CHARGED Magazine - Issue 06

06 JUN 2012

FREE

MC JINFROM YOUNG RAPPER

TO YOUNG FATHER

IN YOUR ARMS: KINA GRANNIS LIVE IN VANCOUVER

HOT HOT CHIC:SUMMER FASHION TRENDS

POWERED BYAX3MULTIMEDIA.COM

CHARGED MAGAZINE | MAY 2012CHARGED MAGAZINE | JUNE 2012

Canadian educator and scholar Marshall McLuhan describes how the form of a medium is embedded within the message itself, allowing the medium to influence how the message is perceived. His thesis is recognized widely, and his token phrase, “The Medium Is The Message” is something that I hold high regard to. I aspire to produce and lead projects that can make an impact in the media industry and I am proud to proclaim that CHARGED Magazine have done so within its formation in 2012. Unfortunately, a medium such as this magazine requires a synergetic relationship between its content creators, readers, and supporters to exist. The dedication and passion of each and every individual in AX3 that have contributed to this project is immeasurable. The joy and appreciation shown by readers give us a reason for working relentlessly around the clock to deliver our best possible work. Finally, the supporters that have believed in this project not only allowed us to grow as a company through working with numerous clients, and forming new connections, but your partnership with CHARGED proves that our company mandate of bridging the gap between the East and West is indeed important to culture and people. I would like to assure you that the future of AX3 is brighter than ever, as we embark onto our next series of projects and continue to consistently deliver excellent content locally to Vancouver, and internationally to all. — Alan Ng

The month of June means that we’re now halfway into the 2012, but it also means something special for AX3 and the CHARGED Magazine team. Not only does this mark the beginning of summer and warm months ahead, this issue also marks the end of the CHARGED Magazine project. While it only seems like it was only yesterday that we were excited to hold the first issue in our hands, it’s time to say goodbye… for now. Thank you to the entire AX3 team for their contributions these past months, your hard work will never be forgotten. Thank you to the event hosts, artists and their management team for the opportunity to meet and work with a talented bunch of people. Thank you to our distributors and advertisers for helping us achieve this dream and tell people about it. And most importantly, thank you to all the readers (that’s you!) for all of your overwhelming support. All of your kind comments on the website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and in person: we appreciate all of it and it keeps us CHARGED! Hope you enjoy this commemorative issue of CHARGED Magazine, we hope to come back soon! In the meantime, we will be focusing a lot on improving the quality of exclusive features on AX3battery.com, so we’re not going away anytime soon! Hope to see you there! — Justin Lee

With June coming around, we are proud to bring you the last issue of CHARGED Magazine! The end of this 6-month project is undoubtedly sad for many of us within the AX3 team, as much effort and time was spent producing every single issue. But we are also extremely excited at the same time as we already have other projects and plans in mind to bring to our beloved audience. Thanks again for the enormous support throughout these months for the magazine and AX3. Just the act of reading what I have to say now means a lot already! I would like to thank every single member in AX3 for all the sacrifices they have made to ensure every single issue of CHARGED Magazine lives up to standard and delivered timely to all you readers. Without everyone’s help, this ambitious project of ours would have never been born. Please continue to read through this final issue of CHARGED, and if you have any comments or feedback, feel free to contact us. Don’t forget to check out our website, AX3battery.com to see what projects we have planned for you all. For the last time within this magazine, #stayCHARGED! — Shun Lee

CONTRIBUTORS

Publisher: AX3 Multimedia

Editor-in-Chief: Justin Lee

Managing Editor: Evelyn Wong

Writers: Peter Tang,

Bernie Yee, Benjamin Yong,

Trini Nguyen-Don

Art Director: Shun Lee

Assistant Art Director: Venus Fung

Designers: Tiffany Ip, Peter Zhao,

Nicholas Sim

Photographers:

Norman Tam, Jonathan Lee,

Ellick Lee

Production Host:

Angela Chang, Matthew Tse

Sales & Distribution Manager: Irvin Ho

Sales: Charmine Lau, Kenny Chow,

Annie Chan, Kiki Pau

Marketing Manager: Carolyn Shum

Special Thanks:

I AM MADE Entertainment,

Horseshoe Press Inc.

Realbig of stock.xchng for CHARGED Health Photo

Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily intended to reflect those of the publisher. AX3 Multimedia Inc. accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported on or advertised in this issue. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this publication is accurate and complete on publication date. AX3 Multimedia Inc. reserves the right to limit liability for omissions and errors to a printed issue.

Copyright © 2012 by AX3 Multimedia Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical or photographic without the permission of AX3 Multimedia Inc.

Letters from the Directors:

JUNE 2012 | CHARGED MAGAZINE

TABLE OF CONTENTSCHARGED MAGAZINE

3

04 CHARGED CONCERT In Your Arms: Kina Grannis in Vancouver

07 CHARGED EATS Get Your Eat On, Vancouver!

10 CHARGED TRAVEL How to Pack for a Trip to Asia Under 23KG

13 CHARGED HEALTH Summer Sizzle Solutions

16 CHARGED FEATURE MC Jin: From Young Rapper to Young Father

20 CHARGED FEATURE Transcending Friendship to Serious Business: The Beginnings of AX3 Multimedia Inc.

22 CHARGED INTERVIEW Stars in Harmony

24 CHARGED FASHION Hot Hot Chic: Summer Fashion Trends

29 CHARGED ASKS What do you do to Achieve a Nice Body for Summer?

31 DISTRIBUTION CHARGED Distributiors

04

20

07

16

22 24

JUNE2012CHARGED MAGAZINE

You Say Goodnight To”; the fans clapped in

rhythm with their performance, just like in the

music video. It was a very spontaneous moment

that made the concert more intimate.

