My First AirAsia Flight Attendant Interview Experience

To be honest, I was never too keen on becoming a flight attendant. My main goal was always to be in the front seat in the cockpit. But hey, gotta try something else once in a while right? It all started when I went with a friend to a job fair last month and there was an AirAsia kiosk. Apparently there were only 100 application forms available and those who brought their resume only needed to fill the form at the kiosk and were interviewed on the spot. But as always with AirAsia and their flight attendant recruitment, the forms got snapped up like hot cakes. We were told there was going to be a walk-in interview on the 18th of October and I made the craziest decision to go for it. We wanted to attend the interview for the experience since we were still in college and close to finishing our diplomas. So at least we have experience going to a job interview before we even graduate. I dragged my friend along and he was quite reluctant at first but as the 18th drew nearer, we were filled with nervous anticipation. But anyways I'm pretty sure you guys will want to know how it was, right? Keep in mind I'm a male and some procedures might be different from the ones you might have read on other blogs. There isn't always necessarily a specific procedure or question set.

For the list of requirements and the things that you need to prepare, please please refer to the AirAsia website or at FlyGosh.com

So registration was from 9AM to 11AM. Candidates are advised to be there early as the line may be quite long. Which it was. We arrived at Kuching International Airport at around 8:45 and the queue was crazy. I heard the total number of candidates was somewhere over a hundred people. And that is considered a small number.

First Stage
The first stage is the document and credentials check. They will check if you have brought with you everything that you need (Eg: IC, SPM cert photocopy bla bla bla). After that you will proceed to the height check (barefoot). Again, for the minimum requirements please refer to the AirAsia website. The minimum requirement is printed on the form too. If you are a few centimeters below the required height, they might pass you. MIGHT. Then you are given a number and you have to join a separate queue. There are two queues. One was for registration and the other is the one where you will join when you pass the first stage.

Second Stage
The second stage is the one on one interview. Since the AirAsia office in KIA is quite small, they will ask you to enter in pairs. Sometimes they will ask 4 people to enter to speed up the process. Once inside the office, there will be a holding place where you will wait for your turn. The interview took place in a small room. Totally different than what I expected. It was a small room with two tables set approximately one metre apart with one candidate per table. Behind each table are two interviewers. You will be asked to stand in front of the table. No sitting here. The questions they will ask you or the stuff they will ask you to do varies with each person. What you will be asked depends on the interviewer. For me they asked me to introduce myself, explain why I chose this position in this industry and what my hobbies were.
All pretty straight forward. There is really no telling what they will ask you so I suggest before attending the interview you read up on as many things as you can. For example the company's statistics, who the key people are, important achievements etc. After they are done asking you questions there will be a card on the table. You will have to pick it up and read the announcement scripts. They are in English and Malay, 2 different sentences. They might not ask you to read all of it. They asked me to read the English parts only. But that part is simple. Just make sure you articulate your words well and be calm. Make sure your words are loud and audible. After that they will give you feedback and probably point out things that you need to improve on.
Try not to give cliche answers. Map out your answers and make them stand out because within those few minutes in front of the interviewers, you really do need to impress them quick.

Please keep in mind they will not tell you whether you passed or failed on the spot. They will notify you via email in a few weeks' time.
And with that, it's over. It seems really quick when you go in but it might actually be quite long.

A few tips:
-those with glasses, get contact lenses. I did not see a single person with glasses on that day. If you have never used contact lenses before, make sure you get them at least a few days or maybe weeks before the interview. Get a feel of them and make sure you're comfortable with them on.
-make sure you are neat and please do not wear casual. at least wear something that is presentable. Treat it like a very important job interview. Which it is.
-make a checklist of the items required a few days before the interview. keep it all in an envelope or a folder and do double checks every night.
-for those who have pimples, try to cover them up especially if your pimples are glaringly obvious. they might check for facial scars too.
-trim your nails! they might ask to see your hands and fingers.
-make sure you are confident in your communication skills and take care of your personal grooming. they are really particular about that.
-SMILE! Be friendly and nice to everyone! Especially the ones handling your forms in the first stage. They might seem nasty and sarcastic but they are supposed to be because they are judging you from that very moment you make contact with them. They are judging your reactions and how you handle things even before the interview begins! And keep a look out for some staff walking around. They might be judging you too. Basically be nice and say hi to everyone even if you come across one of the crew in the toilets. I'm serious.

