(Pics) ISA NY was awesome

blahman3344

United States2015 Posts

September 16 2010 01:06 GMT

Sorry this blog was so late, I didn't have possession of the camera and the person who did refused to upload the pics for the longest time. =(

So sometime back in late August, I was fortunate enough to attend ISA NY 2010 at Webster Hall. Let me start off by saying that this was possibly the largest congregation of asian high schoolers I've ever seen, (the second largest being my high school).

So the doors were supposed to open around 6:30, with the show starting at 7:30, so we got to line around 5:30. Unfortunately for the group I was with, (me, my sister, and her friend) the line was long and stretched from the entrance of Webster hall all the way around the corner to the end of the block from what I could see.
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this was like 1/4 or 1/3 of the way the line stretched. P.S. it goes around the corner too...about half a block

So we finally get into the main ballroom of Webster Hall around 6:35, and the place was filling up fast. Everyone who had regular tickets stood in front of the stage, while those with VIP tickets got to stand in the balcony area. For the next hour, I was standing in the middle of the ever-increasing crowd, being surrounded and squished by female asian high schoolers (it wasn't as fun as it sounds). Luckily, the performers and MCs decided to entertain the audience while we waited by making their appearances in the balcony area. This got rid of my boredom, and directed my attention away from my aching legs (i have knee problems, so standing for long periods of time becomes quite painful):

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this was the front of the crowd

this was the back of the crowd. Holy crap! there's a white guy in this picture o_o

Wong Fu Productions! =D

So after what was the longest hour of my life, the show began, and the MCs came out: Ryan Higa, KevJumba, and Lydia Paek. I must say that the moment this show started, my eardrums started ringing from the screams and shrills of the females around me. Well it was awesome to see Ryan Higa live, as he seems a lot cooler in person. So after the typical shenanigans that are used to open up shows, the MCs introduced the first performance, who was the winner of the JCPenny breakout star contest thing. It was a nice way to kickoff the show, I guess, then they delved into the next performer: David Garibaldi.

Now when I first saw David Garibaldi do his thing, I was skeptical to his ability, seeing as he just had random smudges of paint on a large black canvas. My thoughts were "I really hope he isn't some dude who's doing crappy modern art stuff where all you need to do is throw paint at a canvas." Turns out that I was wrong, and his smudges and random lines eventually took form into portraits of people.

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The MCs themselves =0

random smudges of paint....

...into a self portrait...holy crap he's talented

Jay-Z

and lady Gaga too!

So after David Garibaldi, the first segway happened, transitioning into a performance by Lydia Paek herself! I must say, I wasn’t entranced by either her moderately-good looks or singing voice, but instead by the piano player that was playing the tunes for her medley. I swear, that guy was a boss because he was so chill and laid back throughout the entire performance, just like a jazz musician! Unfortunately, for the 2nd song, he didn’t play because Lydia Paek was playing the piano herself with her own original work.

After Lydia’s performance, there was yet another segway that led into Clara Chung’s performance. I didn’t know who she was, so I was kind of bored during her performance (besides, she was signing about love and all that stuff, and I’m not a fan of that). Again, the only thing that interested me was the baller piano guy, as he was playing the piano parts for Clara’s songs.

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The guy on the left is a total baller

Clara Chung…and the baller piano guy

After Clara Chung’s performance, I was a little unsatisfied with some of the acts (not David Garibaldi though) and my legs were throbbing with pain now after standing for a long-ass time. Not only that, but I could’ve sworn that somebody’s bag was rubbing all over my body. Then the MCs came out again. But when I saw them, I knew what the next act was immediately. Ryan Higa and KevJumba came out on stage wearing their B.E.S.T. crew uniforms; doing the shenanigans they would had it been another Nigahiga video. Eventually, they got around to introducing the next act, and the first highlight of the night: Quest Crew!

