AFTER a successful sold-out solo concert in January at Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre to celebrate his 25th anniversary as a singer-songwriter, Lah Ahmad is now all set to thrill fans at Istana Budaya.
The Lah Ahmad Jatuh Cinta Live concert will take place this Saturday at 8.30pm, and the 43-year-old artiste is excited and grateful to be performing at the prestigious venue.
Lah, whose real name is Abdullah Ahmad, said his show at Istana Budaya would be special since it would be an opportunity for him to sing songs that he had never performed before.
"There will be old songs that fans have never heard, as well songs from the new album.
"In addition, fans can expect a special segment with guest singers. For now, I have to keep the identities of the artistes a secret. Let it be a surprise," he said during a recent chat at the Poolside Bistro of Ideas Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
"What's exciting is that I'll be accompanied by Orkestra Simfoni Universiti Malaya, led by Professor Dr Hanafi Husin, the dean of the Faculty of Creative Arts at Universiti Malaya.
"It's an honour and a pleasure to be able to perform with such talented musicians, who will take my songs to another level."
The concert will also feature Muhammad Shahwalnaz Hussin, who is part of Orkestra Traditional Malaysia at Istana Budaya, serving as music director.
Lah, who is a former member of R&B group VE, which was formed during the late 1990s, said he would like to bring back the glory days of that soulful musical genre.
"If you look at the local rock scene, they have managed to create a community and support system that has ensured the longevity of the genre.
"I salute rock groups that can join together, like Search and Wings, who made their Double Trouble concerts a success," said Lah, who won Best Vocal Performance at Anugerah Juara Lagu 22 in 2007.
When asked if there was a possibility for VE to reunite, he said: "The guys all have busy schedules and commitments, so it's been hard to get everyone together. But nothing's impossible."
Meanwhile, the father of three hopes that his concert at Istana Budaya will serve as a catalyst to inspire other events that bring together local popular R&B artistes from across the country.
"I'd like to revive the R&B genre by collaborating with other artistes in the same vein.
"For now, I hope that my concert will kick it off. This is the plan for the next 10 years to ensure the country's R&B brand continues to survive.
"It's about time we saw this music genre return to glory."
Tickets to the Lah Ahmad Jatuh Cinta Live concert, organised by Rubbertapper Production House, are priced from RM130 to RM390, and can be purchased from iLasso tickets.