I hope that this post was helpful. If you have any questions you can comment and ask. But please do not ask about the requirements and all that. Do your own homework, put in your own effort. If you are afraid that you will not meet the height requirement but you still wanna try anyway, just go for it! Never try, never know right?

Thanks for reading :)

Taylor Swift - Shake It Off first impressions and 1989 expectations

So at the time of writing, it has been 8 hours since Taylor Swift's livestream on Yahoo. And with it being held at 5PM in the US, it meant that I had to stay up till 5AM to watch it cause' I'm on the other side of the world which kinda sucks abit. But it was worth it. 2 years in the making and the RED era has finally come to an end. Time to see what Taylor has in store for us for the next two years. New album, new songs, new tour, new guitars, new fans, possibly new cat (I hope).

13 seconds to go!

*Heavy breathing*

The moment this happened felt like the moment in the Red Tour when the curtains parted and lifted, revealing Taylor on stage.

So I'm not gonna talk too much about the livestream, if you wanna watch it you can do so here.

There were essentially three parts to the livestream, each part consisting of an announcement. First was the new song, second the new music video and third the album reveal itself. Taylor has done a pretty good job of keeping things under wraps this whole time, with her fans playing detective and most of the theories have been proven wrong. Not bad throwing us off, Taylor, not bad at all. No song leak on the internet, just probably a few lines of the lyrics and the album cover leaking just minutes away from the livestream.

Behold, the fifth studio album from Taylor Swift, 1989. 

The single artwork

But anyways, first impression of the song:

It was so good! I'm not saying this because I'm biased and I'm a big Taylor fan but honestly if I wasn't a fan of her I would love it straight away because it's just so catchy. Gone are the mincing guitar lines and familiar sound that we have grown up listening to but instead it's replaced with horns and trumpets.

The thing I like about this song is the message it brings: that you can be whoever you wanna be and people are gonna say what they wanna say and you can either absorb it in and kill yourself over what they say or you can just...........................shake it off :)

It's really a sassy and upbeat number which you can easily dance to. 

I've noticed a different sounding Taylor in terms of vocals too. There's still a hint of that soft breathy vocal quality from previous albums but there is also this strong kind of pop-ready sound to her which I think the mix between both the old and new sounds really blend well together.

It is easily radio quality, a big improvement over her previous work.

The little rap part brings back memories of the mini monologue from We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. 

Tastefully done and laughable, I will definitely enjoy singing that part in karaokes. Overall this song introduces us to a whole new Taylor but you still get that hint of the real her. Like some things change but it doesn't change too much till it becomes really foreign to you, get what I'm saying?

I'm sure there are already people who've listened to the song or watched the music video shaking their heads and going 'no, this isn't Taylor Swift, she used to be country' or 'she's not country anymore' or 'she's changed so much' or all that kind of stuff.

The thing is ladies and gentlemen, artists are supposed to grow or evolve, if you will. I say that because my definition of a good artist is someone who is willing to take risks, to try new sonic boundaries and new sounds, styles and just see what you can do. That is a mature artist and I genuinely respect those people who actually take risks and make decisions and try something new. Because isn't that what life is about? You never know what surprises you might find. You might love it or not but at least you tried. 

And I'm speaking about artists/musicians in general, not just Taylor.  

Besides, let's just be real for a moment here. 

If she changes her sound (like she does in this album and Red) people would criticize her straying away from country.

If she stays country, people will criticize her and say she's so boring singing the same old songs with the same old style.

See where I'm going? People are gonna say something whatever you do. So just shake it off =D 

Plus, if I were her I wouldn't wanna look back at my life 10 years from now and say 'oh I've only done country records this whole time, I really wished I tried something new'.
And I would really like to address the comments on YouTube and various websites who have called out Taylor because of twerking elements in this video or the musical direction she is going. Honestly if you're gonna not like this song just because of the twerking or the music style then you have not fully appreciated the point of the song. The point of the song is to make fun of yourselves, to not care what people say and to just you know, have some fun and laugh and be humorous. People are taking this way too seriously when it should be all about having fun and being silly. Everyone's entitled to it but I just don't get why people would wanna turn it into such big of an issue. Sigh..y'all need to take a chill pill.
But anyways...

