Ash, Padi concert satisfies long-suffering music fans
JAKARTA (JP): The concert by Irish teenage punk/pop band Ash and local rock group Padi last Monday meant more than just a musical performance for those in attendance.
First, it has been a really long time since there has been an alternative music concert here. While Ash, in the middle of an Asian tour to promote their latest album, Free All Angels, was not the ideal choice for the event -- not really being alternative -- they were not bad.
As for Padi, there is no doubt they are the band du jour and, to be honest, I have been waiting to see them live (I'm a fan and not ashamed to admit it. Mahadewi touches me. Deeply).
And the show up on stage was not the only entertainment on Monday at the Indoor Tennis Hall at the Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta. No, there was also the equally entertaining sport of people-watching.
Spotted among the audience, mainly made up of young people, were celebrity couple Tengku Firmansyah and Cindy Fatikasari and acid jazz band The Groove.
Also making the scene was Dian Sastrowardoyo, the star of Pasir Berbisik (Whispering Sand), who said she came to see Padi.
"I'm here with my friends from Ada Apa Dengan Cinta (What's Up With Love, her upcoming movie)," she said, pointing to a group of beautiful young people who looked as though they had fallen from the pages of a fashion magazine.
Inside the tennis hall, the audience was massed in front of the stage, with its two big screens on either side, and seated upstairs in the tribune area. A total of 4,200 people gathered in the hall, or 75 percent of the total number of tickets sold, which were priced at Rp 125,000 (US$13.15) for festival and Rp 150,000 for tribune seating.
Bringing the bands together for a concert was the idea of promoter Adrie Subono from Java Musikindo.
"We want our artistes to be on the same level as international artistes. I don't want our artistes just to be an opening act," he said, denying that he had tapped Padi for the concert to cover for Ash, whose popularity here is somewhat questionable.
The concert began at 7:05 p.m., with Padi opening the festivities with Bayangkanlah (Just Imagine), the first track off their latest album, Sesuatu Yang Tertunda (Something Delayed).
Two more songs from the album, Perjalanan Ini (This Journey) and Kemana Angin Berhembus (Where The Wind Blows), followed.
Then Padi went back to its first album, Lain Dunia (Different World), for Sudahlah (Let It Be), Demi Cinta (For The Sake of Love) and Seperti Kekasihku (Like My Lover).
The appreciative audience sang along with vocalist Fadly, especially on an unplugged version of Kasih Tak Sampai (Unfulfilled Love), which saw Fadly singing accompanied only by guitarist Piyu.
After that, bass player Rindra and drummer Yoyo showed off their skills, soloing for some 10 minutes.
The rest of the band then came back on stage and performed a song from the legendary Iwan Fals titled Tak Terlupakan (Unforgettable). They followed this up with a cover of The Beatles' Hey Jude.
Mahadewi (Goddess) came next, to the great pleasure of the rapturous audience, which sang along with Fadly.
Padi played a total of 14 songs in an often electric performance that proved that they are not just a studio band.
At 8:35 p.m., they said goodbye and the crew got busy preparing the stage for Ash.
Half an hour later, the Irish foursome jumped on stage and quickly heated things up with a ripping performance of Burn Baby, Burn, an up-tempo number from their latest album.
The audience in front of the stage went wild, and suddenly the air was filled with flying plastic water bottles, magazines and people.
But as Tim Wheeler (vocals, guitar), Mark Hamilton (bass), Charlotte Hatherley (guitar) and Rick McMurray (drums) got ready to play their second song, technical problems forced them off the stage.
A restless 10 minutes later, during which the audience enjoyed the frantic efforts of crew members, Ash was back and playing such songs as Submission, Candy and Sometimes, and older songs like Oh Yeah, Girl From Mars and Kung Fu.
They played a total of 19 songs, most of which were fast, three-chord compositions, much to the enjoyment of those doing some serious moshing in front of the stage.
While Ash's performance was good, and the sound was excellent, it peaked when they covered a Weezer song called Only In Dreams, a mellow number from their Blue album.
Several minutes after Ash said goodbye to the audience, they were back on stage with Padi, bringing the audience to its feet in anticipation.
"This one comes from Westlife," Fadly said. "No, this is from the number one band in the world."
Then the two bands teamed up on U2's classic With or Without You, with the last note being played at 10:40.
Well, not bad. Not bad at all. And more alternative concerts are in the pipeline, promised Adrie Subono.
On Jan. 10 we can expect a big slice of Cake, and then on March 7 Weezer is due in town.