The Jakarta Jam concert was held over two days at Indoor Tennis Senayan this week featuring four international bands.

The event was headlined by American act New Found Glory and Canadian act Simple Plan on Thursday night, with Welsh act Lostprophets and American act One Republic headlining on Friday night.

The venue on Thursday night was not as packed as had been expected; it felt rather empty. Perhaps the Rp 600,000 ticket price kept many fans away.

There seemed to be a half-circle bullseye of enthusiasm around the stage; a very interested and very dedicated area around the front and center, with enthusiasm declining farther away from the stage. At this concert,room" meant there actually was some room to stand.

Unfortunately for New Found Glory, their performance was appropriate for a high school band many hadn't heard of or thought about in the last few years. It may have been singer Jordan Pundik's whiny vocals, or his bright red shorts, or maybe it was seeing beer-bellied bassist Ian Grushka jump around on stage without a shirt.

They seemed a bit amateurish, like they either hadn't been playing together for long (which is untrue, as the band formed in 1997) or they hadn't played a serious tour in a while (which was probably more true, considering their declining popularity).

Their last major hit came in 2004, with their most popular song, "Hit or Miss" being released in 2001. (I felt bad for the Indonesian fans trying to understand the lyrics. I'm a native English speaker, and I couldn't decipher one word.)

This all being said, somewhere in between singer Pundik's sloppy power chords muddied by quarter bass notes, there was something authentic about them: There's just something great about three guys with guitars jumping in unison that makes you think they're just out there having a good time, and that's respectable in its own right.

Regardless, at one point during the show, the band told the audience to "give us the middle finger", because it had taken them 11 years to get around to playing a show in Indonesia. (I gladly participated, but for different reasons.)

The night's second major act, Simple Plan, have had a more recognizable string of hits in the past few years, notablyDo Anything", "Welcome To My Life",(How Could This Happen To Me)", andLove Is APerhaps New Found Glory was an easy act to followwhatever the case, Simple Plan was more impressive.

The band's music was crisp and refreshinga break from New Found Glory's mishmash, where every amplifier was turned up so loud, it sounded as if the whole set was being played by one large instrument.

Not only was the playing clearer, but the audience could actually understand the vocals coming from lead singer Pierre Bouvier's mouth. Simple Plan's lyrics encapsulated the same themes of teenage angst as New Found Glory's lyrics; yet Simple Plan's 3-man vocals sounded better doing it.

This was Simple Plan's second time playing in Jakarta, and the band members were not afraid to show their limited knowledge of Indonesian, ending each song with "terima kasih banyak" (many thanks) and the occasionalkasih Jakarta!" (we love Jakarta).

Of course, Simple Plan were not without their flaws: At some points during the show, the band used a pre-recorded backing track featuring beats, some bass, and even some acoustic guitar. Considering that Simple Plan is a 5-piece band with a drummer, a bassist, and two guitars, this seemed a little pathetic.

The concert as a whole was a mixed bag. New Found Glory's disappointing performance aside, second act Simple Plan were able to suitably please their audience. At one point, Bouvier uttered the clich* concert line, "Ifhaving a good time, make some noise!". (I was as glad to clap my hands for them as I was glad to give New Found Glory the finger.)

- The writer is an intern with The Jakarta Post.

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