Inspired by 1980's pop sounds, Taylor confirmed that 1989 is going to be a pop album, I'm still unsure if I am ready for this. This might mean no heart wrenching ballads like White Horse, All Too Well but at the same time I'm definitely ready for new sounds like State Of Grace, I Knew You Were Trouble and Holy Ground. I would also like for more guitar laid songs, soft intimate music and just slow ballads because that's where Taylor showcases her songwriting skills the most. There will be 13 tracks on the standard edition album plus an additional 3 songs so I'm really excited for what's on the rest of the album. Here's to another two year journey with Taylor and I will see you guys again with another blog post, hopefully a review of 1989 in around a three month timeframe! :)

And don't forget to check out the music video for Shake It Off here:

Till, then goodbye RED era and welcome, 1989.

Virtual flying? Virtual airlines? Virtual air traffic control? What?

So many people have dreamt of flying, me including. The feeling of soaring above the clouds with the shadow of your aircraft beneath you in the clouds. Yes, YOUR aircraft, piloted by you, with you at the commands. However for many very valid reasons, not everyone has the luxury to fulfill that dream. So those people turn to virtual aviation. Virtual aviation makes use of desktop flight simulators, an online aviation network and software developers who create addons to add to the level of realism in these flight sumlators. 

Some might think that desktop flight simulators are nothing in comparison with the real deal. Admittedly, that is the case. You cannot feel the same things you feel when you are up in the air with the sun in your face and feeling your stomach falling when the aircraft climbs. However, desktop simulation has reached a level so high that certain aircraft addons have been approved to be used for training purposes be it at home or for commercial simulation training. So when it comes to system simulations, you can be assured that the virtual aviator community has got that covered. 

That being said, I will show you in detail a flight operated by a virtual airline called Malaysia Virtual Airlines. MVA is not in any way associated with the real life operations of Malaysia Airlines or its subsidiaries. It does, however simulate operations of the aviation industry in Malaysia based upon the real world activities of Malaysia Airlines, Transmile Air Services, AirAsia, AirAsia X, Firefly, MASWings, MASKargo, Berjaya Air and Malindo Air. 

I fly for the AirAsia and AirAsia X portion of MVA and as such, I mainly fly the Airbus A320 and A330-300. Today we will focus on a popular domestic route, Kuching to Kuala Lumpur as flight AK5209. 

My pilot badge as of 3rd July 2014

MVA uses a flight tracking software which connects to Microsoft Flight Simulator X to track the VA pilots' flights in real time. The software is called mACARS and it records the flight profile and other details of the aircraft along its journey. 

So first before starting a flight I would start up FSX (Flight Simulator X) at the origin airport, set the aircraft up and connect to an online network called VATSIM which stands for Virtual Air Traffic Simulation. VATSIM is a network populated by virtual aviators such as myself. In VATSIM we have the virtual pilots and virtual air traffic controllers. The ATC follow real world operation procedures for the region/country they are in and it is really close to the real thing. We even have real world ATC logging onto VATSIM to help control the virtual airspace in their free time. The Malaysian side of VATSIM has its own batch of controllers servicing mainly Kuala Lumpur and Penang. However these controllers can switch to control at any airport they like.  For more information of VATSIM in Malaysia, the link is here. So at the end of the day, VATSIM is quite a professional environment to be in. More on that later.

The aircraft we will be flying today is an Airbus A320-216 registration 9M-AQR. All aircraft registered in Malaysia will carry '9M' in front of it followed by whatever code the operator chooses. The A320 is a short to medium haul passenger aircraft with a max seating capacity of 180 passengers. It has a maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.82 (which is 82% the speed of sound) and a maximum range of 3100 nautical miles. It uses the famous Fly-By-Wire avionics technology and has an excellent safety record all over the world.

So I load up the aircraft in a cold and dark state (with no electrical power and with engines off) and I prepare the aircraft for the journey. This phase of the flight mainly includes powering the aircraft up and setting up the flight computers with all the necessary information. 

The aircraft all powered up and ready to load cargo and passengers

Catering trucks have started loading. Note that the aircraft doesn't use the PBB (passenger boarding bridge) like in the real world operations in Kuching.

The aircraft registration can be seen here

At this time I will 'walk around' the aircraft and physically inspect everything outside the aircraft and check for any damages  

Registration is also under the wings

The cargo has arrived and is being loaded

After the walkaround is completed, I set up the flight computers for the route and wait for the boarding and loading to be finished. 

The MCDU (Multi Control Display Unit) being set up for the initial stages of route planning. 

