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JAMFEST2004 IS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS,
FUND TO BE SET UP
Nov 16, 2004

PRESS RELEASE by Backyardpub.com. Click to enlarge.

The Backyard Pub & Grill is proud to announce the finale of the seven-week inaugural Jairus Anthony Music Festival 2004 (JAMfest2004) to be held on November 17th.

Coinciding with Jairus' birthday, the last jam will showcase the Minus 1 band with Justin Wah, Edmund Anthony, Simon Justin Leo and featuring guest drummer Jerry Felix and the vocal talents of brothers Mark David and Vijay David. Mark and Vijay will also perform for the first time a self-penned song dedicated to Jairus.

Various surprise guest artistes have been invited so expect it to be a memorable night befitting the climax of the event.

JAMfest2004 has been a resounding success beyond the expectations of the organisers. The event attracted over 70 singers and musicians to the stage over the course of seven Wednesdays from Oct 6 - Nov 17.

"We are proud to have hosted JAMfest2004. It was a great success and I think we proved that there is an immense talent - as yet untapped -- in musicianship in Malaysia," said Jerry Chong, the owner of Backyard Pub & Grill.

Chong said the event will be held annually in memory of Jairus Anthony who was a well-loved pub singer in the local music circuit for over 20 years. Jairus passed away from pancreatic cancer in July.

JAIRUS MUSIC FUND
The organisers of the event are also happy to announce the set up of special fund, tentatively named the Jairus Anthony Music Fund, in support of the performing arts.

The Backyard Pub & Grill has pledged RM10,000 to kick-off the fund, which will be administered by a committee to be headed by Jairus' brother Edmund Anthony.

Pledge forms will be made available on the night for those wishing to make pledges to support this new fund.

The objectives of the fund will be to help promote and develop local talent in the entertainment industry, and support the performing arts.

So come out and show support for the local music industry at the pub -- every little bit helps. Music kicks off at 8.30pm.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The organisers and Backyard Pub & Grill would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people and organisations:

Co-sponsors: Lloyds TSB, Sledgehammer Communications, The Admine and Guinness Anchor Bhd.
Music Director: Edmund Anthony
Stage Director: Vijay David
Video & Photography: Nancy J Newton
Website design: Julian Matthews
Sound Engineer: Brian
Sound recording: Pradeep Pillai of Ear-gasm Sdn Bhd
Drum set: Shazli
Emcees: Francis Anthony, Jerry Rajendram

We would also like to thank all the musicians who took their time and effort to come out to the Backyard and make this a memorable event.

A shout out also goes to all the members of the press from the Malay Mail, NST, The Star, The Edge and The Sun for their coverage of the event including Errol De Cruz, M. Bala, Janagi Morugan, Sabariah Salleh, Brian Martin, K.Anuradha and others.

We want to thank all the websites including Star Online, Kakiseni.com, Juice Online and various blogs that helped in promoting the event and the line-ups for each week.

A special appreciation also goes out to the Backyard Staff headed by manager Justin Lee who made sure patrons got your drinks and food and got home safely in cabs.

We would also like to thank all the members of Jairus Anthony's family, all the fans and friends and supporters of the event.

Thank you,

Jerry Chong,
On behalf of Backyard Pub & organisers of JAMfest2004.

Links:
Jerry Felix profile |
Mark and Vijay David's profiles |
JAMfest2004 Main Page | Schedule | Photos

ABOUT THE JAMFEST2004
The musicfest was named after Jairus Anthony, a musician who performed in various pubs in Malaysia, most recently at the Backyard Pub. Jairus succumbed to pancreatic cancer in July 2004. The idea for the musicfest was conceived by Jerry Chong, owner of Backyard Pub & Grill, to keep alive the memory of Jairus and everything he stood for. Although Jairus parlayed his talents for over two decades in the local pub circuit, he never received the recognition and industry accolades he deserved. It was only after his illness was diagnosed that a charity album entitled "Jairus & Friends" featuring his talent was finally recorded live at the Backyard pub through the kindness of fellow musicians, fans and friends. The musicfest is aimed as a platform for the most talented local musicians to show off their abilities at a single venue every year and attract recording companies. The first Jairus MusicFest is sponsored by Backyard Pub & Grill and co- sponsored by Guinness Anchor Bhd, Lloyds TSB, Sledgehammer Communications and The Admine. It was held for seven weeks, every Wednesday from Oct 06 to Nov 17.

About Backyard
Backyard Pub & Grill is your friendly, unpretentious, neighbourhood pub for live music and live sports events located at No.28, Jalan Sri Hartamas 8, Taman Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. We have live music every night from Wednesdays to Saturdays, two English pool tables, a big screen and four TVs for live English Premier League matches. Our kitchen serves up great Western and local dishes and we also cater to special functions.

View the latest goings-on through our website at http://www.backyardpub.com or call us at 03-6201-0318.

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