Crank up the volume with Linkin Park, Missy

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Recent concert lineups have not been very satisfying: A bevy of fading divas, aging rock stars and a shrieking Latino heartthrob, among others.

But the relatively high number of concerts by foreign artists here in the past year sure is a good sign that there is growing confidence in the security situation.

If the situation continues this way (and we all know how things can change overnight), we may even get more varied, exciting artists on our concert schedules.

Two upcoming concerts show that already, with two stars of today's MTV generation: R&B and hip hop writer/arranger/ producer/performer Missy Elliott and angsty, multiplatinum rock band Linkin Park.

Elliott will perform on May 26 at the Bung Karno Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, while Linkin Park is scheduled to rock Carnival Beach of Ancol, North Jakarta, on June 13.

Tickets are relatively pricey, with Elliott commanding Rp 350,000 for tribune seats, Rp 400,000 for festival class and Rp 750,000 (US$86) for VIP.

Linkin Park's tickets are Rp 200,000 for the back festival area and Rp 300,000 for front festival class. But a week prior to the concert, the organizer will charge an extra Rp 50,000 for the back festival area.

It's pretty impressive that local organizers have managed to bring the two artists now, when they are still shining in their careers and idolized by millions of young people all over the world.

Missy Elliott, 33, is responsible for penning hits for R&B divas like the late Aaliyah, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

Thanks to 1997's solo debut Supa Dupa Fly, Elliott has become a diva in her own right when the album shot up the charts.

Her career went to another level with the release of Da Real World a year later, but her major breakthrough was the multiplatinum selling Miss E...So Addictive in 2001, with the two smash hits Get Ur Freak On and One Minute Man.

Under Construction, an almost flawless self-penned album, came out in 2002, elevating her to one of the most powerful and important figures in the hip hop arena.

Elliott's distinctive style come in a wholly unique rhyme style, sexy beats and vocal, and a mixture of funk hip hop and slow jams, as well as eccentric yet stunning videos.

Her full figure also offered an alternative to skinny bare-it- all pop stars, and brought confidence to teenagers with weight problems.

Although it was health problems that forced her to undergo a rigorous exercise and diet regimen, the new, slimmed-down Elliott has caught flak from those who say she has given in to the pressure to be thin.

At whatever dress size, she continues to come up with excellent works, most recently with latest album, the highly acclaimed This Is Not A Test! last year, in addition to songs she wrote and produced for other artists.

Her only slip up was the futile attempt to teach Madonna to rap in American Life.

If rock is more your thing, then hold out for the Linkin Park concert with an expected crowd of about 40,000.

Think Britney Spears is the best selling teen star? Think again. Linkin Park's debut album Hybrid Theory was the number one selling album of 2001 in the United States, trumping albums by 'N Sync and Spears, as it sold seven millions copies there, and 14 million copies worldwide to date.

The appeal comes in the loud sound -- a blend of alternative metal, hip hop and turntable art. Angsty teenagers can also relate to their lyrics dealing with frustration, anger, fear and confusion.

The band continued the success with the release of Meteora in 2003, which bears a similar formula with its predecessor.

The band is highly popular here as well, with 600,000 copies of the first album sold, or more than half of the total copies sold in Asia. Meteora, meanwhile, has sold 400,000 copies so far.

Tickets for both Elliott and Linkin Park are already available in major record stores. Contact Lunar Entertainment at (021) 31908905 for further information on Missy Elliott's concert. For questions about Linkin Park's performance, contact Nepathya production at (021) 72787484.