She also told jokes to lighten up the mood.

Kina: ”Emi, you are a pretty intense person.”

Emi:”Am I?”

Kina:”Keith, you know what else is intense?”

Keith: “What?”

Kina: “Camping... ‘cause it’s in tents.”

It was a very nice touch to the show.

For her last song, she chose something the

audience could participate in—“Message From

Your Heart”. She asked the audience to join in

by singing “boom boom boom boom” to create

the rhythm of the song. She also decided to go

unplugged to give the song a whole new identity.

Two songs were prepared for the encore.

“Make It Go” is a song dedicated to her mom

who was diagnosed with blood cancer. She also

encouraged everyone to make an effort to make

a difference by donating to an organization

that she’s very involved in, The Leukemia &

On May 12th, singer-songwriter Kina

Grannis came to Vancouver for one of the

many stops on her “In Your Arms” world tour to

perform hits from her album titled Stairwells.

Held at the Rio Theatre, fans gathered hours to

wait for the doors to open. As a treat, JellyBelly

partnered with Kina Grannis to provide free jelly

beans to everyone for the entire tour.

Fans filled up both levels of the venue quickly,

but grew impatient as they waited for Kina.

The night’s opening act was Imaginary Friend,

impressing the audience with his 7 song set.

After a short intermission, Kina Grannis finally

took the stage with her guitar, causing the crowd

to soar as soon as they saw her shadow. Keith

Tutt II accompanied her on stage with the cello.

Without an introduction, they jumped right into

their first song “World In Front of Me”, which is

also the first track on Stairwells. The audience

was captured right away by her soulful voice.

Then she sang a fan favorite “Strong Enough”.

For the third song, Kina invited her younger

sister Emi to join her on stage to sing “The One

IN YOUR ARMS: KINA GRANNIS

Follow Kina Grannis:

kinagrannis.com

facebook.com/kinagrannis

twitter.com/kinagrannis

youtube.com/kinagrannis

4 CHARGED CONCERTIN YOUR ARMS: KINA GRANNIS

CHARGED MAGAZINE | JUNE 2012

TEXT: PETER ZHAO PHOTO: PETER ZHAO & JONATHAN LEE

Lymphoma Society. Last but not least, Jesse,

Emi, and Keith again joined her on stage to

cover the very popular “Fix You” by Coldplay.

It definitely made a memorable night for Kina

fans in Vancouver. We thank Kina for coming

to Vancouver, and putting on a great show for

her fans. We look forward to seeing her more

in the future.

CONCERT RUNDOWN

Opening act: Imaginary Friend Music

1. World In Front of Me

2. Strong Enough

3. The One You Say Goodnight To ft. Emi

4. Cambridge

5. The Goldfish Song

6. In Your Arms

7. Gone

8. Safe and Sound (Taylor Swift)

9. Heart and Mind

10. Without Me

11. Valentine

12. Message From Your Heart (Unplugged)

13. Make It Go

14. Fix You (Coldplay)


CHARGED CONCERTIN YOUR ARMS: KINA GRANNIS

5

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Flyers001.pdf 1 12-04-23 3:03 AM


W e know you love food, so we are

collaborating with VANEATS.ca this

issue to bring out Vancouver’s best

eats! VANEATS.ca is a food video show and

agency that works closely with local restaurants

to offer you exclusive custom-made dining

packages that are available for a limited time.

We are glad to talk with the two local founders,

Kevin and Billy, and join them on their food

adventure this month at Kamei Royale, a local

Japanese restaurant established since 1976!

Who are you? Let's give us an introduction of

yourself! And what's your favourite food?

Kev: VANEATS.ca is where I get jiggy with food!

Steak, steak, steak!

Billy: Graduated from film school, still a film

nerd! Cereal with chocolate milk!

What is Vaneats?

Kev & Billy: The whole website started with

the idea of how to take girls out on dates

successfully. Have you ever been on a date

where you’ve ordered a crappy meal, wasted

money or felt awkward paying with a 50% deal?

Have no fear, for VANEATS.ca is here! Let us

take care of the ordering! We specialize in

creating and featuring dining packages via video

to bring you a popular variety of dishes that a

restaurant has to offer.

Just whip out your exclusive dining pass and “eat

the best!”. Bon appétit and impress your date

like a cool cat on coolwhip cream!

How did you guys meet and why did you

choose to work with each other?

Billy: It’s quite funny because we actually met

over some drinks in a club while partying. I saw

Kevin’s crazy dance moves and we had this

creative “bromance” moment. The next thing we

know, we met up, shared our dating experiences

and the food adventure grew into what we now

know as VANEATS.ca.

What is your favourite restaurant in

Vancouver?

Kev: That’s a tough one, but I got it bad

for Santouka Ramen like a fat kid loves

cake (chuckles)

Billy: Mama Wong’s Kitchen!

AX3: You mean your mom’s?

Billy: You guys are welcome to come over any time!

GET YOUREAT ON,VANCOUVER!


CHARGED EATSGET YOUR EAT ON, VANCOUVER

7

TEXT: CAROLYN SHUM PHOTO: ELLICK LEE

Any plans in the future planned out for

Vaneats?

