EG Concert: Star power fails to ignite evening

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Erwin Gutawa in concert: What more could you want?

I imagined a grand concert from the bass player/ composer/arranger/conductor/producer, who had managed to bring together on one stage top-notch artists to perform to the accompaniment of an orchestra.

I was hoping to see an elegant collaboration of contemporary music and the traditional.

I was expecting an extravaganza.

But, I really must come to learn not to expect too much from life, especially in this country.

What was hoped to be an entertaining performance, even enlightening, from a top musician like Erwin turned out to be decidedly anticlimactic, with no surprises at all, despite all the pre-concert hype and publicity

The concert started frustratingly late, an hour after it was scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday.

A long line of concert-goers had started queuing to get into the Jakarta Convention Center two hours before.

There was no exception made for VIP and VVIP class ticket holders either, who had paid Rp 275,000, Rp 345,000 (back VVIP) or Rp 395,000 (front VVIP), but still got to queue up with the rest of the audience.

Reporters and photographers were allowed in on the third song, when Karimata, Erwin's band from the 1980s, took the stage.

It was the first ever reunion for the respected jazz band which disbanded in 1991, although piano man Chandra Darusman could not participate due to prior commitments.

Karimata went backstage, Erwin put down his bass and donned his conductor's hat, and then Chrisye performed.

And it was flat. Flat like a pancake. Three songs quickly went by without leaving an impression, although his kimono-like costume was attractive.

Krisdayanti came on next, but her usual humor was missing. Yes, she can get a bit silly, but it works to break the ice with the audience. Instead, she seemed to be trying so hard to be graceful and elegant.

The next three sessions were better. Ruth Sahanaya livened things up a bit with a few of her hits, especially on the upbeat number Jangan Buang Waktu (Don't Waste Time) where she was accompanied by four percussionists.

Those young bloods of Sheila On 7 were great, despite trouble with the microphone on the first song. When the glitch was fixed, they really kicked in with some catchy songs, except for the irritating Sephia, of course.

Rock group Slank was excellent and really rocking, and it was at this point that the concert should have ended.

Instead, it was time for Erwin's orchestra to play a series of instrumental songs.

And then musicians playing every type of instrument -- cello, harp, violins, clarinet, guitars, percussion -- had their turn to perform, before joining together at the end of the show.

It lacked punch, because it was such a resounding anticlimax and the performances merely repeated what Erwin has done before in other concerts.

If they had been placed at the beginning of the concert, maybe it would have made a difference in the entertainment value.

And what did Jay Subijakto, Erwin's longtime concert collaborator, do? Where was his signature ethnic contemporary artistic touch?

Oh, it was the white and red balloons that were released into the audience at the end of the show.

The fact that the concert fell flat was disappointing not only because Erwin is a well-known and respected musician.

It's also because local audiences have a thirst for entertainment. All the concerts in the past year, whether featuring local or foreign artists, were sold out.

So, you really do not want to let down a nice audience like that.