Pop singers, poets sing for good cause<\/p>\n
By Helly Minarti<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The lineup for Charity Night Two last Sunday was
\na colorful, some would say bizarre, mix of generations and music
\ngenres.<\/p>\n
Performers like Nia Daniati, famed for her smooth ballads and
\nmelancholic singing style, shared center stage with new rock
\nbands such as Bima, whose lead singer thumped and stomped along
\nto his music.<\/p>\n
Sixty-year-old pop icon Titiek Puspa joined with four younger
\nsingers and literary giant WS Rendra for Hikmah, a sentimental
\nsong about the meaning of living in crisis, rendered memorable by
\nthe poet's unforgettable and pointed verses.<\/p>\n
A fitting choice of venue to complement these disparate
\nelements was the glitzy Fashion Cafe.<\/p>\n
But the drought in Irian Jaya and fellow citizens struggling
\nto find food stayed the central concern. The impetus for
\norganizing the event came from five FM radio stations -- Trijaya
\nFM, 99.5 Delta, Sonora, Prambors and
\nHard Rock FM -- which joined together last December to launch a
\nseries of fundraising activities for charity.<\/p>\n
One thing led to another. Fashion Cafe picked up the idea for
\nits Ramadhan tradition of a charity night. Six recording
\ncompanies lent artists to perform at this special gig.<\/p>\n
It may have been for charity, but it unfolded just like any
\nregular music event.<\/p>\n
The show began an hour late as organizers waited for the
\nguests to take their seats. At 10:30 p.m., the video clip of
\nHikmah performing its song was finally gracing the big screen.<\/p>\n
Hikmah, coordinated by singer Lies Hadi, is a collaboration of
\n12 singers, including Titiek Puspa, Dewi Yull, Gito Rollies and
\nChintami Atmanegara, plus Rendra.<\/p>\n
They recorded 10 songs in three weeks, foregoing any fees and
\ndonating all revenue from album sales to the starving in Irian
\nJaya.<\/p>\n
The clip was followed by footage showing the landscape and
\npeople of Irian Jaya, plus TV coverage of the calamity.<\/p>\n
Then it was time for the show.<\/p>\n
Edo Kodolangit, born in Sorong in Irian Jaya, opened it with
\ntwo songs. One of them, Bencana (Disaster) composed by Erwin
\nGutawa, tells of the tsunami which battered Flores in 1992. It
\nmay have been a different catastrophe, but the song was still
\nappropriate.<\/p>\n
Next up was Novia Kolopaking singing her latest hit, Asmara
\n(Love). Young singer Alda sang two more soft tunes before Bima
\nbounded on stage to belt out the numbers Fabrice and Dua Hati
\n(Two Hearts) from their first album.<\/p>\n
It all added up to a distinctly offbeat atmosphere -- and more
\nweird contrasts were in store.<\/p>\n
Nia fluttered along in a delicate embroidered outfit and
\ntrilled a familiar 1980s whiny love song, most notable for its
\nplain melody and shallow lyrics.<\/p>\n
The audience responded unkindly with catcalls but Nia, steely
\nbeneath that pretty exterior, nonchalantly carried on with a pop-
\nQasidah song by Bimbo, Bermata Tapi Tak Melihat (Have Eyes Yet
\nCan't See).<\/p>\n
Adding more strangeness to the evening was Pals, the up-and-
\ncoming female duet. In their standard androgynous costume, they
\nprowled the cafe's famous catwalk, a makeshift stage for the
\nevent, and sang two songs from their debut album.<\/p>\n
Titiek Puspa, Dewi Yull, Lies Hadi and her daughter Lizi, and
\nErmy Kulit next took the stage, with Rendra bringing up the rear,
\nto represent Hikmah.<\/p>\n
It was some bumpy musical ride from the electric-guitar-fueled
\nJelaskan (Explain It) of Pals to the slow, banal pop tune,
\nbrimming with somber religious lyrics, of Hikmah. In the middle
\nof the song, Rendra stayed true to his flamboyant stage image by
\nsuddenly reciting his eloquent words aloud.<\/p>\n
It was the oddest moment of an altogether strange night.<\/p>\n
\"I really appreciate their efforts,\" the poet said backstage
\nof his musical partners. \"They're very idealistic people, willing
\nto spend their commercial time to do something like this.<\/p>\n
\"I don't find any barrier in mingling with people from
\ndifferent walks of life, including pop artists like them.\"<\/p>\n
Singer and actress Dewi Yull dismissed suggestions the artists
\nmight have been more willing to donate their time because of the
\nquieter days of the fasting month.<\/p>\n
\"I've actually been very busy this month shooting and
\nproducing two TV series,\" she said. \"I can't donate gold or
\ndollars to express my concern at the latest situation. All I can
\ndo is sing.\"<\/p>\n
The rest of the night was a compilation of playback and live
\nturns by young artists and bands. These included the U'Champ's
\nband, singer Dewi Gita in MTV-style glittering jacket and pants,
\nRudy singing a melodious song despite his hard-rock hairdo and
\nArwana.<\/p>\n
It climaxed with six famous child performers, all clad in
\nblack outfits more befitting teenage rockers, warbling We Are The
\nWorld by Bob Geldof, the most famous fundraising song of all
\nwhich aided starving Ethiopians in the 1980s.<\/p>\n
Led by moppet Eno Lerian, they chanted every word clear and
\nprecisely for the sweetest moment of the night.<\/p>\n
Each carrying a big pot, they set out among the remaining
\naudience members to solicit cash and checks. In half an hour
\ntheir task was finished.<\/p>\n
The evening had its fair share of shortcomings, but these were
\nonly to be expected given the short preparation time. As it was
\nall for a good cause, any reciting of gripes would smack of
\ngratuitous sour grapes.<\/p>",
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