Charlie Lim Flies High With "I Only Tell The Truth" Premiere
Charlie Lim has just finished playing his opening piece on the piano. "Hey, how are you all doing? Anyone going for the Taylor Swift concert?" Decked in an unassuming grey shirt, one could argue that Lim would blend in perfectly with the crowd if no one knew who he was. He gazes toward the sold-out crowd at Sing Jazz Cafe, and continues to play the piano. No one responds. "I assure you that [my performance] is value for money," he deadpanned. The crowd snickers. Lim carries on to address the crowd, and asks the crowd for permission to perform longer - his set was supposed to last only an hour. A sense of apprehension and an awkward silence ensued, but the crowd says yes. He then proceeds to play the Fallout soundtrack on his guitar."Oh my gosh." The crowd rouses in a mix of astonishment and anticipation, as Lim's hands fly through his guitar. And sure enough, Lim delivers - the crowd, seemingly spellbound, falls silent. And why would he not? After all, Lim's latest (double) EP effort, "Time/Space", was a testament to his ability to create intricate storytelling, cemented by a vocal ability one could describe as velvet. And audiences have rewarded that - Time/Space leapfrogged to the top of the iTunes Albums within an hour of its release.
Read our review of Charlie Lim's EP "Time/Space"
During the two hour set Lim dives in to a medley of songs with odd yet successful pairings - from "I Don't Want To Set The World on Fire" by The Ink Spots and then seamlessly with "Blah Blah Blues", a cut from Space; to the seemingly surprising crowd shocker "Hotline Bling", a cover of Drake's, something that apparently hardly anyone expected from Lim's repertoire, which ignited many laughs, accompanied with other cuts such as "Choices" and "There Is No Love".Lim's set is also peppered with many guests - familiar faces such as JAWN, Dru Chen, Jaime Wong and Inch Chua - joined Lim on stage.The VideoEvidently, Lim's sold out gig was to mainly premiere his new music video for his song "I Only Tell The Truth". The song itself encapsulates Lim's best in songwriting, featuring one of Lim's best couplets: "You were tempted by the devil's flesh / I was jealous as a God".
Accompanied with gorgeous cinematography and entirely shot in Melbourne, Australia, the well-paced video is set in an aeroplane. Lim is left alone with his thoughts as he is tossed through emotional turmoils - brooding, stressed and barren - and the video explores his struggles as a songwriter and the difficulty he feels in trying to express himself. Picturesque videos and captivating visuals (think Taylor Swift's "Wildest Dreams", although Lim's video is arguably more melancholic), the video adds even more layers and depth to the already emotionally-layered song.
Watch the video below:
After its gorgeous premiere at the gig, Lim proceeds to play a stripped down version of the song.In the end, was the gig more value for money than Lim claimed? Arguably, yes, because a smaller, intimate performance venue, coupled with honest songwriting and singing may be more your cup of tea.You can check out more of Charlie Lim at the following pages:
Website: http://charlielim.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlielim
Bandcamp: https://charlielim.bandcamp.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wherewascharlie
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/wherewascharlie/videos
Featured image still from "I Only Tell The Truth"