CJ's No Ties After 5 offers new Wednesday evening entertainment

JAKARTA (JP): Cafes and pubs are becoming favorite places for professionals in the capital to meet their clients and discuss business during office hours.

Then, after a hard day at work, they can return to the cafes, where they can communicate, relax away their stress, enjoy themselves or simply hang around to avoid being trapped in lousy traffic jams on the way home.

And a new program, No Ties After 5 at CJ's Bar -- which is conveniently situated at Hotel Mulia Senayan, Central Jakarta -- offers an alternative way to spend Wednesday evenings.

Apart from providing a relaxing and different atmosphere, executives can enjoy good entertainment or have fun with others while playing various games like chess, backgammon, otello and rummy-up.

Judging by the name, the program is clearly designed for well- dressed working people, who mostly wear a tie. But what is in a name? It rhymes nicely and women or those who don't wear a tie should not be discouraged from coming.

Held every Wednesday from 5 p.m., the program is expected to gain the same success as its predecessors, Hard Rock Cafe's I Like Monday, Planet Hollywood's WOW (What's On Wednesday) and Fashion Cafe's Thursday with Stars.

But why Wednesdays?

Hotel Mulia's director-special account Amita Andansari said that the decision to hold No Ties After 5 every Wednesday was taken after seeing that most executives pack into the bar on that day.

She said it was impossible to hold the program on Mondays, the day when executives get back into the swing of their busy days at the office and are reluctant to go out.

And Friday night was not an option either, since most executives prefer to spend weekends with their families, she added.

"But Wednesday is the perfect day, the executives have loosened up a bit but still have the spirit to look for good entertainment, a different atmosphere to relax in, before spending the weekend with their families. That's what we're trying to provide," Amita said.

Pop group Gigi, with vocalist Armand Maulana, guitarist Dewa Budjana, drummer Budhy Haryono and bassist Opet Alatas in its line-up, will start at No Ties After 5 on Wednesday, July 14.

And unlike most cafes or pubs, where performances usually start at 10 p.m., the new program -- with no cover charge -- will start relatively early for nightclubbers.

Amita has her own reasons for this decision.

As the No Ties After 5 targets executives, it will be started early to show the organizer's understanding of its guests, she said.

"We understand that executives will still have to work the next day. So, we don't want them to stay up very late and get fired by their companies for not showing up at work."

Gigi is not the only group scheduled to take part in the Wednesday program. Other top acts, such as KLA Project, Titi D.J. and Dewi Gita, are also said to be next on the No Ties After 5's list of performers.

Amita said that there was no special requirements for artists performing there, but they should "perform good, easy listening music, popular, loved by many and their music should not be too complicated".

"With this program, we're also trying to promote Indonesian musicians," she said.

The program, hosted by Nico Siahaan, will run from July 12 to Sept. 22.

"Since this is a new program, we have planned it only for a limited time. But, like other new programs, we have to see the results before taking any decision to extend it. If the response is good, we'll certainly continue it," Amita said.(ste)