As Quest Crew came out on stage, I couldn’t contain my excitement, as I am a huge fan of these guys. I tried taking pictures, but it turns out that everyone lifted up their camera and blocked Quest Crew from sight, making it really hard to get a good photo. When they did their routine, all I was able to see was their top rock, as the hundred or so cameras in front of me completely blocked my view of their floor work, but it didn’t matter as what I did see was ample enough to satisfy me! Funny thing to note was that during the performance, I thought that the areas was crowded enough, but when Quest Crew came on stage, the entire crowd was able to move up 5 feet and squish together even harder. needless to say, things got even more uncomfortable for me as I was not only separated from the rest of my group, but I was even closer to the girls who were screaming in my eardrum.

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Ryan Higa and Kev Jumba donned in their B.E.S.T. Crew gear

QUEST CREW! HELL YEAH! I tried to get better pictures but…..

….they ended up being something like this =(

I didn’t get to take pictures of their routine or anything, but I was lucky enough to stumble upon some youtube videos uploaded by people of their routine:

+ Show Spoiler [vids] +

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 4

So after that, there was a 10 minute intermission, where Ted from WongFu Productions brought his girlfriend out on stage and proposed to her. I found that really sweet. =)

So after the intermission, the 2nd half of the concert/program started, but unfortunately for me, I couldn’t find the camera in the bag, so I don’t have any more photos, and can only describe stuff >.<

So the other acts I remember were David Choi, who sang contradicting love songs (1 about breaking up and another about sticking together) and the other highlight of the night: Far East Movement.

I’ve never really heard Far East Movement before, so this was a new experience for me, and I must say that it was a wonderful experience too. It was the first time I ever heard their songs, and it was live. The energy that they exhibited was so contagious that it got me forgetting about the excruciating pain in my legs and made me jump and fist pump. I swear, the performance was so awesome that now when I hear the songs on youtube, they just don’t compare.

But yeah, after Far East Movement, the concert was over, and there was a meet-n-greet for those who had VIP tickets (I knew I should’ve gotten VIP tickets T_T). After leaving Webster Hall, I was tired, dehydrated, and blown away by the concert all at the same time. Despite, my leg pains and discomfort, the concert was definitely a wonderful experience that I will be willing to do next year (and hopefully I can get VIP tickets…)

For those who tl;dr: I went to ISA NY. Despite being sweaty, suffering torturous leg pains from standing, being squished by female asian high schoolers who literally screamed in my ears, and possibly even getting groped once or twice, I had a great time.

jpak

United States5045 Posts

September 16 2010 01:16 GMT

Which High School do you go to that have a lot of Asians?

I went to Stuyvesant HS.

blahman3344

United States2015 Posts

September 16 2010 01:25 GMT

I go to Bergen Academies in Hackensack. The asian population there isn't so drastic that it makes a vast majority of students, but it certain takes up a good percentage.

seRapH

United States9830 Posts

September 16 2010 01:31 GMT

i had a really stupid grin watching ted's proposal on youtube, really sad that i couldnt go

jpak

United States5045 Posts

September 16 2010 01:32 GMT

On September 16 2010 10:25 blahman3344 wrote:
I go to Bergen Academies in Hackensack. The asian population there isn't so drastic that it makes a vast majority of students, but it certain takes up a good percentage.

Ah. Jersey I see. Stuy was 55% Asian, so Asians were the majority. Such a contrast from where I'm going for college now (University of Miami). I'm like the only Korean here (so sad).

krndandaman

Mozambique16569 Posts

September 16 2010 02:25 GMT

--- Nuked ---

Pokebunny

United States10654 Posts

September 16 2010 02:36 GMT

On September 16 2010 10:32 jpak wrote:

Show nested quote +

Ah. Jersey I see. Stuy was 55% Asian, so Asians were the majority. Such a contrast from where I'm going for college now (University of Miami). I'm like the only Korean here (so sad).

I have many friends at stuy and go to hunter, its so true lol.