Veteran entertainer Datuk DJ Dave is taking fans on a trip down memory lane with what he calls his ‘final major concert’.

WITH so many accolades to his name, one has a hard time trying to decide how to address Datuk DJ Dave – Datuk? DJ? Or Dave?

Fortunately, the jovial 65-year-old entertainer known otherwise as Datuk Irwan Shah made the task easy when he offered a congenial: “Just call me Dave,” during this interview at his office in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Now, the owner of a thriving business that reduces carbon emissions, Dave was a lively presence despite. He sounded thoroughly enthusiastic as he dished out details of his upcoming concert, Journey Through Song: Ingin Bersua DJ Dave.

Still youthful: DJ Dave has maintained much of his youthful good looks and vigour with good eating habits and regular exercise.

“The concert I am going to do will commemorate my 40th year in show business and 40 years is a long, long time,” said the Perak-born Dave, whose popular hits include Nora, Maafkanlah, Gitar Berbunyi and Kawan Setia.

Journey Through Song will be a two-hour spectacular that will be staged from June 1 to 3 at Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya, Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur.

Dave called the occasion, during which he will sing about 35 songs spanning from his start of his career in the 1970s to the present, his “final major concert”.

“This is the last time I’ll be doing something as big as this. Maybe I’ll be doing some mini-concerts here and there but nothing big like this again,” he said.

Dave had also invited other veteran artistes like Uji Rashid, Datuk Ahmad Nawab as well as popular singers Dayang Nurfaizah and Marsha Milan Londoh to perform.

On the concert’s theme, the singer revealed: “I want to bring back nostalgic moments for my fans. All the songs will be performed based on their original compositions.”

Journey Through Song will be a pop-mix orchestration backed by a 30-piece-orchestra. It will feature a four-part concept that will run from the 1970s, 80s, 90s and the early 2000s.

Dave said his creative team aims to channel the precise look and feel of the 70s and the 80s in tribute to the eras.

To do that, Dave will be wearing the same signature bell-bottoms he had donned in the age of the flower-power.

And yes, he can still fit into them as clearly the singer has retained much of his youthful good looks and vocal prowess.

“I try to keep myself as fit as possible by playing badminton three times a week. I also do breathing and vocal exercises every morning to maintain my voice,” he shared.

“Besides, I need all the health and luck to go through with this concert.

“It’s not easy to do a two-hour concert at this age, my dear, but God willing, I will make it happen.” Apart from that, Dave will also perform his new single, Nyawaku, composed by Datuk M. Nasir at the concert.

Nyawaku will join the list of hit singles on his latest limited edition four-CD compilation album, Journey Through Song: Ingin Bersua DJ Dave, which will be sold at the concert venue.

Part of the proceeds of his concert and album sales will go to Yayasan Artis 1Malaysia (1Malaysia Artiste Foundation) to help veteran artistes who are facing hardship.

He said he wanted to set up the foundation because many of his veteran artistes friends were facing financial problems.

“They (veteran artistes) had once entertained us but are now left to bear the hardship alone. I feel very sad when I see some of my old friends who are now left alone and they have to pay bills. It’s hard when they can’t sing anymore or are bedridden.

“I feel that it is my obligation being in this profession and as an entertainer to get people to donate and to help these artistes,” he said.

Dave hopes the foundation will be sustainable on a long-term basis.

As someone who has been there, done that in the entertainment industry, what does Dave think of the changing face of the music scene?

“Well, the industry hasn’t really changed. It’s the technology that has changed. Besides, most of the old songs that were hits are being remade and presented time and again. Youngsters nowadays are actually listening to old English songs that used to be all the rage.”

Tickets to Journey Through Song: Ingin Bersua DJ Dave are priced at RM53, RM83, RM123, RM183, RM253, RM303 and RM453 and are available at ticket2u.biz. For more information, log on to klsogo.com or call 03-4147 8600/ 018-326 8001.

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