 The route we will be using to KL is given by MVA which is:

KAMIN G334 SAROX

A flight plan route follows the format ORIGIN-WAYPOINT-AIRWAY-WAYPOINT-DESTINATION
In this case, the origin will be WBGG which is the airport code for Kuching International Airport and the destination will be WMKK which is the code for Kuala Lumpur International Airport. A waypoint is a set of coordinates that are given names to identify them easily and they can be considered as 'checkpoints' which pilots need to fly over in a route. An airway is like a highway in the sky used to get from waypoint to waypoint. In this case, KAMIN and SAROX are waypoints and G334 is an airway. Airways are usually denoted by a combination of a letter and numbers.

We are taking 8,480kg of fuel today. The total number includes the trip fuel, contingency fuel, reserves, taxi fuel, holding fuel and others.

So once we have everything set up and loaded, we can now push back from the gate and start our flight.
Contrary to what some people may think, aircraft do not have a 'reverse gear' or a 'drive' mode. That is not how they move on the ground. Aircraft move by forward thrust and reverse thrust. Reverse thrust are mainly used during the landing roll to redirect the flow to help slow the plane down. It is possible to use reverse thrust to move the aircraft backwards but there is always a danger of ground equipment damage, injury/death, foreign object and debris injection into the engines, not to mention higher fuel consumption. Therefore it is not practical to start the engines at the gate and reverse the aircraft from the gate using its own thrust. However smaller prop aircraft may use reverse thrust at the gate although it is still under the authority of the airport regulations and air traffic control for that manoeuvre.

Pushback commences at 7:59AM, one minute ahead of the scheduled departure time of 8:00AM.

Pushback is done using a pushback tug/tractor. The aircraft is positioned on the apron in a way that it is far from any ground crew or equipment for the safe start of engines.

Engine 2 (right engine) is started first followed by Engine 1. Both ECAM displaying the engine parameters that needs constant monitoring throughout the startup process.

Pushback tug has been disconnected and we are ready to roll!


Flight controls check. The ailerons on the right wing lifting.

The lower ECAM screen showing the flight control surfaces' deflections.

We will be taking off from runway 25 using the SID (Standard Instrument Departure) IGEVU1E. SIDs are predetermined routes that need to be followed by all outbound traffic flying IFR. It reduces the ATC workload and provides a more systematic flow of traffic away from the airport. 

Our V speeds for today's departure will be V1=148knots, VR=149knots and V2=150 knots with a flap setting of 1+F.

The IGEVU1E departure from runway 25. We will first climb out on the runway heading (248 degrees) and reach the MUPEP waypoint at or above 3100 feet. From there, we will turn right on a heading of 293 degrees and track direct to the IGEVU waypoint. From IGEVU, we will continue on to the first waypoint of our route. Note the M761 in the black box. That is another example of an airway.

08:11AM
Lined up on runway 25, slowly advancing the thrust levers for takeoff power.

Climbout. Goodbye Kuching! See you soon! :D

Gorgeous Kuching scenery

Climbing to our cruise altitude of 36000 feet, tracking the IGEVU waypoint on a heading of 293 degrees just like in the SID chart, thereafter to our route's first waypoint KAMIN. The blue arrow on the right hand side display (ND-Navigation Display) denotes the top of climb, a point in which we transition from the climb phase to the cruise phase.

The captain's sliding tables. No traditional yoke or 'steering wheel' here. Airbuses are flown using a sidestick.

Passing Gunung Rumput and the town of Lundu. The view in real life is even more breathtaking. If you bother to look out and appreciate it. 

Leaving Borneo at 27000 feet

Reaching out cruise altitude

Tracking my flight. On the radar you can see other pilots around. Those are all virtual pilots in the air doing the same thing we are doing right now. Flying in the virtual skies! :) Over at Peninsula Malaysia, you will see it is covered in a blue shape. That is the Malaysian airspace (Peninsula side) also known as Lumpur Centre. When you see this, it means that there is an air traffic controller on VATSIM controlling that airspace. Over at WMKK (KLIA) you will see D,G,T,A. Those are Delivery, Ground, Tower and ATIS. Those stationed are manned by different people for each station and they control certain parts of the airport (such as ground movements and takeoff/landing clearance) and airspace. Once I cross into the blue boundary, I am required to contact the controller for Lumpur Centre. He will give me a transponder code to squawk so he can identify me on his radar. From there he will give me clearance to KLIA and also issue me descent instructions. At a certain distance from the airport, I will be handed over to Tower who will give me my landing clearance and once the runway has been vacated, I will be handed over to Ground for my instructions to the gate. Just like in real life :) ATIS stands for Automated Terminal Information System and it gives me information regarding the airfield such as the weather, cloud bases, temperature, runways in use etc.