Kev: 2 words! Food Network Vancouver!

Billy: Wait, that's not 2 words! (laughs)

What do you want to say to your fans?

Kevin: Tell us what you want to eat and we’ll

hunt and stalk those restaurants for you!

Be sure to visit their website for the latest deals

on a one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience in

local Vancouver. It might just be your favourite

restaurant, or the one you’ve been dying to try

out! Also, check out AX3’s food adventure with

Kevin and Billy at Kamei Royale, a Japanese

restaurant located in Downtown Vancouver!

Look for the video online at vaneats.ax3battery.

com. and find out how you can win a 4-course

Dining Pass for this fantastic restaurant!

FOLLOW VANEATS:vaneats.ca

facebook.com/vaneats

twitter.com/vaneatsca


8 CHARGED EATSGET YOUR EAT ON, VANCOUVER


10 CHARGED TRAVEL HOW TO PACK FOR A TRIP TO ASIA UNDER 23 KG

The most obvious solution. Figure out exactly

what you will need to bring and write it down.

When planning the list, make sure you only

bring the necessities. You won’t need to pack

your entire life in a suit case, so cutting down

on essential items that are usually available in

hotels, such as toiletries and makeup.

What a lot of people tend to do is pack

everything they think they are able to carry,

instead of packing as little as they can get

away with. This usually results in overstuffed

baggage that limits mobility.

Regarding electronics, narrowing down which

gadgets you’ll need for the trip is essential in

lightening your load. Simply ask yourself this

question: will I feel “lost” if I don’t have this

gadget with me on the trip. Try to narrow the

electronics you plan to bring to small, compact

devices that are lightweight but durable and

offer a long battery life. And most importantly,

make sure you are aware of what sort of

electrical outlet adapter required at your

destination. Plastic bags will be useful to carry

around, as not only can they be used to carry

your shopping but also in preventing your

electronics from getting wet.

Make a list

Do not over or underpack

Choose the right electronics

HOW TO PACK FOR A TRIP TO ASIA UNDER 23KGSummer is almost upon us, and what better way to enjoy the season with a holiday to Asia? But packing for a trip can sometimes be a nightmare to people, with the problem of forgetting things or over packing. Most airlines allow a maximum of 23kg (50lbs) of check-in luggage as well as your carry-on bag. However that doesn’t mean you have to pack enough to reach this limit, especially if you plan on doing a lot of shopping during your holiday. So here are a few tips to follow in order to reduce your travelling worries and pack a light bag that contains everything you’ll need.

Some areas in Asia may not be as tourist-friendly

as others, so it’s always a good idea to do a little

research before venturing out to certain places

in your destination. Keep in mind to not bring

bags and purses that can be easily stolen, such

as ladies’ handbags or sling bags. Packing smaller

bags that can be carried close to your body is

advised, such as fanny packs that can be worn

underneath your shirt.

Do some research

WWW.

TEXT : PETER TANG PHOTOS : TIFFANY IP & EVELYN WONG


CHARGED TRAVELHOW TO PACK FOR A TRIP TO ASIA UNDER 23 KG

11

Clothing-wise, you may want to assemble a

set of clothing that can mix and match with

one another. However you don’t want to pack

too much, as bringing extra clothing will most

likely result in you wearing only your favorite

outfit over and over anyway. Setting a colour

scheme for the clothes you’re bringing may be

useful in picking out which clothes to pack. But

remember, the summer heat is going to make

you want to wear light, cotton clothes that are

good for casual wear and walking around. Asia

offers some of the best shopping and bargains

in the world, so finding new clothes shouldn’t

be a problem.

Sandals and flip-flops would be advised for

footwear, as well as a good pair of walking

trainers. A maximum of two other shoes is

recommended apart from the pair you worn

on the plane, which should be the heaviest,

chunkiest pair you’re bringing (unless it’s

hiking boots or stilettos!).

Pick out the right clothes

Bring a pair of flip flops

And for dealing with the summer heat, hats and

sunglasses would be essential in taking steps to

prevent heatstroke. This time of year makes most

Asian countries the most humid places in the world,

so carrying around a small towel and a cool water

bottle is also recommended. Stores that sell water

cheaply are easily found in Asian countries but

having your own water bottle wouldn’t hurt the

environment. The humid climate also means you

may want to bring mosquito repellant as stinging

insects are common in Asian destinations. Some

insect repellants double as sunscreen, which will

save you some space in your luggage.

The down side of a summer trip to Asia is that it will

most likely entail a fair amount of heavy rain. This

means waterproof footwear, a light rain jacket and

a small umbrella would be advised. Most of these

items are likely available at your destination but it

never hurts to be prepared.

So for those with summer plans to travel abroad

to Asia, we hope these tips help you out in packing

light for your journey. Have a good holiday!

Prepare for the summer heat


CHARGED HEALTHSUMMER SIZZLE SOLUTIONS

13

This summer, pale is the new cool.

For traditional Asians who have always followed the whiter-is-better mantra, this is nothing

new. But those—particularly the younger generation—who flock to the beaches in search of

a summer tan should be careful, even if they don’t normally burn, says dermatologist Frances

Jang who practices at the Vancouver cosmetic clinic Skinworks.

