Living La Vida Loca : Penang World Music Festival 2013

Pennang World Music Festival 2013

Inka Marka on the main stage Pennang Botanical gardens stage

You know that you've made it as a musician when see you see your photo on an advertising street banner with a phone number to book tickets for your gig! The Pennang World Music festival is one of the large music events on the Malaysian Events calender. After a hiatus of several years, the music festival recommenced with a bang and flurry of publicity.

The Pennang World music festival was first held in 2007, and run by the team from the Rainforest World Music festival events management out of Kuching Borneo, The artist director Jun Lin Yeoh, and the team from the Sarawak tourism board brought across many of the artists and backstage crew who had the weekend before had successfully held the 10 year anniversary of the this event in Santatubong Rainforest event.

The 2013 event was run by a different team, with many of the same backstage staff, sound and staging teams, and volunteers from Kuching, coming across to make this event a success.

This picture was taken of Karen & Enrique back stage at the Pennang Botanical gardens stage ,before they went on stage to perform. Enrique had taken a break from touring with Inka Marka for several years, and the band as well. The many fans in Malaysia were extremely happy to see him back with the band, and were very vocal about cheering when he appeared on stage. Enrique's golden voice is one of the signature sounds of Inka Marka, and to have him back for this event was great. After a quick rehearsal, and sound check, a look around to make sure that the small monkeys in the park didn't come down on stage and steal anything important.. It was time to hit the stage.

The Khoo Kongsi Chinese Clan House .

Khoo Kongsi Pennang with Inka Marka on stage Opening night preview for Press and Dignitaries

http://www.khookongsi.com.my/

This is one of the most important pictures on the page , The Sista's or the Artist Liaison officers as they are officially known. With many years of experience under their belt at herding, shepherding, cajoling, insisting, and finally castigating errant musicians , sound crew and band managers. These girls get the show on the road. Without these volunteers, these amazing music festivals and events would never occur. They volunteer their time, out of pocket expenses, travel and love, to these major International events. Over the passed ten years or aso, Ive gotten to know them VERY well. They have become our life long friends, and their generosity and wonderful spirit have been an in inspiration to Inka Marka.

Colin Wei the chief engineer and Sound man
taking a well earned break from sound checks, band set ups .
The stage was set up in The Botanical gardens which unfortunately for us, had a tribe of small monkeys living in the trees right behind the main stage. it was a constant battle for all of us with them as they were constantly steeling anything that wasn't tied down.