THE scene in Bukit Bintang on Monday evening was anything but exciting.
The streets were packed with tourists and local shoppers out on their Hari Raya shopping.
The smell of cigarettes filled the air as people went out into the street for a smoke after breaking fast at sunset.
Not far from the monorail line, speakers and amplifiers were set up and some people were doing a soundcheck on drums and guitars.
Soon, the opening chords of Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers" could be heard, catching the attention of the crowd which formed a circle around the band.
"The singer has a good voice and the songs they played were great. I was just passing by and was planning to go to some other place but I got stuck listening to this band," said 28-year-old Mohd Hakim Aiman.
"They are so good. The sound system is not perfect but for a busking show, this is awesome. They are really talented,"
The band next r threw in Dio's "Holy Diver". The crowd grew livelier.
"I happened to be close by and stopped to catch what's happening. I didn't expect the band to play rock songs, I thought they would all play those contemporary love songs but I was surprised.
"They can play all types of songs, even Hindi numbers. What a talent. I was going to ignore them but decided to stay and listen because they are good," said Natasya Amin.
Frontman Bob with his plugged-in rhythm guitar thanked the crowd for their support, speaking in both Bahasa and English.
He also engaged with foreigners, asking them where they were from. Spotting several Indonesians, Bob played numbers from Indonesian band Dewa19 which were met by screams of appreciation.
"I stopped to listen listen when they played Dewa19. Loved all the songs they played. Good combination of new and old songs for everyone," said Erik, who is from Sabah.
"Even the homeless people were enjoying it. They were very near to the band; why not enjoy the show?
"Thumbs up to the frontman who is very talented. He has the talent to become a successful musician." – April 6, 2024.