“The issue is not really sunburn anymore. Sunburn is acute damage, but really it’s about

accumulated ultraviolet exposure,” says Jang. “It ages your skin so it thickens, it makes it look

dry [and] it makes it get those brown splotches which Asians hate.”

Aesthetics aside, excess UV can also lead to

increased risk for skin cancer, adds Jang. As

research into the effects of sun exposure

continues to evolve, so do the recommendations

on proper ways to stay protected. Beyond the

obvious measures like seeking shady areas and

wearing protective gear like clothing, hats and

sunglasses, anyone heading outside needs to re-

evaluate the way they wear sunscreen.

The first thing people need to make sure is that

they’re purchasing the proper SPF.

“We recommend 30 broad-spectrum — so you

want to cover UVA and UVB,” says Jang.

“In the United States, they’ve made it so that you

no longer can call something SPF 85. Anything

over 50 is just called 50-plus because the gain

you make from anything over 50 in terms of UVB

screening is very small.”

After choosing the right type, the next thing is

to remember to reapply frequently. Rather than

going with the previous recommendation of once

every few hours, Jang says it should really be as

much as once every half hour to utilize the full

benefits of the sunscreen. Especially when it can

get sweated off or worn off through activity.

Equally as important as how often to put on

sunscreen is how much to wear each time you

apply, which is half a teaspoon — for the face

alone, according to measurements performed

in a lab.

“An average bottle of sunscreen is about eight

ounces. For many people, that lasts them the

whole summer, including that trip to Hawaii or

Kelowna or whatever where they’re putting

it on all over their body (and it shouldn’t). So

they’re clearly not using enough.”

Jang, a Canadian-born Asian who has been

practicing for over 20 years specializing in non-

surgical cosmetic dermatology, says she prefers

creams over liquid sprays because of better

skin coverage. She also recommends finding

a sunscreen that has a built-in moisturizer to

economize on time, especially in today’s busy

world when self-care is often put on the back

burner. This is not to be confused with skin

lotions that advertise SPF protection of usually

15 or 20 because they often don’t cover the

UVA spectrum.

“I think [Asians are] a group that has been a little

negligent just because we don’t get sunburnt

right. I see 40-somethings all the time, they don’t

get it — they’re so deeply tanned and they’re

looking old and not so pretty anymore and it’s

kind of hard to reverse that.”

SUMMERSIZZLE SOLUTIONS

PURCHASE SUNCREEN WITH SPF 50+

QUICK TIPS:

APPLY SUNSCREEN EVERY HALF HOUR

MAKE SURE SUNSCREEN PROVIDES BOTH UVA AND UVB PROTECTION

PURCHASE SUNSCREEN WITH BROAD SPECTRUM

TEXT: BENJAMIN YONG

By now you’ve probably heard the story of MC Jin and his rise to fame as

a rapper. Many blogs and magazines have meticulously described Jin’s

journey from joining the 106 and Park Freestyle Fridays Hall of Fame to

being the first Chinese rapper to sign with a major record label. A few

years later, Jin has reconnected with himself, his faith, and his music.

But the story doesn’t end here.

The last time we talked to Jin was over a year ago in May 2011, a time

when he had just released his Sincerely Yours mixtape. During that time,

Jin was also starting his acting career in Hong Kong, appearing in many

episodes of TVB’s Lives of Omission.

Fast forward one year and we can already see MC Jin has changed so

much since we talked to him; he is now reaching the age of 30 with a

child on the way. This was the big topic of our talk with Jin, who was

more than excited to tell us all about the past 8 months.

“It’s a very unique experience to partake in; it’s something every single

person can relate to. At some point or another, even if you’re not a

parent, your parents had to give birth to you. The hardest part rests

on my wife, much props to her. Just watching her handle the last 8

months, the physical and mental demand, it’s so amazing. Props to all

the mothers out there and women in general, it’s tough.”

Already going through a series of changes last year, this child is changing

MC Jin’s outlook in life once again.

“The biggest thing I was sharing with you guys last time was my change

of outlook, the direction I was going in life. To add on this new life only

takes what I was sharing last time to a whole new level.”

“It’s hard to describe. I could write a song, I could do a million things,

but I still don’t think that would justify how amazing this experience is.”

While nobody is ever fully prepared to have a child, MC Jin’s been doing

his research, from reading books on parenting to watching videos on

YouTube on how to change a diaper.

“There’s a general guide, [but] you can’t always take the same approach

to every child. The only thing we can do is absorb all the information out

there, but I foresee learning on the fly. If he’s anything like his father,

he’ll be okay.”

FROM YOUNG RAPPERTO YOUNG FATHER

TEXT: JUSTIN LEE | PHOTOS: NORMAN TAM

MC JIN:



CHARGED FEATUREMC JIN: FROM YOUNG RAPPER TO YOUNG FATHER

17

When asked what gets him CHARGED in recent

years, MC Jin mentioned his rap dream, his record

deal, and his intimate relationship with God.

“It’s changed over the years. What got me CHARGED

in my initial years was this drive that I had for the

dream to become a rapper, a rap star. A big part of

that was the battling thing, and that defined who

I was. The sad thing was that when things didn’t

unfold how I wanted; it was tricky because that’s

when I started to lose my identity. People defined

me as the battling rapper and first Chinese rapper

signed to a label, when it didn’t work out I didn’t have

anything to define me. These were the darker years

when I was in my mid 20’s. Nothing CHARGED me.

