Ash, Padi concert satisfies long-suffering music fans

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.