Kla Project realizes its dream in concert for all seasons
Kla Project realizes its dream in concert for all seasons
By Hera Diani
JAKARTA (JP): Kla Project is a band with dozens of mellow love
songs. Kla Project is a band with an acoustic, heart-melting
sound. Kla Project is a band with poetic and romantic lyrics.
And watching Kla Project live in concert without being
accompanied by your truelove as s/he was away or you happened to
be dateless, was one dreadful experience. Sigh!
Last Sunday evening, Kla performed its concert in the Jakarta
Convention Center (JCC), titled Menjemput Impian, Konser Empat
Musim (Fetching Dreams, a Concert of Four Seasons).
In line with the title, Menjemput Impian -- which is actually
a hit from Kla's latest album Klasik, the concert was indeed a
dream come true for the band who usually perform in cafes.
"Holding a big concert has been our dream for years. And boy,
are we glad that the dream is coming true tonight," said vocalist
Katon at the opening of the concert.
The event also marked the 12th anniversary of the moment when
Katon Bagaskara, Romulo Radjadin alias Lilo (guitar), Adi Adrian
(keyboard) and Ari Burhani (drum), first came together in a band
and decided to give showbusiness a shot.
The name Kla is taken from the first letter of their
respective nicknames.
Ari later left the band, but trio Katon-Lilo and Adi shot to
fame and became one of the country's biggest pop acts, especially
in the late-1980s and mid-1990s.
Together, they have produced eight albums: Kla Project (1989),
Kla Kedua Project (The Second Kla Project 1990), Pasir Putih
(White sand/1991), Ungu (Purple/1994), V (Five/1995), Klakustik
1&2 (1996), Sintesa (Synthesis/1998), and Klasik (Classic/1999).
They were not exactly offering something revolutionary in the
Indonesian pop scene. But the trio has succeeded in combining
sweet sounds and unique chord progression, and, of course, poetic
but not inane lyrics, thanks to Katon.
Sometimes he writes his lyrics using words that most
Indonesian people do not even know exist. Like Saujana
(Sanskrit's for vision), for example.
Such words have captured the fans' hearts as could be seen at
the concert where 3,000 people recited the songs word by word.
The concert started at 9:05 p.m. as noted trumpet player Happy
Pretty was spotlighted on the right side of the stage,
demonstrating her talent. Another trumpet player, Eddy Junaedy
showed up on the left side, and another one, Didiet Maruto, was
also seen on the balcony.
Several minutes later, the intro from Terpurukku Di Sini
(Drowned in Here), a hit from the Ungu album was heard and the
audience cheered as the trio came up on stage.
The concert was divided into four parts, or four seasons. The
change of season was marked by two screens showing glances of
scenery, the titles of Kla's song and the name of the season.
The stage sets, and also the trio's costumes were adjusted to
suit the theme.
The first part was fall, with leaves pouring onto the stage
and two dried trees placed on each side of it.
Katon was wearing a black brocade shirt with black leather
pants, singing mostly ballads and in mid-tempo, the trademark of
Kla.
He also showed another talent -- storytelling -- as he
narrated about a guy who was cheated by his fiancee (a rather
cheesy story, though), before moving into a heartfelt rendition
of Merapuh (Be Fragile).
For the sixth song, Kla was accompanied by the Lacuissa choir
from Trisakti University who accapela-ed to the song Tak Bisa Ke
Lain Hati (Can't Alter My Heart).
The season changed into winter with an igloo, "snow" and
stuff. But as opposed to the theme, the atmosphere heated up with
a series of up-tempo numbers like Bahagia Tanpamu (Happy Without
You), Sudi Turun ke Bumi (Willing to Fly Down The Earth) and
Laguku (My Song), complete with synthesizer and sexy dancers.
And then spring came. Candlelight, stars, curtains, and the
tinkling strains of a harp were more than enough to make couples
tighten their embrace and loners feel even more miserable.
"The season of love..." Katon recited before singing Semoga
(Hopefully), Prahara (Tempest) and Anak Dara (Young Lady).
Thank heavens, spring was soon over and summertime had
arrived. Cheerfulness was in the air with Hey, Lagu Baru (New
Song) -- which was rearranged with a dangdut sound and ska --,
Gerimis (Drizzle), Tentang Kita (About Us), Yogyakarta, Menjemput
Impian, Kidung Mesra (Tender Song) and Belahan Jiwa (Soulmate).
In Tentang Kita, the audience was surprised as singer Reza --
who is pregnant -- performed a duet with Katon.
Besides Reza, several noted musicians and singers provided
back up for the concert, like saxophone player Didiek SSS,
harpist Maya Hasan, and singer Eka Deli.
Apart from being too unbelievably romantic, the concert was
often interrupted by interference on the sound system. Too bad!
But all in all, even though the audience was only half
capacity (the ticket price was Rp 70,000 for festival class, Rp
125,000 for first class and Rp 200,000 for VIP class), the
concert showed that Kla Project still rocks.