'Dangdut' delirium and belly dancing at De Leila Pub

'Dangdut' delirium and belly dancing at De Leila Pub

JAKARTA (JP): It was a Wednesday evening, the eve of a public
holiday, and a couple of Australian friends I had staying with me
(their first time in Indonesia) were beginning to show clear and
present signs of boredom, as evidenced by their constant
whinging.

Seeing that the writing was on the wall, I decided it was high
time to take them out on the town for the night. Where better, I
thought, than to take a pair of greenhorns in Jakarta, eager to
experience the sights and sounds of the metropolis, to a bar
devoted to dangdut music, that hybrid Indonesian-Middle Eastern
(or Indian, depending on who you talk to) pop music that has
become well-nigh synonymous with Indonesia, in the same way as
kretek cigarettes.

A quick call to an acquaintance more knowledgeable about such
establishments brought forth the name of the De Leila Pub.

Location: Very central in the Patra Jasa building at Jl. Jend.
Gatot Subroto No. 32-35. If you're driving, just be careful to
slow down a bit after Planet Hollywood as the entrance to this
building is pretty easy to miss, and if you do miss it (like we
did) you'll have to drive all the way down to Jl. Rasuna Said to
do a U-turn and then all the way up to the Semanggi cloverleaf to
get back on to the right side of Gatot Subroto again. Not
recommended!

Hours: 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. seven days a week. We were also
assured by the staff that the closing time could be extended if
the action was still in full swing at 4 a.m.. Might well turn out
to be a case of "open all hours".

What's it got: A well-stocked spirit and liqueur bar, draught
and bottled beer, cocktails available, etc. It was a little
difficult to find out exactly what else they had as there didn't
appear to be any kind of a drinks' list.

We were also told that a full menu was available, but it
appeared to be an elusive kind of beast, for, despite being
requested a couple of times, it totally failed to put in an
appearance. Maybe the powers that be in the De Leila Pub are
graduates of the "keep-'em-drinking-till-they-drop" school of bar
management.

Bill, please: Well, first things first, there's a cover charge
of Rp 30,000 that entitles you to a draught beer or one soft
drink (it never ceases to amaze me how beer and soft drinks
command the same prices in Jakarta hostelries).

Your second Bintang draught beer will set you back a rather
steep Rp 25,000 while a small shot of whisky (Johnny Walker Red)
or vodka will run you Rp 37,500, including 11 percent tax and 10
percent service -- by the way, can anyone actually enlighten me
as to what the correct rate of VAT in restaurants and bars is, as
everywhere I visit seems to charge a different rate? For those
who prefer cocktails, a Singapore Sling or a Long Island goes for
Rp 50,000.

Here's looking at you: While De Leila describes itself as a
"pub", it's clear from the moment you realize that you've got to
fork out a cover charge that you're dealing with something more
akin to a nightclub than a bar. This impression is more than
reinforced when you walk in and spot the enormous stage and
fairly crowded dance floor.

Despite its nightclubby overtones, those of you who prefer a
reasonably quiet and comfortable bar where you can carry on a
conversation and actually see your fellow tipplers won't be
disappointed, with not one but two bars being available for your
drinking pleasure. The downstairs bar is set back from the dance
floor and stage in a dimly but adequately lit alcove and is
sufficiently far removed from the stage and speakers so as not to
be too noisy, but not so far removed that you can't continue to
keep a close and beady eye on all the goings on out on the dance
floor.

The upstairs balcony is a little gem, from the dizzying
heights of which you can ogle all the dangdut dancers below on
the dance floor to your hearts content. Mind you, after a couple
of minutes of this you might find yourself beginning to doze off
as watching dangdut dancing, even as performed by its most
attractive and energetic exponents, tends to be a somewhat mind-
numbing and soporific pastime. So give yourself a good pinch and
go and get another drink, unless you fancy keeling over on the
spot!

As for the clientele, well they're not the sort of folks you'd
find hanging out at an Eminen concert or an all-night rave. In
general, the ladies were quite conservatively dressed, while the
gents appeared to be of the "young executive" variety, as they
are so stomach-churningly referred to in Jakarta. Lots of ties in
evidence and, incidentally, a large number of Indonesian males of
Arab descent.

As for the music, when we first entered De Leila a full-scale
dangdut band was in mid-repertoire, female lead singer decked out
in skin-tight red costume (spare tires et al alarmingly visible),
bedecked from top to bottom with the de rigueur gold jewelry, and
looking for all the world like a stunted version of the gypsy
Carmen of operatic fame. The band took its leave at 11 p.m. and
standard disco took over. This was still continuing as we were
leaving at midnight.

By the way, there is a really cool restroom with a seemingly
deranged lavatory attendant trying desperately to ply you with
all sorts of oils and balsams, no doubt to be used for exotic,
kinky purposes.

Odds and ends: Absolutely wonderful belly-dancing show (all
very tasteful, mind you). I, as a married man, had to keep my
eyes averted, of course, but my Australian companions were
reduced to a state of drooling incoherence by the gyrating
vivacity of the dancers (somewhat less buxom but definitely more
acrobatic than their Middle Eastern sisters).

Verdict: While dangdut ditties do not appear high up on my
list of all-time favorites, I must admit that while not exactly
undergoing a Pauline conversion, I nevertheless had a bit of a
change of heart upon seeing dangdut performed live in the flesh,
so to speak, especially when combined with the belly-dancing. So,
even if you can't stand dangdut, take a tip from me and go to De
Leila with an open mind. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Anyway, given the look of delirium plastered across the faces
of most of the denizens of the dance floor, the majority of De
Leila punters were well-pleased and getting exactly what they had
paid for. (Bill Blade)