But what’s CHARGED me in recent years is an

intimate relationship with God. This CHARGES me

in every way, in my work, my setbacks. God had this

all planned for me, and it’s made me a better person.”

That day, MC Jin headlined HKSA SingCon 2012, a

singing contest held at the University of Washington

in Seattle. Performing various songs such as Sincerely

Yours and ABC; MC Jin never failed to keep the fans

entertained during his set. He even challenged the

MCs of the night to participate in a freestyle battle,

as well as debuted his new song “Brand New Me”.

FOLLOW MC JIN:

mcjin.com

facebook.com/mcjinhk

twitter.com/iammcjin

18 CHARGED FEATURE MC JIN: FROM YOUNG RAPPER TO YOUNG FATHER


Furthermore, with our experiences

in the past of conducting exclusive

media coverage, we have a new

mandate to work more closely

with concert hosts to bring the

best entertainment and events to

our city. With our local and global

network expanding, the webzine’s

focus will enhance and improve, as

plans are under way to conduct more

in-depth interviews and overseas

features to our readers online. As

well, AX3 will continue to work with

artist managements to give you

the latest up-to-date and exclusive

information to our readers.

#stayCHARGED with AX3

ax3battery.comax3multimedia.comfacebook.com/ax3batterytwitter.com/ax3batteryyoutube.com/ax3batteryweibo.com/ax3batteryvimeo.com/ax3battery

for exclusive interviews and media coverage.

Initially, the editorial team was required to take

up secondary tasks and responsibilities such

as video documentation and photography.

Before long, the team expanded to more than

15 members to take up more challenges in the

media industry, which required the company

to become more of a multimedia collective;

separate departments were created including

editorial, production, design, sales and

information technology. With the commercial

aspect of AX3 becoming more and more

essential to the company’s growth, the company

was incorporated in December 2011 with Alan

Ng, Justin Lee, and Shun Lee as the Directors of

the company with the mission to bridge the gap

between Eastern and Western Asian lifestyle

and culture.

In January 2012, the company debuted a

substantial print project – CHARGED Magazine,

a publication that has been in the planning

stages for more than half a year. With the

launch of an alternative physical Asian lifestyle

magazine in Vancouver, AX3 Multimedia

gained further recognition for their efforts in

preserving Asian culture across Canada and

was uninterruptedly invited to concerts and

local events. Furthermore, through sponsorship

and advertisement of the magazine, we were

commissioned to work on many creative

multimedia projects. Today, the team consists of

over 30 individuals whom all contribute to the

company with their unique skillsets.

In July 2008, Alan Ng registered AX3battery.

com and started the AX3 BATTERY blog

to bring together his friends Bryan Leung,

Andrew Chan, and Andy Ho to document their

lives online. The fun, non-commercial blog

grew to a peak of 12 active bloggers. To make

things more interesting, AX3 BATTERY went

on to create a series of music video parodies

based off references from Asian pop culture.

Unfortunately, the AX3 BATTERY blog became

dormant afterwards, as the rise in popularity of

social media platforms took over the need of a

blog to share their life with others.

Two years later, Simon Fraser University

undergraduates Justin Lee and Alison Chan

joined Alan Ng in revamping the whole direction

of the website. Instead of devising separate blogs

for each blogger, AX3battery.com became a one-

stop online webzine for all Asian entertainment

and pop culture news, and its popularity gained

momentum exponentially in its first few months

of transformation. The popularity of AX3’s brand

image in Vancouver grew rapidly as our site traffic

continued to excel which lead us to collaboration

opportunities with local businesses. With the

passion and goal of advancing ahead in the media

industry, AX3 Multimedia was registered as a

business in July 2010.

Continuing with the raising success of the

company’s presence in the community, AX3

was able to partner up with promotional

companies and concert hosting organizations


AX3 MULTIMEDIA INC.THE BEGINNINGS OF

TRANSCENDINGFRIENDSHIP TO SERIOUS BUSINESS:

AX3 Multimedia: Past Projects and Collaborations

2010OCT 20: Twinkle2 “Back to School” Menu and Campaign

NOV 05: WrongWroks, SUPERBORED Feature

NOV 10: Raymond Lam “Come 2 Vancouver” Mini Concert

DEC 15: Eason Chan “DUO” Vancouver Concert

2011FEB 14: CarlosDouh Interview X Collaboration

FEB 27: Cube Entertainment Global Auditions & G.NA Showcase

MAR 26: UBC YOURS Singing Contest featuring Stephy Tang

APR 02: Japan Relief Fundraiser

MAY 06: JJ Lin Vancouver Concert

MAY 06: Inspire 2011 featuring MC Jin

MAY 27: Fairchild Radio SQ16 Featuring Louis Cheung

MAY 28: J.Reyez Live in Vancouver, Hosted by Traphik

MAY 29: Sugar Club Playroom Live in Vancouver

JULY 09: Fairchild New Talent Singing Awards featuring Jonathan Wong

JULY 16: Driven to Perform (DTP) Autoshow 2011:

Mi Hee Hwang, Victor Kim, Chester See, Erika David, Sophie Sugar

JULY 31: ISA Seattle 2011:

Wong Fu Productions, Far East Movement, Cathy Nguyen, Kevjumba,

Ryan Higa, Victor Kim, I.AM.ME Crew, David Choi, New Heights

AUG 26: Sunshine Nation 2011 featuring Yao Yao

SEPT 9-11: Luxury Supercar Weekend 2011

SEPT 23: Clara C “Shakin’ Off Silence” Tour

OCT 09: BC Children Hospital Foundation, Young Superhero

Orientation

OCT 14: Fall in Love: The Jayesslee Sisters Live in Vancouver

OCT 15: Kollaboration Seattle 2

OCT 31: AX3 Multimedia and Catch Adventures Present:

