The Qeel's: Battle of the Drums

UiTM Open Percussion Tournament

11 - 13 May 2010

UiTM Machang, Kelantan

What can I say about this trip? A short and energy draining trip, but it is also one hell of a crazy fun experience.

My brass band has always been the eclectic mix of all kind of madness. Each of us are different from one another, the only similarities we share are: same campus, same passion for music and open-mindedness. I'm pretty sure the last part is what bonds us. Made us easy to get along. Sure, we do have those moments where we just want to bitch-slap each other. But that's inevitable, right?

Anyway, in the word of a bandmate, Colleen Enime, "Eventhough we didn't bring victory to Sabah, we brought madness to Kelantan". And yes, we did exactly so. Paling manang!

Day 1.1: Depart to Destination

Flight MH 2637: BKI-KUL
02:30 hours journey
Mood: Too sleepy to give a damn

UiTM Coach: KLIA-UiTM Machang
0900 hours journey
Mood: Sugar rush with numb bum for sitting too long.

Day 1.2: Arrival at Destination

Place: UiTM Machang, Kelantan
Time of Arrival: 0732 hours
Mood: Greeted with the sounds of every other band practicing their routine. Feeling intimidated, but the headhunters inside us refuse to show it.

Day 1.3: Sundown Activities

Dinner at 2000 hours.

Location: Stall outside venue's compound.

Mood: If they make us wait any longer, we might consider cannibalism.

First Team Practice at 2200 hours

Location: Parking Lot behind THO College.

Mood: Feeling the pressure. Regretted that we didn't have proper preparation for the competition.

Day 2.1: The Rehearsal

First rehearsal at 0800

Location: Marching Lot neat CTU building

Mood: Another early day. Drained but pumped up. The start of the "tontolou kisi" joke.

Lunch at 1200

Location: THO College Canteen

Mood: Fooooooooooooooooooood!!

Second Rehearsal at 1400
Location: Same big ol' parking lot with fancy name.
Mood: Why are we torturing ourselves? It's scorching hot!

Day 2.2: The Party Crashers

Opening Ceremony Dinner at 2000
Location: I forgot the name of the hall, situated right below THO College.
Mood: The heat messed up our body wiring system. The peak of Sabahans' epic behaviour. (Yes, I'm calling it 'epic' instead of 'madness', 'shameless' or whatever words you'd prefer to describe us. I'm sorry if you don't like us turning the so-boring-it-felt-like-death event into a concert.)

P.S.: I remembered someone was taking a video of us. Who was it? And where can I get the copy?

The after-party at 2345

Location: Outside of the hall

Mood: WOO-HOO!

P.S.: Why are they pulling me? I can't remember.

Day 3: D-Day

The competition starts at 0730

Location: Where else? The big ol' parking lot.

Mood: They are going to thrash us. BAD. But they will still be jealous of how much we will have fun. Ah, those Tontolou Kisi has nothing on the Sabahans!