After cruising for a little over an hour, I am given my descent instructions and arrival information. I am given the LENK1A STAR via SAROX transition. STARs (Standard Terminal Arrival Route uses the same concept as SID, just that STARs are for arrivals). I am instructed to descend from 36000 feet to 13000 feet. 

Choosing the ILS runway 15 approach. Runway 15/33 is the new third runway built for KLIA2 operations recently. As we are an AirAsia flight, I am given runway 15. Runway in use is usually determined by the wind direction as aircraft should land and takeoff into the wind.

Selecting the SAROX transition. As SAROX is the last waypoint in my route, I will transition from SAROX into the LENK1A arrival.

Entering the arrival information. The final approach speed is calculated by the computer which in this case is 137 knots.

Descending into KL.

And from SAROX we go to LENKI (that is why the STAR is called LENK1A). Note in magenta there are numbers next to the waypoints. Those are speed and altitude restrictions. At LENKI we should be at or above 10000 feet at a speed of 250 knots. At KIDOT, we should be at or above 6000 feet with a speed of 210 knots. A pretty straight forward visualization of the approach path to the runway. 

Autobrake setting on LOW. Runway 15 is long enough with dry conditions so I don't need that much braking power.

Banking right to join the circuit

The blue line of the route is the missed approach line. In case the landing has to be aborted, this is the route I have to follow before being given instructions by ATC to rejoin the pattern for approach.

Speedbrakes deployed to help us slow down

Gear going down

Flaps in full configuration for landing

Runway 15 ahead. On the left is runway 14R

Touchdown at 9:38AM, spoilers up! These panels are also called 'lift dumpers' because they 'spoil' or 'dump' the lift from the wings, allowing for more drag

Nice solid thud onto runway 15

After vacating the runway, I am handed over to Ground traffic control and was told to taxi to any gate at my discretion. I chose gate J2. In real life operations, AirAsia operates domestic flights from the J and K apron of KLIA2. 

Follow-me car to the gate. KLIA2 apron and taxiway operations still need getting used to for me. Follow-me car and at the gate services provided by an addon called GSX (Ground Services X). I recommend you to get it to add a nice touch to your ground movement in airports.

Passengers disembarking via jetway just like in real life KLIA2. Baggage unloading at the same time.

On block time: 9:49AM

With a total amount of fuel used at 4200kg, we have safely arrived at our destination. That concludes the 1 hour 38 minutes flight and I hope you enjoyed everything. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section. 

DISCLAIMER: FOR USE IN FLIGHT SIMULATION ONLY. THIS POST DOES NOT REPRESENT THE COMPLETE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES OF AIRASIA AND ITS AFFILIATES IN REAL LIFE 

All in all, I hope this gives you enough information to satisfy your curiosity as to why some people spend hours in front of their computer 'playing' a 'game' like this. I strongly disagree when someone calls Microsoft Flight Simulator X a game. The level of realism keeps growing over time and people do it out of love for aviation. Some treat it as a hobby or a passion satisfied by alternative means. Some just like the fun of flying an aircraft and to be able to simulate emergencies and failures without actually endangering their lives. I apologize if this post has been too long. I did try to keep it short >< Perhaps I will write another post like this but from a different perspective. Perhaps. Till then thanks for reading and happy landing always! 

The Red Tour Malaysia Experience

#RedTourMalaysia
 THE SHOW WAS EFFING LIFE CHANGING

Firstly, the pictures in this post are both mine and others' obtained from websites, Twitter and Instagram accounts. I will give full credits at the end of this post. And I some of my own pictures will have relatively low quality so I apologize for that first ><

I remember the day that Taylor announced the dates for the Asian leg of the Red Tour. When I saw 11th June, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia I gasped and muttered 'holy shit'. Finally after such a long time Taylor Swift is coming to Malaysia. Something that her Malaysian fans (including me) had been waiting for for years. The process of getting hold of a ticket sure wasn't easy. It was filled with frustration, anxiety and impatience. So when there was a ticket available on the ticketing website I jumped on it. It was expensive, yes (it's Taylor freaking Swift so of course) but what I got in return was a show that will be hard to forget. 

