bond: Four sylphs with classical taste

bond: Four sylphs with classical taste

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Contemporary classical music is apparently all the rage here.
Album sales are high, and ticket concerts are sold out despite
the relatively high price.

Last September, 1,400 people packed the sold-out performance
by Thai-Chinese violinist Vanessa Mae regardless of the ticket
fee which was set at Rp 750,000 (US$75).

In another sold-out concert on Wednesday, U.K.-based string
quartet bond (the lower-case is to distinguish it with 007
copyright lawyers) performed before 3,700 dedicated spectators
who paid up to Rp 350,000 for a ticket.

Does the attraction come merely from the music, which is said
to be breaking the language barriers and no longer frighten kids?
Or is it because of the pretty faces, funky attires and sensuous
stage acts?

While they admitted they might not be as successful without
the sex appeal, 26 year-old Haylie Ecker from bond said that it
is all about great music.

"We play contemporary, commercial music. Images are definitely
important but so is the music," the quartet's lead violinist told
the media conference.

"We're just being true to ourselves. We play uplifting music
that doesn't really fit with tuxedo and ball gown. In terms of
fashion, we wear what's fun for us. If it's sexy, good."

In the concert, however, bond proved that they were more than
the "classical Spice Girls", as they kick off with an attractive,
communicative and entertaining performance.

The group members are Australian Ecker and Tania Davis, and
British Eos and Gay-Yee Westerhoff.

Learning to play violins (it's the cello for 28 year-old
Westerhoff), since early childhood, they have astounded tutors
with their talents.

After holding music degrees in their respective countries, the
bond girls paved their career by playing with the likes of Sting,
Bryan Adams, Barry Manillow and Mark Knopfler.

As soon as they were introduced to each other by promoter Mel
Bush, the girls began to share their vision: there will be no
stiff bow ties or flowing black dresses, and neither will the
performers be sat down in front of reams of sheet music.

Their debut album Born was released in 2000, presenting
original compositions by the foursome, which are a mixture of
classical with catchy contemporary sound like pop, latin and hip
hop.

The album has topped classical music charts around the world,
selling more than one million copies to date, with a third of
them sold in Asia.

But similar to Mae, bond received criticism from some die-hard
traditionalists.

Last year, the album was banned from the classical album
charts for "being too populist". They have also caused another
rumpus recently when they headlined the Classical Brit Awards.
Their appearance at the Royal Albert Hall led to the resignation
of Matthew Cosgrove, a Classical Brits committee member as he
failed to stop the band's appearance.

"We thought it's (the ban) just strange. After two weeks in
the charts, they suddenly decided that we're not classical
enough. We're more classical than some other songs that had been
on the chart, like Pavarotti and friends and also Titanic's theme
song. As for the Brit award, let them carry on. Because more
people have supported us now," said Eos, 26.

That include the audience, mostly young people, although
parents and older people were evident, who packed the Jakarta
Convention Center (JCC)

All of them cheered, shouted and applauded the girls as bond
opened their performance with Quixote, an upbeat number from
Born.

"Jakarta ceria (cheerful)!" screamed Ecker, who then
introduced her band mates and referred to them as chicks.

The girls, however, toning down their sexy attire, in respect
to Asian custom. However, the costume still exposed Ecker's and
Westerhoff's midriffs and the slim long legs of Davis and Eos.

Accompanied by five back-up musicians, the ladies moved
energetically, playing a series of numbers from Born. The
haunting Oceanic, the mellow Bella Donna and the latin-infected
Liber Tango.

In Bella, they switched to acoustic instruments, doing an
occasional pizzicato.

"The next number is not our usual thing, but we like it,"
Davis said before the girls presented Hymn, the soundtrack of
Psycho.

After that, Led Zeppelin's masterpiece Kashmir was also
played. Thank Go, they did not ruin it.

The beat rises again with Crazy Horses, complete with horse'
neigh and the girls shook their hips.

They also played homage to the 007 whose last name has been
mistakenly thought as inspiration for the quartet ("bond actually
came from the bond of friendship").

"This is for you who likes your drink to be shaken, not
stirred," Davis said, before playing the movie's theme song.

As all of the audience stuck to their seats, Ecker then walked
down the stage, walking through the audience, asking them to
stand up and dance.

She also picked a man, who then danced irregularly, and a
young girl who immediately hugged her.

The show ended with the hit number called Victory which
brought a standing ovation.

While bond, also dubbed "Vanessa-Mae times four" and are said
that their virtuosity has yet to match Mae, the girls know how to
give an entertaining performance, better than their predecessor.