Shangri-La's B.A.T.S. is back, oh boy

Shangri-La's B.A.T.S. is back, oh boy

JAKARTA (JP): The recent labor woes of Shangri-La have been
well documented, taking a bit of the shine off this would-be
utopia in Jakarta. Well, the hotel recently reopened, with a few
new employees, and is now looking to get back into the hotel
business after focusing so much of its energies on busting up
worker rallies.

With the reopening of the hotel, of course, B.A.T.S. has made
its return to the nightlife scene. B.A.T.S. liked to claim to be
the number one entertainment venue in Jakarta before it was so
rudely interrupted, and it would like to regain this self-
appointed title, though it will have to work hard to get back its
clientele who slipped off to Retro and C.J.'s in its absence.

So is The Bar at the Shangri-La back like a bat out of hell,
or has the whole scene passed it by during its time away? Have a
look.

Location: B.A.T.S. is in the Shangri-La on Jl. Sudirman. You
can call the hotel at 570-7440, or e-mail them at slj@shangri-
la.com.

Hours: The bar is open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day. Happy
hour is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The band plays from Monday to
Thursday 9:30 p.m. onward. Friday and Saturday the band starts at
10 p.m. Sundays are jazz nights with the Ireng Maulana All-Stars,
who take the stage at 8 p.m.

What's it got: The usual collection of beers and spirits. They
also serve what they call all-American food, though I have never
had the pleasure of dining at B.A.T.S. so the subject is beyond
my ken; or my Barbie for that matter.

Bill, please: Paradise comes at a price. To even get past the
gates will cost you Rp 60,000. It had crossed my mind they would
have done away with the cover charge for a time, a show of good
faith to get back the customers, but they apparently chose not to
go in that direction.

Once you have paid your way in, the drinks are typically
priced for bars and clubs located in upscale hotels. A Corona is
Rp 50,000, Jose Cuervo the same. Something called a V6 is Rp
38,000, though I don't know what it is or what it's doing on my
bill. But hey, it's hard to train new staff.

Here's looking at you: B.A.T.S. has a little bar upstairs and
some tables and chairs arranged around a TV. The area is near the
front door and hidden away from the hubbub. To get to the action
you descend a large staircase, feeling a bit like Miss Scarlett,
minus the corset. Downstairs is a large bar in the middle of the
room, with seating all around, a dining area off to the side, a
stage for the band and a smallish dance floor. Your typical decor
for a hotel club, playing it safe and mainstream. The whole look
is remarkably unremarkable and recalling details is difficult.

So, what's your sign: Not to cast aspersions on the typical
B.A.T.S. patron, but when the band banged out its cover of
Jennifer Lopez's Love Don't Cost a Thing it struck a rather
ironical note. Yes, B.A.T.S. has its share of fat, white, middle-
aged men and pretty young Indonesian women. But that is not the
entirety of the clientele, and there is a mix of young
Indonesians out with their friends, couples, people who came to
dance and those who came to drink. There are all types and
everyone seems to feel comfortable here, except for the type that
likes good music and a little conversation.

Odds and ends: B.A.T.S. is crowded, particularly on a Saturday
night. Movement can be restricted and if you're particular about
your personal space you're likely to work yourself into an
apoplectic fit as the boors elbow past you.

The band at B.A.T.S. is Crave. Everyone in the band is cute as
a button and they frolic about the stage as they run through
their takes on the latest offerings from Ricky, Britney and
Jennifer. It is hard to differentiate Crave from any of the other
bands that have come through B.A.T.S. in the past, which makes
one wonder if there is a factory somewhere manufacturing cover
bands for all the bars located in upscale hotels around the
world. But the people seem to like Crave, just like they liked
the previous bands that played here, which makes one wonder about
people.

Or, if you're up for a little introspection, it makes you
wonder about yourself, and why you can't enjoy the simple fun and
pleasure offered by these energetic cover bands. Crave takes a
rest on Sunday and B.A.T.S. offers up a little jazz. The change
is drastic. It's not overly crowded, you can sit and talk, enjoy
the music. A pleasant way to spend a Sunday evening as you
prepare to face another week of work. The only drawback is you
don't get the eye candy of a Saturday night.

Last call: B.A.T.S. was slightly less crowded than it was
before it went away for a while, and the band wrapped things up a
little earlier than in the past. But the place has returned
without missing a beat. It is very good at what it does and if
this is your idea of a good time out, B.A.T.S. is still the place
to be. (Penn Dawson)