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.