I went alone (I know right) because there wasn't a chance for my besties to follow me (yet, we still have the next tour). I was supposed to meet with some people I met on Twitter whom I knew were going but that didn't happen so yeah I was alone T.T 

The concert was scheduled to begin at 8:30PM but I got to the venue at around 2:30-3:00PM. By the time I reached the stadium there was already a big crowd gathered there. Along the way to the stadium from the train station there were lots of people selling T-shirts, lanyards, light sticks and such. And they weren't even the official tour merchandise. But they looked really nice and seriously I wouldn't spend RM100 for a T-shirt. That's crazy. I think the official tour merchandise was horribly overpriced. Once reaching the venue, AIA Berhad, the official sponsor for the tour had already made themselves at home with booths and such, attracting crowds with activities and tour merchandise giveaways. I would've joined the activities but it's really awkward and sad doing something fun alone :( In the end I just ended up waiting and walking around while waiting for the doors to open.

The doors opened at around 6:10PM and as soon as it did, I could hear people screaming. And that was just because the doors were opened! Inside the stadium later on was another story altogether.

The crew working behind the stage. There's the video station below.

And the guitar racks holding Taylor's and her musicians' guitars. 

My seat was in Category 1 which meant that I had a great view of the stage and the stadium. I was seated at stage right and perhaps just less than 30 meters from the main stage so needless to say the view was awesome. I could see people working behind the curtains and equipment backstage and the guitar rack and the guitar tech station and the video station and I was like YESS!! Finally I get to catch a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes as they happen.

Finally! After years! Gosh I don't think I've ever been so in love with a huge red curtain before.

Quite an impressive number of people and it's only after 6PM!

Before the opening act they would play behind the scenes videos for Taylor's music videos as well as well known covers of Taylor's songs. I loved the cover of I Knew You Were Trouble from Pentatonix!

Glow baton for RM50. But it looks nice so yeah :D

The opening act for the Malaysian Red Tour date was a local Malaysian band called iamneeta. Led by a teenage girl and her band, their short 4-number set really got the crowd going. Before the opening act started, we were asked to stand as the national anthem played (only in Malaysia, ladies and gentlemen) I loved the opening act even more because their first song was All I Want by Kodaline. Gosh how I adore that song! They proceeded with All Of Me by John Legend and two Malay songs, one of which was their single Terima Kasih.

The crowd when the opening act came onstage. 

iamneeta opening with All I Want by Kodaline

And on to All Of Me by John Legend.

After the awesome opening act, a quick cleanup of equipment was done and the clock struck 8:30PM. The concert was slightly delayed due to unknown reasons but I tell you when American Woman came on and the screens were showing the word 'RED' in big bold red font, I just knew what was coming next. 

State of Grace
The moment the stadium goes dark and the red light flashes against the curtain veiling the stage, you know that it is happening. It doesn't hit you full force yet but it will in a matter of moments. As the drums and guitars begin, you're just counting down the bars of music left before the silhouette of Taylor appears on the curtain. And when it does, the whole stadium becomes an ear splitting emotional wreck of Swifties screaming their lungs out. And then the curtains split and disappear upwards and there I can see that person I've been waiting so long to see standing there with that perfect smile, breathing in the same air as me and thousands of others. State of Grace was nothing short of a spectacular opening number with the drums and guitar intro, it was such a fitting song to start the night. I think I waved my light baton so hard it almost broke in half. Her vocals and high notes were a huge improvement over her previous years and I was so impressed hearing them live. She ended the song with a 'terima kasih' and gave her hat to a lucky fan in the front row.

I just love this photo so much I wanna frame it and put it on my wall.

She was this close it was unbelievable. Insane. At that moment I thought to myself 'this is happening right here right now. Capture it, remember it.'

Holy Ground
Holy shit this song is awesome. Really gets the crowd pumping. It's akin to the song Fearless from the Fearless album and The Story of Us from Speak Now. It just makes you get off your feet and dance so hard while singing out every word like you totally mean it. And the drum solo was every bit spectacular. Lights flashed, blinding me momentarily. I could feel my whole being moving with every beat of the drum. Taylor was never one of those whom we expect to be a drummer but she banged on that drum like she meant real business and it was just so entertaining to watch you can't help but feel like getting on that stage with her and beat drums with her all night. Next came the speech before the next number. She greeted the crowd with a 'selamat malam', introduced herself and told her about how excited she was to be in KL and that she's been hearing a lot about Malaysia from fans on Twitter, Instagram and such.

