CROWDS gathered here for the first in-person George Town Festival GTF) in two years despite the challenges of water supply disruption, traffic congestion, and rainfall over the past weekend.
Their turn out was to celebrate the world of performing arts, culture, and exhibitions.
Into its 13th edition, GTF is back with aplomb from July 9 until 24 after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.
And while the health authorities had warned that the pandemic was resurging once again due to its ability to mutate into new strains, the people defiantly showed up for the GTF, braving the elements while donning their face masks.
Penang was not spared like many parts of the world, as the state lost over 2,000 people to the virus and 774 persons remain infected as of today with the flu-like virus, which can be deadly to those who are unvaccinated or with underlying health conditions.
Some 80 events have been lined up in locations all over the island state where the standard operating procedures of masking, physical distancing, and personal hygiene are a must for the patrons.
Last weekend, the jazzy Shang Sisters ensemble took to the stage to woo their audience.
Janet Lee, Winnie Ho, and Mian Tan cut a dash, presenting classic Chinese and Malay songs, tunes from the Great American Songbook, and much more, all rooted in a distinctly Malaysian and Nanyang sound.
The tagline to thrill the audience was "one is fun, two merry, (and) three sublime", as they clap along to the catchy and jazzy tunes belted out by the three songstresses.
The group is branded as Asia’s leading Chinese female jazz vocal trio.
The trio performed in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, and released a self-titled album in 2019 which sold well in the region.
The Shanghai Sisters were nominated under the Best Group category for the AIM Chinese Music Awards 2020, which the trio also attended as an award presenter.
They were backed by the WVC Jazz contemporary jazz band. The present performers are band leader/pianist Tay Cher Siang, bassist AJ Popshuvit, drummer Adriel Wong, and Eddy Lim on the saxophone.
WVC has released six instrumental albums of original music: WVC TRiO (2008), Eleven (2009), In the Dark, I See Her (2011), Waiting for That Day (2014), Do Not Go Gently (2016), and Give Thy Ear (2018).
Their most recent album, Purnama (2021), revisits songs from the era of Malaysian independence and presents them in fresh contemporary arrangements.
WVC won three awards at the prestigious BOH Cameroonian Arts Awards in 2016 and a further two awards in 2020. The band also appeared briefly in the Hollywood film Crazy Rich Asians.
As they serenade the crowd at the Majestic Theatre, earlier in the day at an afternoon tea sojourn was the return of the two Eurasian divas in Penang.
Colleen Read and Kathleen Rodrigues brought back the yesteryears with a style that only they can produce, thrilling the audience of senior citizens at the House of Music space in Komtar.
The House of Music curator Paul Augustin is a long-time activist of everything musical, hoping to showcase Malaysia's former, present, and hopefully future musical talents. He is now seeking support to bring his vision to a touristy level.
Rodrigues took the stage for the first time in Penang after her lifelong partner in life and music, James Rozells passed away last year. Rozells was a passionate cultural activist, who was also instrumental in mooting the idea of organising the Eurasian Fiesta, which is now part of the GTF list of events.
If one is not into music, the innovative element of the world of publication and journalism also debuted at this year's GTF. Held over the same weekend, this year marked the 10th anniversary of the Cutout magazine, which blends journalism with new-age designs.
The cut and paste element are hardly a consideration in the magazine, which fundamental approach is to hone the skills of its designers rather than writers while dwelling on topics of interest to the masses here.
It has come a long way since the first issue and has since laid a foundation for pioneering design creatives and visionary ideas. With 25 issues and a colourful journey, Cutout is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with a commemorative exhibition that sums up the magazine’s journey from its humble beginnings to becoming a household brand in the graphic design industry.
As the festival progresses into its second week, expect the highlights such as – for the first time – a rooftop concert at the Kompleks Pulau Mutiara’s in the working-class neighbourhood of Maccalum in Weld Quay.
It would be held on Wednesday night. Its performers are a group called the Culture Shot and local artiste Chelsia Ng. It offers residents the experience of enjoying catchy performances on the rooftop of their neighbourhood complex or from the comfort of their own homes – just throw open the windows to enjoy the concert.
The concept was to bring the GTF nearer to the community it represents, as GTF is after all the manifestation of George Town's elevation into one of the 1,154 World Heritage Sites globally, as endorsed by Unesco.
To retain its status, Penang needs to showcase its outstanding universal values, as a heartbeat which drives its diverse heritage, culture, and arts background. All blended into the township which has one of the oldest ports in the region.
The organisers want GTF to be enduring to the communities here. The balancing act for them is now to hold sway to the allure of commercialisation while protecting the heritage interests of the community it represents.
According to Unesco, the three criteria of its universal values are a multicultural trading town, multicultural heritage and tradition, and unique architecture, culture, and townscape. – The Vibes, July 13, 2022
