| Saturday, September 30, 2006 |
Higher Ground is a combined effort of youth from various churches and denominations to see their generation won for Christ. Started approximately seven nine years ago and passed down by three generation of youth leaders, it has experienced ups and downs...It's an event where they get all the youth from various churches together for a time of recieving and empowering...recently they have started to try having Higher Ground events on a monthly basis.
Following in the footsteps of more experienced bands like Altered Frequency, we were invited to play and share for their first monthly Higher Ground Event.
It has always been a dream for us. Personally, I think it's a privilege to be part of this awesome musical heritage in the Christian circle globally. To be able to grace the stage and make a diffrence...following in the path of other heros like Carman, Petra, Delirious, Matt Redman, Sonic Flood, Jars of Clay, DC Talk, United Live, Steven Curtis Chapman and so many more...ordinary people who made a diffrence through their music...it's a privilege.
I still remember the words of Glenn Packiam of the Desperation band when he came to Malaysia with a band of students from a university in the US... in one of the best concerts i've been too.
"The experience of looking across the hall from the stage and seeing hands in surrender to God, in awe and in silence...it's just a privilege that can't be expressed...it can't be compared..."(paraphrased)
It has always been a challenge for us, in terms of who we are as a band. So many bands around, so many existing genres, what diffrence can PG 165 offer in terms of music, in terms of style...there is definitely no scarcity in music and entertainment...
we don't want to be just another cool band in the scene...there's enough of cool bands already..
we don't want to be confined in the four walls of the church when there are people outside who need to hear about hope, about truth, about a Saviour.
We're just ordinary joes studying in MMU Melaka with problems and challenges like anyone else...yet we have such a hope that can't be silenced...it's a burning passion for us to share our lives through our brand of music...
It's always, always satisfying to get total strangers walk up to us and telling us they felt touched by what we sang, by what we played...to know we spoke into their lives...
i'm glad that PG165 came down to rock the hse for God!! :)
awesome playing,even awesome worship and God's presence was really working
among us
~veronica, kuantan~
The unplug set...
Higher Ground September 2006 was our first maiden concert. We did a set list of about 12 songs...a handful of covers and a handful of PG 165 songs which included our first number You're Everything to Me... we even played a spanking new number entitled 'Falling Over' which I just finished writing about 2 months ago and is fast becoming a favourite for me and VJ.
We did a handful United Live songs like Take it All, Revolution, What the World would never Take, and The Time Has Come...
My favourite part of the set list was the unplug set...where we juz got everyone seated down on the floor, all nice and cosy. With just an accoustic guitar in hand and a microphone...I personally enjoyed Justin's song entitled "My Friend"...God is closer than you think He is...He's a friend that sticks when all else fails.
I did a song entitled "Come Home"...accompanied by Deric on the clevinova. A call to all those who were wayward and far off to return. Hear His voice calling your name.
Raj sharing...
It was followed up by a period of worship...such a sweet fragrance of His presence just descended in the room and lingered as the people stood in silence. In times like this, you don't really need to say anything...you just have to wait...don't hurry off to anywhere...just wait in His presence.
We ended it with our own song, All I Ever Need...
Raj shared about the call of Jeremiah...to answer the call and do mighty exploits regardless of your age.
you guys rock!!!!
Satisfied...life is worth living if it's lived this way....
All in all, we may not be the best band to grace the stage...but that's not the point. Ultimately the feeling of satisfaction was overwhelming as we drove back to Melaka. Knowing we managed to make a diffence.
Michel Ong (9/19/2006 2:28:29 AM): i'm glad 2 tel u dat last week's HigherGround was the best 1 ever this yr!
jason teoh (9/19/2006 2:28:49 AM): haha,,,serious>
jason teoh (9/19/2006 2:28:51 AM): ?
Michel Ong (9/19/2006 2:29:16 AM): yeaps,,
Michel Ong (9/19/2006 2:29:37 AM): it wasthe 1 where God's presence was so
powerful tat all of us juz fell in awe ofHim..
We're just a bunch of normal joes...but doing stuff like this is what makes life so darn worth living... humbled...an awesome privilege. The journey there was worth it, and we'll do it again and again... =D
To all the Kuantan folk,(i can't remember all), especially Jeyshua, Aaron, David, Victoria, Veronica, Michel...keep on dreaming and believing. You guys rock. Thanks for d awesome time...for all the supper and love. We'd love to come again.
The next update will be about our most recent gig that we played for in MMU...sorry for the slow and backdated updates =P.
DO stay in tune for news on up coming gigs in the region of November...
and also on the developement for our EP...
God bless...
jason |
posted by The Scooter Rider @ 3:26 AM  |
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| Sunday, September 24, 2006 |
So the long awaited update has finally ariived...
On the 15th on September PG165 with our manager Raj and roadies; Wayne and Andrew left melaka approximately around 8.30pm from Melaka to Kuantan. We had been rehearsing for a couple of months prior to this gig. This would be our first maiden concert...YES...OUR FIRST...being able to do and share our own songs...yea, we were all geared up for this...
The long road to kuantan...
Our journey was as eventful as ever and took us about 5 hours to reach Kuantan which meant reaching our lodging at about 1.30am. Shih Wern's exceedingly hospitable parents were there to greet us. I (jason) really admire them for going the extra mile in everything they did...We were to lodge in Kuantan Babtist Church itself which had an upper room, with two fully furnished rooms, a dining hall, a kitchen and many bathrooms...it was perfect and homely...