Red
'Bright burning red' was how she described the emotional spectrum of love. And I was blown away with her performance of this album title song. I was singing every single word to this song as loudly as I could. I loved the amazing dancers with their red flags all over the place, the guitar solo with Paul Sidoti (Taylor's guitarist), the lighting and Taylor's vocals. It was just all so impressive and amazing. I honestly can't think of anything else to say.

She was looking right into people's souls

Greeting the crowd before launching into Red

'Loving him was like driving a new Maserati down a dead end street'

'Losing him was blue like I've never known'

'But loving him was red'

Awesome dancers!

The Lucky One
Before the actual song starts, a video is played on the big screen (which was like ultra freaking HD crystal clear) about Taylor narrating the perils of fame in a dressing room, in black and white. After the video, the actual song starts. I liked how the production element of this song fit so well with everything including the intro video. The backup dancers are dressed as press members, photographers, the media and paparazzi in 80's themed outfits carrying fake old giant cameras with those giant round flashes chasing Taylor around the stage. To be honest this is my least favorite song on the Red album but it has started to grow on me. With careful attention to the lyrics, it gives out a positive and meaningful message. The production elements for this song's live performance were also a plus in helping me like the song a lot more. Oh and Taylor's dress for this song is my favorite. So cantik!

Video clip before the song

Love that dress so much. So elegant and beautiful

Mean
'Saya cinta Malaysia'. Now that really did get the crowd roaring. Taylor descended from the top stage, wearing the top half of her dress from The Lucky One with black leggings (Malaysia is an Islamic country so she had to cover up some skin like in Indonesia). With her was a 6-string banjo which she played while sitting on a box on the T stage. Here she told us about how she used to write songs and how she wasn't invited to parties and bullies and mean people. I can totally relate to what she said and I found myself thinking about my own life experiences with bullies and name-calling. When she launched into the song, I was singing every word of it and I meant every word of it. This was the song that I find comfort and inspiration in whenever I felt like the whole world was kinda mean. After the heavy pop and slight rock sound of the previous three numbers, it really was nice to have a little banjo, mandolin and that ol' country Taylor that we know and love so well.

22
Blessed are those who get to touch Taylor and have her face inches away from your camera. There was a lot of clapping and people showing the number 2 with their fingers (me included) for this song. I mean why not? Who wouldn't wanna be happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time? It suddenly seemed so cool and hip. I was happy (I'm freaking singing along with Taylor Swift), I felt free (I can dance and sing as loud as I wanted because nobody would judge me because thousands of others are doing the same) and confused? Perhaps not so. This song just makes me so happy and I don't know why (oh, there's confusion). Mid song, Taylor goes down the main stage and through the crowd to a small B-stage at the back of the stadium (where all the far seats are). Suddenly I wished I could teleport from my original seat to the back of the stadium just to see her closer.

It feels like a perfect night to hang out with Taylor

This girl's got some cool dance moves

Taylor on the B-stage with a 'I <3 KL' shirt. Well KL loves you too, Taylor.

You Belong With Me
This song was supposed to be after Red (just like in the American, Europe, Australia and UK legs) but due to the stage design, prop availability and perhaps time constraints this song was rearranged in the setlist as an acoustic song on the B-stage which was fine but I preferred the jazzy feel of the Non-Asian Tour version. Here it was just Taylor and her red Taylor 614ce maple guitar serenading us with our all time favorite. The crowd was singing along so loudly it was crazy. I literally needed earplugs because it was so loud.

Enchanted (Secret Song)

If I were to describe The Red Tour in Malaysia with just one word, it would be 'enchanting'. Why?

A. It's Taylor's first time in Malaysia and we definitely feel enchanted to meet her

B. Of course she's enchanted to meet us too!

C. A Swiftie had Enchanted as her wedding song and so Taylor mentioned this before she sang it and it just falls together so perfectly that this is THE song. 

By the way Enchanted is not part of the setlist. Song number 8 on the Asian Tour setlist changes every time, every show, every different night. Honestly I was hoping for Sweeter Than Fiction but when I saw what chords she was playing I knew it wasn't gonna happen. But Enchanted was still good. And I loved the part when the crowd sang along with 'please don't be in love with someone else' like damn chills. 

