Shangri-La's B.A.T.S. is back, oh boy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The recent labor woes of Shangri-La have been
\nwell documented, taking a bit of the shine off this would-be
\nutopia in Jakarta. Well, the hotel recently reopened, with a few
\nnew employees, and is now looking to get back into the hotel
\nbusiness after focusing so much of its energies on busting up
\nworker rallies.<\/p>\n
With the reopening of the hotel, of course, B.A.T.S. has made
\nits return to the nightlife scene. B.A.T.S. liked to claim to be
\nthe number one entertainment venue in Jakarta before it was so
\nrudely interrupted, and it would like to regain this self-
\nappointed title, though it will have to work hard to get back its
\nclientele who slipped off to Retro and C.J.'s in its absence.<\/p>\n
So is The Bar at the Shangri-La back like a bat out of hell,
\nor has the whole scene passed it by during its time away? Have a
\nlook.<\/p>\n
Location: B.A.T.S. is in the Shangri-La on Jl. Sudirman. You
\ncan call the hotel at 570-7440, or e-mail them at slj@shangri-
\nla.com.<\/p>\n
Hours: The bar is open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day. Happy
\nhour is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The band plays from Monday to
\nThursday 9:30 p.m. onward. Friday and Saturday the band starts at
\n10 p.m. Sundays are jazz nights with the Ireng Maulana All-Stars,
\nwho take the stage at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
What's it got: The usual collection of beers and spirits. They
\nalso serve what they call all-American food, though I have never
\nhad the pleasure of dining at B.A.T.S. so the subject is beyond
\nmy ken; or my Barbie for that matter.<\/p>\n
Bill, please: Paradise comes at a price. To even get past the
\ngates will cost you Rp 60,000. It had crossed my mind they would
\nhave done away with the cover charge for a time, a show of good
\nfaith to get back the customers, but they apparently chose not to
\ngo in that direction.<\/p>\n
Once you have paid your way in, the drinks are typically
\npriced for bars and clubs located in upscale hotels. A Corona is
\nRp 50,000, Jose Cuervo the same. Something called a V6 is Rp
\n38,000, though I don't know what it is or what it's doing on my
\nbill. But hey, it's hard to train new staff.<\/p>\n
Here's looking at you: B.A.T.S. has a little bar upstairs and
\nsome tables and chairs arranged around a TV. The area is near the
\nfront door and hidden away from the hubbub. To get to the action
\nyou descend a large staircase, feeling a bit like Miss Scarlett,
\nminus the corset. Downstairs is a large bar in the middle of the
\nroom, with seating all around, a dining area off to the side, a
\nstage for the band and a smallish dance floor. Your typical decor
\nfor a hotel club, playing it safe and mainstream. The whole look
\nis remarkably unremarkable and recalling details is difficult.<\/p>\n
So, what's your sign: Not to cast aspersions on the typical
\nB.A.T.S. patron, but when the band banged out its cover of
\nJennifer Lopez's Love Don't Cost a Thing it struck a rather
\nironical note. Yes, B.A.T.S. has its share of fat, white, middle-
\naged men and pretty young Indonesian women. But that is not the
\nentirety of the clientele, and there is a mix of young
\nIndonesians out with their friends, couples, people who came to
\ndance and those who came to drink. There are all types and
\neveryone seems to feel comfortable here, except for the type that
\nlikes good music and a little conversation.<\/p>\n
Odds and ends: B.A.T.S. is crowded, particularly on a Saturday
\nnight. Movement can be restricted and if you're particular about
\nyour personal space you're likely to work yourself into an
\napoplectic fit as the boors elbow past you.<\/p>\n
The band at B.A.T.S. is Crave. Everyone in the band is cute as
\na button and they frolic about the stage as they run through
\ntheir takes on the latest offerings from Ricky, Britney and
\nJennifer. It is hard to differentiate Crave from any of the other
\nbands that have come through B.A.T.S. in the past, which makes
\none wonder if there is a factory somewhere manufacturing cover
\nbands for all the bars located in upscale hotels around the
\nworld. But the people seem to like Crave, just like they liked
\nthe previous bands that played here, which makes one wonder about
\npeople.<\/p>\n
Or, if you're up for a little introspection, it makes you
\nwonder about yourself, and why you can't enjoy the simple fun and
\npleasure offered by these energetic cover bands. Crave takes a
\nrest on Sunday and B.A.T.S. offers up a little jazz. The change
\nis drastic. It's not overly crowded, you can sit and talk, enjoy
\nthe music. A pleasant way to spend a Sunday evening as you
\nprepare to face another week of work. The only drawback is you
\ndon't get the eye candy of a Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Last call: B.A.T.S. was slightly less crowded than it was
\nbefore it went away for a while, and the band wrapped things up a
\nlittle earlier than in the past. But the place has returned
\nwithout missing a beat. It is very good at what it does and if
\nthis is your idea of a good time out, B.A.T.S. is still the place
\nto be. (Penn Dawson)<\/p>",
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