As Suanie Sees It

First I would like to clarify one thing. Damien did ask me if I wanted to go for a rave party on the 5th of March at Genting Highlands and I said no. Reasons for that being stuff to do, I was not really feeling up to it and Jaime’s birthday plans were uncertain.

Then J confirmed her birthday bash’s date and it was probably during a Misai session with Damien and ST that I abruptly decided to go. I called Jo to ask if she could get tickets for me and J, but she did not answer her phone. She called back later but at that time I was way engrossed in a game of DOTA, so I told her that I would call her back.

I didn’t. Slipped my mind. Jaime went to Tower Records the following day but was told that all the tickets were sold out. And that was why we did not purchase the pre-sale tickets. There you go, that was why I was wishy-washy about going/ not going, end of story, stop bugging me. Bleh.

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The Drive

So on Saturday Duncan, Carol, J and I drove up to Genting Highland.

Me with Duncan

Carol with Duncan

It wasn’t so bad a traffic jam though we saw a lot of young people in their party finery headed towards the same destination. Yes, lots of ahbengs. Not so many ahlians though, I think women know how to dress better these days.

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Attempt to purchase tickets #1

We reached around 4 something in the afternoon and Duncan and I went off to purchase ‘post sale’ tickets. We reached First World’s The Pavilion only to see a huge crowd gathered in the tiniest of space and they were not there to purchase tickets to see a Chinese singer from nowhere (whose concert tickets were also for sale).

And they haven’t even started selling tickets for the Zouk rave party. PLUS you could only purchase only one ticket per person.

Random photo of Michelle

Duncan and I started queuing up as best as we could, seeing that there were no queue lines no barriers no indications etc. Soon the rest arrived and there we were, a bunch of hot sweaty morons who didn’t purchase pre-sale tickets.

The crowd began to chant insults at the ticket operators, hurling abuse in a kaleidoscope of language unique to Malaysia. Still they would not budge. More chants and abuses and isolated screaming. Finally a century later the people behind the counter began to sell a few tickets. Several lucky ravers struggled to get past us, their hair all messed up and sweat trickling from their tired but happy faces.

Then that was it. The counters were closed. No more tickets, all sold out, so they say.

WHAT THE FUCK?!?

Defeated we retreated to the food court to meet the rest - ST, FA, Kim, KY, Terence, Damien etc. Sat around for a bit then decided to try our luck at the main party entrance.

TerenceG

KY with Audrey

FA and Damien

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Attempt to purchase tickets #2

Went past The Pavilion again and there was still a huge crowd waiting to purchase tickets. The printed sheets of ‘Tickets Sold Out’ did not deter them. Got lost from J and then received a SMS from her. She had received an SMS from Maxis saying that the ticket booths were opened and she could purchase a ticket at a 20% discount.

To cut a long story short, we fiddled with our phones etc and it seemed that a lot of people around us had the same idea. So we struggled to ‘queue’ up again, this time was slightly worse - desperation makes you do weird things I guess.

Carol in the house, y0

Squashed like canned sardines we were; but at least now we managed to reach within 2 feet of the counter. During this time the ticket operators pulled the ’sold out’ act on us a couple of times; security guards screaming at people to stop pushing and line up, it was not very fun I tell you.

And someone just HAD to fart. Great, now we were smelly sardines.

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The Bitch

So I was busy fiddling with my phone while being pushed around, the pressure mostly from my left hand side. I cast a quick glance to my left and went back to my phone. Suddenly this girly voice snipped, “What are you looking at?”

I looked to my left again and there was this short malay chick in black with massive earrings glaring at me.

“I wasn’t looking at you.”

“Whatever, bitch.”

Eh so stunned I was that I couldn’t come up with a reply. Mostly because the attack was uncalled for and she WAS pushing.

Minutes later the bitch tried to get past Jaime who was in front of her. She had her hands in front of Jaime and was trying to squeeze and push through the very very packed crowd. J couldn’t take it anymore and said something to her in the effect of ‘could you take your hands back please’.

TB : “I like to put my hands wherever I want. We are in a queue.”

J : “Not when it is annoying me.”

TB : “I just want to put it here.”

