By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: The Australian Bruno Mars Tribute brought laughter and cheer to brighten the day for patients and caregivers at the Palliative Care Association of Kota Kinabalu (PCAKK) home at Taman Rose.
“The reception was overwhelming. It was beautiful and we were all so touched to be able to bring smiles to everybody’s face.
“We walked in and they were clapping and blowing kisses. I was a rock star for a moment,” said band leader Brian Rault ahead of PCAKK’s 27th annual charity dinner and concert tonight (Sept 19) at the Sabah International Convention Centre.
Brian said the 11-piece Melbourne-based band is bringing a decade of experience celebrating Bruno Mars’ music to Malaysia for the first time.
The group has performed across Australia and has now expanded its performances to Asia and other international destinations including Japan, China, Singapore, Indonesia and the Middle East, he said.
Brian said the show’s focus is on celebrating the music.
“What we do is we celebrate the music. When we talk about the band, we say everybody in the band is Bruno, so the female singer is Bruno, I’m Bruno, the young guy is Bruno, the drummer is Bruno, everybody is Bruno,” said Brian.
For the concert, Brian said the group plans to perform Mars’ major hits alongside two songs from the singer’s new album.
“Tomorrow (Saturday), we’re going to do all of his hits, two songs from the new album and then all of the big songs like ‘Uptown Funk’, ‘24 Karat’, ‘Treasure’, all of these songs that made him famous,” he said.
Brian said the performance also carries particular significance because it is being staged to help raise money for a cause.
“We just want to bring fun and joy and energy to everyone.
“For us, it’s such a special cause. We’re very grateful to have been asked to perform to help raise money for such a special cause.
“We want to contribute and we want to make sure everybody there smiles, has fun, hopefully they dance and they sing along,” he said.
PCAKK president Dato’ Dr Jaswant Singh said the special programme was a reminder that palliative care is also about bringing comfort, dignity and moments of happiness to patients.
“Seeing our patients smiling and enjoying the music means a great deal to us. These moments of joy are equally important in their journey,” he added.
PCAKK advisor Datuk Margaret Lim said: “We want our patients to feel celebrated, cared for and surrounded by warmth. To see them dancing, smiling and enjoying themselves was truly heartwarming.”
Organising chairman Dr Mathan Mohan said the Australian group would the main act alongside local performers Rhowell Roland and Christal Ann Stephen.
The charity event aims to raise RM300,000 to support PCAKK’s free home-based palliative care services, which were established in 1998 and have provided care to more than 6,000 patients with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.
Brian and band members bring joy to palliative patients, caregivers and guests.
