Romance surrounds Lau's first concert in Jakarta
Romance surrounds Lau's first concert in Jakarta
By Rebecca Mowbray
JAKARTA (JP): A romance befitting of Valentine's Day was in
the air Friday night at the Jakarta Convention Center as Hong
Kong entertainment star Andy Lau made his first-ever Indonesia
performance.
A small but devoted band of fans wooed him with flowers, teddy
bears, shrieks and kisses. They darted to the stage with their
offerings, hoping for a brush of the hands, dreaming of a kiss.
In the back, the newest chapter of his fan club kept the energy
high, shaking their pom-poms and flashing their light-sticks.
He gracefully accepted their offerings and delighted them with
nearly three hours of music and dancing in return.
The Hong Kong pop star is better known for his films and
television series. He is in Jakarta for three shows, and
announced Thursday that he will emigrate to Singapore when his
home reverts to Chinese rule in July.
Most of Lau's 20-plus songs were sentimental ballads sung in
both Mandarin and Cantonese, his smooth voice weaving through the
crowd like a lullaby. Others were energetic pop tunes with funky
interludes.
But Lau's concert was more than just a song recital. It was a
full-on stage performance with a video screen, eight musicians
and eight dancers clad in creative costumes. Lau changed clothing
five times to set the mood.
The show opened with the song Diamond Tears, with the dancers
streaking across the stage in shiny black S&M costumes with
zippers, studs and fishnet, and Lau in a shiny white jacket
tipped in red and a sheer black body-stocking top underneath.
Later, the mood became more intimate as the crowd curled up to
two songs from Lau's most recent movie, Shanghai Grand. True to
his idol David Bowie, Lau emerged in a dramatic, mysterious pose
in a long white coat and a fedora cocked low on his brow. His
female dancers performed ballet-like steps in delicate white
nightgowns with their male counterparts in elegant kimonos.
The most dramatic moment of the show, however, came with the
song Lovebirds' Nest. A dancer tiptoed on stage under soft
lights, a long white sheet billowing behind her. She fed the
sheet through a pulley and ran delicately through its folds and
around Lau. She wrapped the sheet around her arms and hoisted
herself up in ice-skater jumps far above stage. Lau sang in a
baby blue satin and chiffon dancer's costume which, to the
delight of his fans, was fitted enough to highlight his sinewy
body.
The tempo picked up again later as Lau offered Macarena
lessons, the trendy Latin dance making its second sweep of the
globe, leading into an energetic performance of Lau's own Let's
Roll the Earth.
Fans became more brazen in their quest for a kiss or a
photograph, precipitating a new wave of gifts, some of which were
even for his mother. "How about one for my sister?" Lau joked.
Police and security guards stood ready with bamboo sticks in
case passion moved the crowd to dive for the stage, but the
reverent fans wanted only to be near Lau. By the end of the show
fans were sitting around the stage on the floor like children
gathered for story hour.
While the fans were enthusiastic, their numbers were
noticeably scant in the pavilion that seats 5,000. Concert
organizers say that there are three concerts so the crowd appears
more sparse than it is; concert-goers groan that ticket prices
were high. VIP seats sold for Rp 600,000 (US$252).
As a result, Lau looked out at a largely empty auditorium, as
fans were clustered along the wings of the balcony, where tickets
sold for Rp 150,000 and Rp 100,000.
Nonetheless, fans said the show was worth whatever the ticket
price.
"It's expensive but I think it's worth it. In Singapore you
can't shake hands with Andy," said 25-year-old Andy Lau concert
veteran Lee Farida of Jakarta.
Fans see themselves as on a first-name basis with the award-
winning Hong Kong entertainer, in part because of the care he
takes in filling their requests for pictures and autographs.
They say part of his appeal is his humility and dedication to his
family.
Yvonne Haryadi, 20, of Bogor, who thought her Andy Earth Club
membership number (01003) a more primary piece of identification
than her age or hometown, was one of the people who brought
flowers for Lau and a present for his mother.
Haryadi is impressed by Lau's devotion to his fans. "Andy
never disappoints his fans. He is the best in Asia. I like Andy
better than Michael Jackson."
Although Lau's fans claim to know him intimately ("He usually
swims around 10 o'clock," one said) they were reluctant to
disturb him at his hotel. Indeed, the Shangri-La reported that
only about 20 fans were at the hotel Friday, and they were well-
behaved.
Still, one very important group hopes to get Lau's attention
on his visit to Indonesia. The newest chapter of the
international Andy Earth Club, assembled together for the first
time Friday night, is seeking Lau's personal consent for their
organization.
With his permission, they hope to organize an exhibition of
Andy Lau photos, T-shirts, CDs, posters, watches, rings, hats and
mugs.
But all is well according to Ruth Ung, 22, who took a bus from
Malang for the concert, "There is Andy, in Jakarta."