MC Jin - Shoot For The Moon (Live In Vancouver) Official Music Video

NOV 04: Vancouver Asian Film Festival featuring Edison Chan

NOV 19: Simon Fraser University Student Entrepreneur of the Year

2011

DEC 03: Sammi “Love Mi More” Live in Vancouver

DEC 16: G.E.M. “Get Everybody Moving 2011” Live in Vancouver

2012JAN 03: CHARGED Magazine Launch

JAN 11: Chinese Restaurant Awards 2012

JAN 13: Jacky Cheung “1/2 Century Tour” Live in Vancouver

FEB 04: Inspire 2012 featuring Jason Chen

FEB 09: David Choi Forever & Ever Concert in Vancouver

FEB 11: UBC CSA Singing Contest featuring Kary Ng

MAR 10: Jin Akanishi Japonicana Tour Vancouver

MAR 17: UBC YOURS Singing Contest featuring Mag Lam & Hubert Wu

MAR 23: Izzue S/S 2012 Fashion Show

MAR 23: YTF Global 2012 Tour – Vancouver

MAY 12: HKSA SingCon 2012 featuring MC Jin

MAY 12: In Your Arms: Kina Grannis Concert in Vancouver

MAY 14: VANEATS.ca & Kamei Royale Collaboration

MAY 15: Annie G. Chan Makeup Demonstration

MAY 15: Fairchild Radio SQ17 featuring C-All Star


CHARGED FEATURE THE BEGINNINGS OF AX3 MULTIMEDIA

21

C Allstar is a group of four passionate young men from Hong Kong who are famous for

their a cappella street performances and their hit song “天梯” (Staircase). The themes of

their songs are always close to the current society and their ability to radiate positive

energy through music is what their fans love them for. This was their first trip out of Hong

Kong to both Vancouver and Toronto as a group. AX3 had the privilege to sit down with

these four music lovers — King, Chiu Fung , On Jai, and Jase — to learn more about them.

STARS IN HARMONY

TEXT/TRANSLATION: VENUS FUNG PHOTOS: JONATHAN LEE

Official Site: callstar.hk

Youtube: youtube.com/KingdomCmusic

22 CHARGED INTERVIEW STARS IN HARMONY

When the four of you are together, people

know you as C AllStar, but each of you have

your own style and personality. Can you each

tell us your strongest point?

King: My strong point…

On Jai: You should talk about Chiu Fung.

King: He’s good at finishing things he’s supposed

to do.

On Jai: …what else?

King: Chiu Fung is skilled at singing love songs.

He always makes me feel touched. When it

comes to love songs, he can move the audience

with his singing.

Chiu Fung: If you’re talking about strong points,

I think On Jai has a clear and perfect voice. He

has a special quality in his voice that can heal

people’s wounds, that’s his speciality.

On Jai: Out of the four of us, Jase listens to the

most foreign songs, as well as soulful songs. So

his style is more like the way of singing in English.

His personality is more introverted, he doesn’t

talk much or even not at all. But when he does

talks, he is right on point.

Chiu Fung: Is that a good or bad trait?

On Jai: A good trait.

Jase: King is very impressive. His range is very

high and when he sings, it’s very powerful

Since you guys are performers for SQ17, what

are some tips you would give to young music

lovers such as yourself?

King: It’s very important for anyone that loves

music to keep that fire burning inside you. I think

that no matter what, you must keep this fire

wherever you go and bring out your passion.

Jase: I think it’s important to find what you’re

good at and use this as a starting point to go

further.

Chiu Fung: That’s right, because music offers

a lot of different areas, like singing, arranging,

composing music and writing lyrics.

On Jai: I hope that people who love music will

listen to other people’s music. Because I think

music is like studying: the more you study, the

more natural you will be able to write or com-

pose music. So I hope that everyone can listen to

different genres of music.

Chiu Fung: I think in many cases, society links

people who play or love music with an inability to

make money or fulfil what they are supposed to

do. They might feel that that the goal is very far.

For us, music is part of our lives, and even when

we finished our university studies we still felt

that it was important to persist in music. I hope

that people who view music as their dream will

continue to persist and not give up.

On Jai: You have to believe in yourself.

King: Music is part of life, it’s as simple as that.

Chiu Fung: You have to persist it.

I know you guys compose music too, which one

would you prefer — composing or singing?

On Jai: If you’re talking about composing music,

we are still quite new to it. If you’re asking

which one we prefer, we love both. Composing

and singing are two different worlds, but they

give you the same amount of fulfilment. When

composing, you can express your innermost feel-

ings, whether through the melody or the lyrics. I

remember when we first composed for our last

CD, for the song 2013, that sense of fulfillment

was very great. When the producer is willing to

use your song and when the radio plays it,

the sense of fulfillment you get is the same as

having your own child.

Chiu Fung: I think the difference between

composing and singing is that singing is express-

ing other people’s feelings, and it depends on

whether your skill is mature enough to com-

municate that same feeling. For composing, like

On Jai said, it’s writing about your own feelings.

This feeling is first-person and this opportunity is

very precious.

