The event hall is set up with two sections: One to
display the Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast exclusive Official Opening merchandise.
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| Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast exclusive Official Opening merchandise |
The other, to display the personal items presented by award-winning,
Malaysian Rock legend, Amy, the lead vocalist of one of the nation’s foremost
rock bands, Search, to the Hard Rock iconic music memorabilia
collection.
Hard
Rock International’s archive has more than 80,000 pieces of exhibits in the world’s
largest private collection of Rock and Roll memorabilia and more than 30 of
these exhibits are displayed within Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast at various
lobbies and in Sessions restaurant.
Precious pieces from music stars like Elvis Presley,
The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Rihanna are among the interesting
memorabilia for guests to view, either on their own or through a complimentary
tour conducted by the hotel.
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| T-shirts that commemorate the Grand Opening of HRHDC |
Well, it all
started in 1979 with Eric Clapton who wanted to chope* his regular seat by hanging his guitar over that favourite
seat in the first Hard Rock Café in London.
[*This
Asian colloquial word, coined in Singapore or Malaysia – they were once one
country – simply means, to place an item on a particular spot to lay claim on
it.]
The Café
obliged his request so Eric Clapton’s unsigned Red Fender Lead II guitar became
the first piece of Rockstar memorabilia that kicked off the collection of
memorabilia contributed by local and international stars to Hard Rock International.
A Grand Opening Party with a rock concert to
commemorate the official opening of Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast will feature
Malaysian Rocker, the legendary Amy fondly known as Amy Search, as the main star
to perform in this show.
And to mark this special occasion, an exclusive event
is arranged for Amy to present his custom-designed microphone stand – complete
with brass knuckledusters – and a smart jacket, to the hotel’s regionally
inspired collection.
 |
| Amy Search wearing the jacket and posing with his mic-stand, presented to the Hard Rock memorabilia collection |
Inside the event hall, front row seats are reserved
for Hard Rock Hotel VVIPs and of course, the-man-of-the-hour, Amy, the
singer-songwriter and musician whose real name is Suhaimi Abdul Rahman.
I feel a strange sense pride probably because Amy is
also a true-blue Anak Johor with his roots in Kampung Bakar Batu, Johor
Baru, where his family home still stands.
In the background, I hear soft music, I recognise a Malay
rock ballad…
“Quick!” I say to my tech-savvy colleague who has her
mobile-phone in hand, “Check for the title of this song!”
[With modern technology, a Google search on the
smartphone will instantly reveal the title of the tune that was playing…]
She turns her phone face-up to me and I can confirm
that it’s a song by Amy Search entitled, Ilham Dalam Perjalanan,
literally translated in English as, Travel Inspiration.
I’m both amused and impressed that the team in Hard
Rock Hotel Desaru Coast ensured that every detail for the event, including the
background music, was properly planned and executed to create the right
ambience…
 |
| Check out the brass knuckle-dusters on his microphone stand! |
Meanwhile media members are capturing their favourite
shots of the memorabilia while the VVIPs arrive and take their seats.
In typical Rockstar style, Amy sweeps into the room
with his entourage and as he is shown to his seat, the event Masters of
Ceremony, kick off the event with eager words of welcome.
Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast General Manager, Clinton
Lovell, is invited to say a few words before Amy takes his turn to share more
about the personal items he is presenting to the Hard Rock iconic music
memorabilia collection.
The energy in the room goes up a few notches when Amy
steps forward to speak.
I’m deeply encouraged to hear Amy speak in English –
clear and concise – for the benefit of the media and everyone, including the
Hard Rock International VVIPs.
My respect for Amy is mounting by the moment as he
speaks in an international language to an international audience – the
Indonesian media as well as Hard Rock personnel from worldwide properties – with
panache and candor, in a manner that aptly seals his cool Rockstar image!
 |
| Legends: Amy Search with Rita Gilligan |
It is indeed a momentous event to witness the legendary
Rockstar speaking with such confidence and then presenting his personal effects
with pride to join the prestigious Hard Rock music memorabilia collection.
As a
token of appreciation, GM Clinton presented Amy with a Hard Rock Hotel Desaru
Coast souvenir.
The event continues with a photography session.
Cameras clicked as our Rockstar kindly posed for photographs,
first with the Hard Rock Brand Ambassador, Rita Gilligan, the legendary waitress at the first Hard
Rock Café opened in London in 1971, followed by countless more shots.
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| Johor legendary Rockstar, Amy Search and Rita Gilligan with the JOCOM team |
Hey! It’s
not every day that fans can be up-close with our legendary Rockstar so everyone
patiently waited for their turn to capture precious photo mementoes with Johor’s
very own, Amy Search!
Photo Credits: Courtesy of HRHDC and Johor Bahru Collective Media (JOCOM) members
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