Sparks Fly
That amazing sounding 12 string guitar! Holy crap when she started picking it I was floored by how good it sounded. I should get myself a 12-string one day. When she started the first line of the verse, the crowd just lost it. I didn't know this song was so popular with Swifties after it being the opening number of the Speak Now World Tour. Mid-song, she makes her way back to the main stage through the crowd. And I repeat; Blessed are those who get to touch Taylor and have her face inches away from your camera. One of my favorite songs. "And you stood there in front of me just close enough to touch". Extend my hand and just daydream lah about touching her T.T

I Knew You Were Trouble

Caitlin's violin solo was incredible! She was so fierce and so fired up like gosh I've never seen someone play the violin with that attitude. The drums and dubstep incorporated into this song just does something to you when you hear it live. It's like it makes your body vibrate involuntarily or something like that. Whatever it is, it feels awesome! The production of this song was so good! The dancers, props, violin intro and everything was perfect. Oh and especially the dress change. I'm really impressed Taylor and her dancers are able to pull it off without fault every show. It takes just 2-3 seconds and when the white dress disappears, revealing a black tight outfit, the crowd just loses it. Taylor's vocals and her higher notes sound solid even after the mildly heavy dance routine and running around the stage.

Caitlin's violin solo

All Too Well

The sight of Taylor walking towards the piano just triggers some old memories. When she sits and plays the intro and talks about the songwriting process, I just absorb everything like a sponge. This is a maestro at work here giving advice before singing one of the greatest songs she's ever written. This song is too well known by Swifties all around the world that it needs no introduction or explanation as to why it is so deep and personal. But just in case there are people wondering why, it is because this song just guts you like a fish, making you remember everything all too well. Everything bittersweet, every smell, color, words and things that feelings just can't describe and words that can't describe the feelings, you just remember them suddenly. This is the song that I have been looking forward to the most. Sure I did plan to maybe shed a tear or two during this song but it would be awkward crying when seated on either side of you are two total strangers and no one to hug. 

Love Story
The ballet dancers were amazing! Like they were prancing around the stage and flipping each other upside down and sideways it was crazy to watch. I'm really glad that Taylor chose to retain this song in her setlist. This was the first song I've ever heard from Taylor and I would feel like crap if I didn't get to hear it live once in my life >_<  I liked her dress. It makes her look like a teenage girl in a fairytale. So young, innocent and carefree, looking for her Romeo. She ended the song with a firm and loud 'Goodnight, KL!' Hahah we weren't fooled. Of course there was gonna be an encore!

Like an angel bathed in white radiant light

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
The way she appears on stage for this song was very clever. Her backup dancers dressed as conjoined Siamese twins, clowns, rabbits and men walking on stilts certainly play a role here. The conjoined twins walk around the stage carrying a big black cloth, large enough to hide a person behind it and lo and behold when they drop the cloth, Taylor is behind it, seemingly appearing from out of nowhere. From my point of view, I can see Taylor sneaking up from behind the stairs to make her magical appearance seconds later. Ha! Not so much of a surprise for those sitting at the side of the stage right? Heheh. As this was the ending number and also because it was crazily addictive, everyone was on their feet chanting the words 'we are never ever ever getting back together'. A really fun song to end the show with. And it was sure fun chanting the words back to her along with thousands of people.

I find the men on stilts highly amusing for some reason

That's the end, folks!

Thank you indeed, Ms Taylor for a wonderful night where many dreams came true

And the fans were so awesome and hardcore! There were people with painted faces, lyrics on their arms, people dressed in the WANEGBT ringleader costume, some even dressed in her performance outfits from The Lucky One and State of Grace and there was even a guy in a cow costume. I never thought I'd get the chance to see all this madness but I did! XD
Sure it was a short 90 minute set but it was a memorable 90 minute set. I still wonder why the Asian leg of the tour was shorter with songs like Stay Stay Stay and Treacherous missing from the setlist.

All in all the Red Tour is one show that I will find hard, if not impossible to forget. I swear when she stares at my direction she was staring straight into my soul like omfg! Although there wasn't a Club Red, and although I didn't get Meet & Greet passes, the experience of seeing her live is enough to make up for all that. I shall now have a permanent reminder to go with a friend whenever Taylor drops by again.


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