David, slicker than the average pop star<\/p>\n
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
British pop phenom Craig David really cares about his teenage fan
\nbase, for that must be the explanation why only teen-focused
\nmedia were invited to cover his concert here on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
(The prerequisite from the sponsor, a cigarette brand, I
\npresume?)<\/p>\n
Local promoter Nepathya and Warner Music Indonesia decided to
\nwait until the last minute to announce that a very limited number
\nof media would receive press IDs.<\/p>\n
By then, tickets were sold out, except, of course, from the
\nscalpers swarming around the concert venue of Bung Karno Sports
\nComplex's Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
I am not a fan of the 22-year-old British singer\/songwriter.
\nBut Bono is so fond of him that he added a verse from David's hit
\nWalking Away into U2's classic One, in the group's performance
\nlast year. So, I thought, maybe he deserves a shot, even if it
\nmeant buying a ticket at almost double the price from a scalper.<\/p>\n
Forced to break the law and jeopardize some principles of
\nintegrity -- well, those are issues I will have to resolve with
\nthe promoter and the record company later.<\/p>\n
Darn it, Bono got it right, as the concert was excellent and
\nDavid gave a hot performance that night.<\/p>\n
Backed by a group of musicians, including DJs and backup
\nsingers, David brought a vibrant club atmosphere with his
\nseamless mix of R&B, pop, hip hop and garage, to a faithful
\naudience of 10,000.<\/p>\n
There were no dancers, towering stage props and glittery
\ncostumes, only his lithe and sweet voice that ran from falsetto
\nto low notes, crooning an impressive and unsterile set of 14
\nsongs.<\/p>\n
Yet, he was not showy with his voice, looking relaxed and
\nconfident, even without his trademark ski cap.<\/p>\n
Sporting a plain white T-shirt with white pants -- and running
\noff backstage to change the top every four songs -- he kicked off
\nthe concert with the upbeat title track from his latest album,
\n2002's Slicker Than Your Average.<\/p>\n
The second song, 7 Days, a hit from 2000's multiplatinum debut
\nalbum Born to Do It, showed David he has a solid fan base in this
\ncountry -- they knew the song by heart.<\/p>\n
"You're amazing. It's amazing to be here," he told the
\ncheering audience in a thick British accent.<\/p>\n
He then did a piece of American hot rapper 50 Cent's hit In Da
\nClub, before singing What's Your Flava?.<\/p>\n
Hailing from Southampton, David is slicker than your average
\nyoung pop stars who rely on good looks and dance more than
\nsinging ability, and whose songs are often just bad covers of old
\nhits.<\/p>\n
David ventured into the music business after winning the first
\nplace in a songwriting contest back in 1996, which led him to
\nscore a club smash with Artful Dodger on Re-Rewind.<\/p>\n
At the tender age of 18, he released Born, which sold over
\nseven million copies worldwide and made him the youngest-ever
\nBritish male artist to achieve a number one hit in the UK for the
\nsingle Fill Me In.<\/p>\n
The album went on to become one of the 2001's most popular and
\nacclaimed releases, spending more than 60 weeks on the Billboard
\n200 and garnering gold, platinum and multiplatinum status in over
\n20 countries.<\/p>\n
Born also handed him an assortment of awards, including a 2001
\nGrammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and was
\nnominated again the next year in the same category.<\/p>\n
Last year, David released his much-anticipated follow-up
\nSlicker, an album that continues to meld many genres into
\nirresistible and unique sound.<\/p>\n
The sophomore effort includes a collaboration on Rise and
\nFall; a song built around the melody of Sting's 1993 hit Shape of
\nMy Heart, who also lends his voice to the new recording.<\/p>\n
"This next song tells about how you can really be a good
\nfriend with a girl without being her boyfriend," David asserted
\non stage before belting out Hidden Agenda.<\/p>\n
He crooned, he rapped, he moved his body (moderately), he
\ntalked about world peace (the introduction for World Filled With
\nLove), and he used that velvety voice to introduce the band and
\nthe singers.<\/p>\n
The encores included the acoustic version of Rendezvous where
\nDavid was only accompanied by a guitarist.<\/p>\n
"As much as I love Rendezvous, can you do something to the
\nguitar to lift up the vibe?" he asked the guitarist, before the
\nlatter did what he was told and David rapped like mad.<\/p>\n
The concert wrapped with the very song that first brought him
\nto the masses: the upbeat Re-Rewind. Everyone went mad and the
\nDJs ran around like crazy, as David sang "Re-e-wind when the
\ncrowd say bo selecta" before thanking the audience and saying
\ngoodbye.<\/p>\n
And I was glad the concert was worth the moral tussle of
\ndealing with a scalper. But as for the promoter and record
\ncompany, I'm not done with you yet!<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/david-slicker-than-the-average-pop-star-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}