Jase: It’s like writing a diary. For example, take a

song that you wrote 5 years ago and one that you

wrote now. If you look at a song that you wrote 5

years ago…

On Jai: You think “so I was like that…”.

Jase: Yeah, it’s a recording of your life.

On Jai: For singing, it’s about interaction,

which is different from the world of composing.

Composing can get lonely because you have to

do it by yourself. But when you’re singing, like us

when we’re singing a cappella, the happiest thing

during a live performance is that there is so much

interaction. It could be the interaction between

the four of us, or the interaction with the live

audience. So the happiness between the singing

and composing are different.

Vancouver is a very multicultural place and

people here have many choices for music.

What do you think is the selling point of Hong

Kong music?

Chiu Fung: We are now going to do a commercial

for Hong Kong music… do we have any ideas?

On Jai: I thought you had some.

Jase: Yeah, since you said it like that.

On Jai: I got it! I think that there are many tal-

ented people in Hong Kong’s music industry who

write different songs, but I especially want to

talk about Cantonese lyrics. I think that Canton-

ese lyrics are the hardest to write, yet there are

still many skilled Cantonese composers. I hope

that people can appreciate that.

Chiu Fung: When performing Cantonese songs,

it’s very hard. It’s very unique because Canton-

ese uses 9 tones. The language is very special

and has its own charm. Because we’re in this

industry and singing Cantonese songs, I hope

that people can notice our efforts.

On May 25, C Allstar headlined the Songwriters’

Quest 17 (SQ17) at Michael J. Fox Theatre, and

their performance was very well received. Alongside

singing classics such as 天梯 and their brand new

song 少數, they also took requests from the audience

at the end of the night. The audience challenged

them with classics by Eason Chan and 蔡楓華, which

they did an incredible job improvising. They made

the audience wish they could attend their concert

this coming November back in Hong Kong.

APRIL 2012 | CHARGED MAGAZINE

CHARGED INTERVIEWSTARS IN HARMONY

23


24 CHARGED FASHIONSUMMER FASHION TRENDS

Bubble Bean Boutique, launched in August 2011, is an

online boutique owned by Maggie Ma of Vancouver,

BC. It aims to bring Canadians internationally branded

clothing without the expensive shipping fees as Ma

does her best to maintain the original local pricings. The

boutique carries brands like One Teaspoon, J Brand

Jeans, MINKPINK, Finders Keepers and many more.

For more details:

facebook.com/bubblebeanboutique

twitter.com/shopbubblebean

BubbleBeanBoutique.com

OUTDOOR PICNICFloral is back on the scene and the Australian

label, MinkPink, has decided to splash it all

over this cute little dress. The Lollie Floral

Tie Back dress, with its playful skirt and flirty

back, is something you will definitely want to

have for those lovely picnic days at the park.

You can’t go wrong with a floral dress/denim

jacket combination just in case it gets chilly at

night. Pair those and you’re ready to check out

delicious eats at the summer night market!

Don’t know what to wear to your next

summer event? Well look no further,

because we’ve got the perfect summer

style guide for you! CHARGED had the

pleasure of collaborating with Vancouver-

based Bubble Bean Boutique to help you

decide what to add to your summer 2012

wardrobe to ensure you look good at all

those upcoming outings.

TEXT: TRINI NGUYEN-DON PHOTO: VENUS FUNG

HOT HOT CHIC:SUMMERFASHION TRENDS

MINKPINK LOLLIE FLORAL TIE BACK DRESS $95 CAD

BEACHThis piece is absolutely adorable. It’s the

Canyon crochet poncho from One Tea-

spoon that can be worn as either a top or a

dress. The detail is amazing as the hem is

hand crocheted and tasseled. It’s made of

cotton yarn which makes it the perfect lay-

ering piece for those evening walks on the

beach or simply hanging out on the docks.

DOCKFinders Keepers keeps things fresh with

this piece—the Heartstring Playsuit. It

comes in a colour called Honeycomb Ink

Blue, which will definitely keep the buzz

directed towards you as you’ll be looking

fine! The funky print gives it an edgy feel

and the shade of blue used is in perfect

coordination with the colour of the ocean,

the body of water you’ll sigh deeply at

before returning to your delicious fish and

chip lunch.

FINDERS KEEPERS HEARTSTRING PLAYSUIT $129 CAD

ONE TEASPOON CANYON CROCHET PONCHO $180 CAD

GIRLS DAY OUTIt’s a shopping and margaritas type of day

with your girls and what could be more

perfect than this Magnetic Electric dress

from Finders Keepers, another Australian

label. This dress will ensure you look

fabulous at all times with its two-tone navy

blue and nectarine contrast. Pair it with

your favourite booties or a nice pair of

sandals for a day out in town. Animal print

is roaring back into the scene and MINK-

PINK has made this piece its prey. The Eye

of the Tiger Overlay Top is fierce, and it’s

definitely daring with its extreme high low

hem and open back. It is slightly sheer so

for a more tamed look; you may layer it

with a tank top, but that still won’t help

you avoid the curious eyes of bystanders.

CASUAL BEERLnA has mastered the t-shirt in terms of fit,

comfort and versatility. So whether you’re

kicking back beers with some buddies or

heading out to the club, you’ll never lose

your cool. But if you want to know the real

secret to being in the centre of attention,

we suggest throwing on a leather jacket

with that tee. The ladies love it.