J : “There is no space.” (J held the bitch’s hands and pushed it backwards towards her) “There, put it right in front of you and stop bothering me.”

TB : “I don’t care.”

At this point her boyfriend looked embarrased and mumbled softly, ‘Don’t lah’.

J : “Can you stop being a fucking bitch.”

TB : “No you are being the fucking bitch.”

J gave up here because it was just useless to argue with a child who parrots your words.

Next time listen to your boyfriend, BITCH!

(Yes, Jaime is much better than me at quarrelling. I am a freedom lover - ahem - she is my freedom fighter)

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Attempt to purchase tickets #3

The ’sold out’ card was in place yet again. We couldn’t take it anymore and decided to get out of the crowd, do something else at Genting. Then Duncan who was MIA during the second attempt reappeared and saw that tickets were being sold again. Fucking nutbusters I tell you.

They wouldn’t sell the tickets because the people wouldn’t line up. Fucking morons. Your lousy management failed to set up proper barriers and queue lines and enough security people to handle the situation. And selling tickets one by one? Fuckheads! Just sell the goddamn tickets and the people would GLADLY get out of there! What, you think we liked being crushed and have random hips gyrating against us? What kind of planning and prep is this? Fucking bitches I tell you.

But Duncan, J and Carol went back to line up with our phones - the other 4 of us could not take it anymore. Finally through Carol’s ’sweet nature’ that dazzled the shit out of the hot chick ticket operator she managed to get our tickets.

FINALLY!!!

Then…

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Entering the party

The entrance’s entrance’s entrance was at the First World’s Starbucks and it was as horrible as it looked. Unfortunately I do not have photos since I could not even put my hands into my bag to take out the camera. Some people were shouting abuse (yet again), the loudest and most significant was this Caucasian and his chick doing this war chant of ‘ZOUK SUCKS!’ over and over and over and over again.

I got separated from the rest; only Duncan was a few people in front of me. Finally they allowed people to go in again - very slowly… worse than the traffic jams in KL and PJ caused by bottleneck roads.

Then Duncan got in, I was squashed to the side and then through some really funny ah beng’s help managed to get in… walked through a long lane that led to the entrance’s entrance where I found Duncan. Then it was time for another human squash, our last for the night but most definitely the worst. And more and more people were coming in.

Bored

And very finally we got out of the entrance’s entrance and went through some more lanes to be stopped by a guard with a metal detector. He was telling the guy in front of us that he could not bring in his camera bla bla bla. When it was my time to be scanned, the detector beeped but he just let me in.

So much for security eh. I could have been a human bomb terrorist waiting to explode. But 8k+ people, I am just letting off steam

Finally at the entrance we showed our tickets and got in.

If it weren’t for the cool weather at Genting, I think a lot of people would have fainted from the ticket rush and the entrances.

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The Party

The fest was divided into three main areas - Ghetto Heaven for your RnB needs, Velvet Underground for soft house and latin and the main Zouk arena for the headying trance music. We managed to locate the others at the Zouk arena - just next to a set of very big very loud vibrating speakers.

I had no idea who was playing but the music was good (until Way Out West came in with progressive trance which I don’t really like).

And yes, when FA danced, time stood still.

I couldn’t take decent pix because my cam doesn’t really do well in dark places and my hands were trembling. Too bad.

There were 3 guys on stilts, two in red and one in black and they were dressed something like the Haradrim in Peter Jackson’s movie ROTK.

Again I couldn’t take a proper pix but that will have to do. Really cool they were though, with their costumes and moves.

Some of us went to the Ghetto Heaven, J and I had some food and then we just sat around. Out of the human massiveness we saw Jo and Jess.

At around 2 a.m. J was not feeling well so we left. Duncan drove all the way down, I was fast asleep but occasionally woke up to the slight jolts of the car as she made swift turns down the winding roads of Genting. I have become paranoid about cars taking corners, it’s true. Mostly I just envision the car crashing but that’s another story.

All in all the party itself was ok fun. Not bloody fantastic but far from shabby. I think we would have enjoyed it more if it weren’t for the exhausting rush for the tickets purchase. But as Duncan said, ’tis an experience.

Which NONE of us want to go through again.

Tags: fireangel, genting highlands, kyspeaks, zouk fest, zouk recharge