 Raj: Give me a bed...now!!!!
Janet (jack and albert's) Ling's mom had prepared a variety of food for us in case we got hungry (which was almost all the time..haha). From eggs, milk, biscuits, maggi mee, milo, coffee, along with a stove and microwave..After bidding our host goodnight, we proceeded to feed our famished, tired bodies...hahaha...with wayne making good use of his roadie skills...cooking for us...thanks man..
Jason in a happy mood so early in the morning after a long drive??...sugar high perhaps...haha
After our usual banter and fooling around, we washed up and took to bed...
We had a very sound and rested sleep... We began the morning with a time of prayer and worship. We prayed for the Youths for a Revival and for God to minister to them and bless them even before the event. Raj also shared to us what God had laid in his heart from the passage Psalm 133, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!".
After that we were greated by Jeshua and Aaron two native Kuantan guys. Jeshua is only 16 yet he's in the comittee and is in charge of the Higher Ground joint events. These two guys reminded me, of a young generation so desperately yearning to do God's will...
Higher Ground is a gathering of young people in Kuantan. It was sparked about seven years ago by an AYA team and has been passed down by three generation of youth leaders. And the amazing thing is the unity displayed by the people as they overlooked denomination barriers to come together for their generation. I later found out that about 6-7 churches are consistently involved in making Higher Ground work. Previous bands included Alter Frequency and speakers like Rev. Chris Long frequent this event.
 So Aaron and Jeshua brought us to the famous curry mee place...it rocked...
 We were very satisfied with our brunch...
Before we got down to our own sound test, we decided to visit the beautiful Kuantan Beach. White sand, nice breeze...and it wasn't hot...
 A Westlife moment...haha
 can you spot Deric's bright red slippers??
 Petronas had some kind of event along the beach. Err...no, this isn't us...some band doing a sound test and playing the Blues...was really nice until they suddenly switched to Dangdut....bleh...hahaha...
 yea, the beach totally pwnes the one in Melaka...
 Lil crab in Jason's hand...awww....
Justin clowning around..."Look at me...wheeee!!!!"
Higher Ground....
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End of part 1... next: Higher Ground Gig Part 2 |
| posted by The Scooter Rider @ 9:53 PM |
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| Friday, September 15, 2006 |
As the day approaches we are getting more and more nervous, and worried for alot of things (not playing correct chords,drums timing gila out, singing sumbang mombang, rody rowdy road-d rody randy rodie roadie going berserk *winks* or afraid of opinions.... I guess sometimes this is are the thoughts that runs thru the mind of every musician but we know that God is with us and may whatever happens we know we gave it all for Him and thats what we want, for His name to be glorified. =) PLS do keep us in prayer.
Pls pray especially that God will minister to the Youths of Kuantan even before we reach there. Pray that God will minister to them in a powerfull way and speak to them, that His name will be gloryfied at the end of the day and that there will be a REVIVAL among them so that they may be refreshed and experience Gods abundant love, joy and peace.
We will like to thank you Guys and Gals for praying for us. We may not know who exactly you are but the Lord in heaven knows you and will reward you abudantly..
Love PG165
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| posted by The Scooter Rider @ 12:21 AM |
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| Wednesday, September 06, 2006 |
PG 165 will be in Kuantan on 16 of September, here are the updates
Event: Higher Ground
Time: 8pm
Concert: Approx 2 Hours
Venue: Kuantan Baptist Center
Band: PG165
Expected Crowd: 100++
We will also be playing for Praise & Worship on Sunday 830am
pls do pray for us :)
Pray items:
- God will prepare the youths for a Powerfull time of Praise and Worship
- That they would not expect just a show but to be ministered in the midst of His presence
- Pray for Raj who will be preaching that the words he speak will be of His.
- Pray for us as a Band that we will trust and rely on Him.
-Pray too that His protection will be on us as we prepare to Glorify Him alone.
Lastly pray that we will go there safely and return likewise :D
Thanks GUYS =)
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| posted by The Scooter Rider @ 9:49 AM |
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Hang out with PG165 HERE!!!
Free shoutbox @ ShoutMix
PG165 hails from MMU Melaka, and consists of five peculiar individuals who come from different backgrounds,
each having our own preferred sense of humour and hairstyles.
The beauty in our diversity is reflected in our friendship and our love for the music that we play and the songs that we sing.
We enjoy what we do, and believe making good positive ROCKING music is first and foremost FUN.
PG165 is a band whose passion and vision is to see lives challenged and touched through the experience of our music and songs.
Playing high-energy music and providing an electrifying atmosphere is our trademark =).
We play for charity, youth rallies, gigs, cafes, schools, CFs, churches, campuses, outreach events, fund raising events, concerts. Just contact us and we'll ROCK your world.
For bookings and details, please email the guitarist at jason_roag@yahoo.com or call Vijay(drummer boy) at 016-3372716/Zhen-Xin (the big mean machine) at 012-4886974.
PG165 is Jason, Justin, Deric, NZX and VJ
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ROCK with US!!! GET your hands on our EP entitled "Let It All Out"
and blast those radio speakers. For more details, check out www.pg165.com
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