Getting away from the office at B.A.T.S. factory<\/p>\n
By Johannes Simbolon<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): New factories have long been relegated to the
\noutskirts of Jakarta, except for the \"factory\" built below the
\nShangri-La hotel.<\/p>\n
The bar and restaurant in the basement of the hotel has a
\nfactory feel and is named B.A.T.S., to draw in the curious.<\/p>\n
\"It can stand for either 'Bar at the Shangri-La', 'Be at the
\nShangri-La', 'Beautiful And Talented Staff' or whatsoever
\nappropriate,\" said Riza A. Soeryo, the director of communications
\nof the five-star hotel.<\/p>\n
Entering the bar feels like going into an underground factory.
\nMetal rods hang down to support the roof. The walls are only
\npartly plastered, exhibiting reddish brown bricks. The place has
\na pseudo-neglected look, like an abandoned factory.<\/p>\n
The bar's paraphernalia has been meticulously selected to
\nintensify the factory feeling, without over doing it. Pistons are
\nused as ashtrays and the champagne buckets are made from other
\ncar parts.<\/p>\n
The factory look has been a success. Just weeks after opening
\nlate last year, the bar established itself as one of the most
\npopular nightspots in town.<\/p>\n
According to Riza, 1,200 people cram into B.A.T.S on weekends.
\nA more manageable 500 guests visit during the week, which is
\nstill a considerable amount compared to that of other nightclubs
\nin town.<\/p>\n
About 40 percent of the visitors are hotel guests, the rest
\nare young professionals living in Jakarta. The number of
\nexpatriate visitors was initially higher than the locals, but the
\nratio has since leveled out. Some of the regulars have had their
\nimages immortalized by the hotel's artists on the bar's plastered
\nwalls.<\/p>\n
\"Some visitors come with their family, even their small kids,\"
\nsaid Riza, pointing to a young boy sitting near the stage,
\nwatching the last performance of the Fire and Desire band last
\nThursday evening.<\/p>\n
The guitarist goaded the boy into playing the guitar with him.
\nHe guided the boy's little fingers to the right strings. A
\ndissonant sound was all that came out. Visitors smiled as they
\nwatched the intermezzo.<\/p>\n
Dwight Smith, the flamboyant lead singer of the band, shook
\nthe boy's hand from the stage while singing a song. The boy
\nhastily gave him his request on a piece of paper.<\/p>\n
New York<\/p>\n
\"Our philosophy is to see and to be seen. Since there are few
\npillars here, visitors can see easily each other. As such, the
\nguests feel like they are united,\" said Riza.<\/p>\n
B.A.T.S is the brainchild of the staff of Jakarta's Shangri-
\nLa. Prior to its establishment, the hotel sent its food and
\nbeverage manager, Jean Michel Offe, to New York to study the pubs
\nand restaurants in the city. Offe then returned to Jakarta with
\nthe idea of setting up a bar-restaurant with a factory ambience.
\nIt is not an imitation of any pub or restaurant in New York, but
\nmore the combination of many bars and restaurants there.<\/p>\n
\"We try to create a unique atmosphere here, where people can
\nenjoy their time after working hard in offices throughout the
\nday,\" Offe told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"Here they can either wear a suit or casual clothes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The food is also cooked New York style, with all portions
\nbeing oversized.<\/p>\n
\"We have the biggest pizza in town, 45 centimeters in
\ndiameter. Can you imagine?\" Offe asked.<\/p>\n
The tasty food is reasonably priced, but some visitors don't
\nunderstand why they are served portions they can't possibly
\nfinish.<\/p>\n
\"In all the pub-restaurants I visited, side dishes are always
\nincluded in the main menu order. Here, I have to separately order
\nthe main menu and side dishes, and pay twice,\" said Babe, who
\neats at the restaurant occasionally.<\/p>\n
Riza said they deliberately separate the side dishes from the
\nmain menu because the entrees are more than enough to fill their
\nguests. Riza added that the entrees are actually healthy.<\/p>\n
Music<\/p>\n
The narrow dance floor doesn't prevent people from dancing
\nthroughout the night to the sounds of Motown, funk, and rhythm
\nand blues.<\/p>\n
According to Riza, B.A.T.S is the only club to have live music
\nduring happy hour. Sylvia Howard and her gang are performing
\nduring happy hours up to June. Sylvia, an American, has made a
\nlong career as a pub singer in many countries, including in
\nIndonesia. She has often appeared on Indonesian television shows.
\nShe has teamed up with local musicians: Trio on bass, Johannes on
\ndrums and Juhari on keyboards.<\/p>\n
Sylvia can sing and even joke in Indonesian.<\/p>\n
\"Over the past five years, I always returned to Indonesia
\nevery three months after I finished my singing contract in other
\ncountries in Asia,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Sylvia and her gang perform from 6 p.m. to 9.45 p.m., Monday
\nthrough Friday, and from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Riza said house bands must perform familiar songs, dance
\nonstage and make good contact with guests.<\/p>\n
The Los-Angeles-based Fire and Desire was the first band to
\nplay in the bar. They have just returned to the U.S. after
\nplaying for five months.<\/p>\n
Kool Company, also from Los Angeles, replaced Fire and Desire
\nlast week. The new band is optimistic they can win over the bar's
\nregulars.<\/p>\n
\"We sing many styles, including Motown, disco of the 70s, the
\nhiphop dance of the 80s and 90s, R & B. We don't sing reggae,
\nexcept for Bob Marley,\" said Alton Williams, the lead singer of
\nthe band.<\/p>\n
The band, founded in 1993, has performed in pubs in Japan and
\nGermany. They just recorded their first album, Be A Lover, of R &
\nB dance music in Los Angeles and plan to release it at B.A.T.S
\nnext month. They also brought along band T-shirts and caps to
\nsell.<\/p>\n
Kool Company is made up of Rei Williams on keyboards, Jeffrey
\nJackson on drums, Alyawesomes on bass, Kevin Costan on guitar,
\nand Gwen Majors singing vocals.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/getting-away-from-the-office-at-bats-factory-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}