MINKPINK EYE OF THE TIGER OVERLAY TOP $89 CAD

LNA S/S CREW NECK TEE $54 CAD

FINDERS KEEPERS MAGNETIC ELECTRIC DRESS $150 CAD

JANG CHEUNG LEE CHU LAW CORPORAT ION

鄭張李朱律師事務所

June is a month that many Vancouverites look forward to. It's a month that for many of us symbolizes freedom, as well as the beginning of summer. With incoming clear skies and moderate temperatures creeping, it's truly a blessing to live in such a wonderful and scenic city.

eat less processed food & more homemade dishes

High-intensity interval Training (HIIT) workouts

30 minute Cardio

hit the gym and pump some iron

Swim For Cut & definition

Drink Water, Eat less

Salty Food

Lower your Carb intakes

But the closer it gets to August, the more the outdoors will resemble a living oven. As people spend more time outside at the city's various beaches and parks, we can bet that everyone will be wearing less! And more often than not, there will be that one person with the totally ripped and sculpted body that will make everyone around him/her glow with envy.

Don't worry though. Hopefully the tips below will help all of you that are trying to be the same!

For this month's edition of CHARGEDasks, the question was, "What do you do to achieve a "nice" body for summer?"


TEXT: BERNIE YEE ILLUSTRATION: NICHOLAS SIM


30 CHARGED MAGAZINEDISTIRBUTION

BURNABY

Assi Korean and Japanese Supermarket 5593 Kingsway

Bamboo Café 5103 Joyce Street

Boransi Cafe 4035 North Road

BubbleWorld 1-4300 Kingsway

Chonqing 4519 Kingsway

Crystal Mall Dental 1001-4500 Kingsway

Curry King 5-4250 Kingsway

Ice Baby BBT 1021-4500 Kingsway

Happy Molars 1-4361 Kindsway

Jang Mo Jib 5075 Kingsway

Japanese Waffle House 2210-4500 Kingsway

Joyce Hair Design 5156 Joyce Street

Kay Market 5169 Joyce Stree

KR Media 2602-4500 Kingsway

McGill Burnaby Public Library 4595 Albert Street

Metro Max 5912 Kingsway

MoonFlower Café 2610 – 4500 Kingsway

Orange Corner 140-6200 McKay Avenue

Pearl Drops 22 Willingdon Avenue

Pittsburg 1687-4500 Kingsways

S&W Pepper House 1821-4500 Kingsway

Sunshine Café 1003 – 4500 Kingsway

Tea Plus 2122-4500 Kingsway

The One Restaurant 5908 Kingsway

COQUITLAM

Bon Vivant Fashion Cafe Unit 1001, 1163 Pinetree Way

Coquitlam College 516 Brookmere Avenue

DELTA

Ming Shing Restaurant 7158 120th Street

RICHMOND

Aberdeen Health Centre Unit 2180 – 4151 Hazelbridge Way

Artistic Space Studio 140-4140 No. 3 Road

Backstage Hair Studio 8010 Saba Road

Blenz Coffee Suite 130-9040 Blundell Road

Bone Sushi 1040 – 4540 No.3 Road

Candyland Unit 3710 – 4151 Hazelbridge Way

Cube Inc. Unit 3370 – 4151 Hazelbridge Way

Gacha Gacha Hobbies & Toys Unit 3750 – 4151 Hazelbridge Way

H-mart Unit 1780 – 4151 Hazelbridge Way

K Fever 1018-8300 Capstan Way

Mentor Hair Salon Suite 105-6211 No. 3 Road

JUNE2012DISTRIBUTION LIST

UBC STUDENT CLUBS2329 West Mall, Vancouver, B.C.

SFU STUDENT CLUBS8888 University Drive, Burnaby, B.C.

MAY 2012 | CHARGED MAGAZINE

CHARGED MAGAZINEDISTIRBUTION

31


MINI Richmond 410-10700 Cambie Road

Monzter 190-4151 Hazelbridge Way

MQ Cosmetics Unit 3400 – 4151 Hazelbridge Way

Osaka Optical Unit 2450 – 4151 Hazelbridge Way

Parker Place 4380 No 3 Road

Saigon City Vietnamese Restaurant Suite 125-9040 Blundell Road

The One Cafe 聚客亭 6091 No. 3 Road

Waves #180-5951 No. 3 Road

Whatever Café 1108 8328 Capstan Way

Yavis Club Cheesecake Cafe 1231-8300 Capstan Way

尚品

1028-8300 Capstan Way

SURREY

Bubble88 10209 King George Hwy

VANCOUVER

Bonchaz 426 W Hasting Street

Bubble World Tea House 1325 Robson Street

Capstone 1429 Robson Street

Chicco 1504 Robson Street

Dajia Sushi 836 Denman Street

Donburiya 1329 Robson Street

East Fusion 1021-88 West Pender Street

Footo Delights 820 Homer Street

H-Mart 590 Robson Street

Hon’s Wun-Tun House 1339 Robson Street

Jang Mo Jib 1719 Robson Street

Ma Dang Coul 847 Denman Street

Milano Coffee & Gelato 849 Denman Street

Starbucks 433 Seymour Street

Sushi Mart 1668 Robson Street

Take Five Café 701 West Georgia Street (Pacific Centre)

Waves Coffee House 492 W Hastings Street

WE Coffee 1696 Robson Street

Zabu Chicken 1635 Robson Street

Documents

CHARGED Magazine - Issue 06