleeves. I was sweating profusely (raining inside), frosting my pair of glasses. Arrghh!

I was just in time as I walked up the make-shift stage on the open roof of Vivo City. The crowd was great, giving me a warm welcome as Jerry Fernandez announced my appearance.  Little did they know about my car-park fright just below their seating area one hour before.

Now you know.

NB

During the performance by Mike and Herb, a University professor from Australia, who came all the way from Darwin to see them sing, rocked and rolled on the aisle with his wife till they were wet in sweat.

Dr. Steve Farram is everywhere on this blog. Check out some of his stories. Just write his name on the Search Column.

Above picture shows from left: Veronica, Mike, Yong (crouched), Andy, Danny Boy, Bobo, Alosius, Audie; and seated Herb.

Bobo (rhythm/lead guitarist) and Yong or Masrom (keyboard) had since passed away.

Image From: The Esquires Website.

Andy, Veronica, Mike, Herb - The Silver Strings

"ReUnion of the 60s" at Vivo City 8th November, 2008 gig that started this blog. (Photo: copyright reserved). Front: Veronica, Masrom, Herb, Albert. Back: Mike, Andy, Danny, Bobo, Aloysius, Audie.

Image: Andy Lim Collection.

7 November 2008

MEDIA RELEASE

Popular 60s Artistes Make a Comeback in First Ever Charity Concert to Raise $65,000 for Disadvantaged Students

Their heyday may have been decades ago but 21 popular artistes of the time will be making a comeback and reviving hits of the 60s at the Reunion of the 60s Charity Concert on Saturday 8 November 2008 at 6.00 pm at the VivoCity Amphitheatre (rooftop of VivoCity) to raise funds for disadvantaged students. The concert aims to raise $65,000 towards the Association of Muslim Professionals’ (AMP) Ready for School Fund.

Through this charity concert, organisers Banquet Holdings and ThaiExpress Restaurant hope to emphasise the important role that corporate bodies need to play in contributing to the needy in the community. Both organisers also, through their support for the Ready for School Fund, wish to increase awareness among the public about the Fund and the value of education and the need to support the young in their educational pursuit.

The concert will feature popular performing artistes in the 60s such as Silver Strings, Andy Young, Wilson David, Mike & Herb, Max Surin, Michael Goh, Esquire, The Trailers and Veronica Young. The guest band of the event is The Blackjacks.

The Guest of Honour for the event is Mr Zainudin Nordin, Mayor of Central Singapore CDC and MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. The Ready for School Fund disburses cash and school essentials such as stationery and school bags to students from the preschool to post-secondary levels at the beginning of every academic year to ensure that they begin school with confidence. The Fund also offers bursary awards to outstanding students who wish to further their education to a polytechnic or university. It is open to disadvantaged students of all races.

Thus far, the Fund has assisted some 2,000 students since it was established in 2002. It is hoped that by providing such assistance, it will help alleviate the family’s financial situation and also ensure that the students are not left behind in their educational pursuit.

We invite members of the media to join us at the concert on Saturday 8 November 2008 at 6.00pm at the VivoCity Amphitheatre (rooftop of VivoCity). Please find attached the programme schedule for the event at Annex.

ANNEX

REUNION OF THE 60s CHARITY CONCERT
Saturday 8 November 2008 VivoCity Amphitheatre

Programme 6.00pm

Arrival of Guests and Audience 6.30pm

Arrival of Guest of Honour (GOH) Mr Zainudin Nordin Mayor,

Central Singapore District MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC 7.00pm

Welcome Speech Mr Alan Lee Managing

Director Banquet Holdings Pte Ltd 7.05pm

Acknowledgement Speech Mr Mohd Anuar Yusop Executive Director Association of Muslim Professionals 7.10pm

Speech by GOH Official Opening of Concert 7.15pm

Presentation of Cheque by GOH to AMP Ready for School Fund 7.30pm

Reunion of the 60’s Charity Concert begins 10.30pm End

Posted by Andy Young* at 11:00 AM

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Kugiran Sweet Charity - Mr Masrom A. Hamid

Our condolence to the family of Mr Masrom Abdul Hamid, 59, a.k.a. YONG, the keyboardist who passed away (image: from Straits Times.) Masrom played with The Silver Strings to back Veronica, Mike & Herb and me.

I met him for studio practices in early Nov 2008. Together with the other members of the band, he assisted me during our practices. Masrom was a quiet person but he was a superb keyboardist.

Well-known with Sweet Charity, Masrom and other members like Ramli Sarip, were dubbed the Magnificent Seven of Malay rock in the 70s. Yong, God bless you and may you rest in peace.

Image From: StraitsTimesPress.