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Djakarta Artmosphere 2.0
Hundreds of music enthusiasts, many of them young, attended a recent concert that combined old and new acts
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undreds of music enthusiasts, many of them young, attended a recent concert that combined old and new acts.
It was an enjoyable second edition of Djakarta Artmosphere, a concert that brings together veteran and new singers on one stage. Last year’s event saw the performances of Vina Panduwinata and Tika, Ebiet G. Ade and Sore, Doel Sumbang and Efek Rumah Kaca as well as White Shoes and the Couples Company with Fariz Rustam Munaf and Oele Pattiselano.
Following a successful show at Hotel Nikko in Central Jakarta, the same organizer bravely created the buzz again. This time, the show took place at the Kartika Expo, Balai Kartini in South Jakarta.
On the evening of Nov. 20, the multifunction hall witnessed two generations of artists subtly marrying their works.
Members of Navicula probably never had a mind to share a set with God Bless, veterans of the industry that still shine bright in their 60s. It’s a fair thought though. Navicula is a good act but the band left Sony Music — a gateway to stardom made possible by major music labels — and decided to go it alone.
The Bali-based band is nowhere near as popular as God Bless was back in the 1970s, but there was miracle. Djakarta Artmosphere picked the band to close this year and paired them with God Bless. Of course, it was a one in a million chance for Navicula — also widely known in the independent scene as a good rock act — but these boys rose to the occasion.
Then there was the best take of the night — Gugun and the Blues Shelter had the honor of being Sylvia Saartje’s backup band. The finest blues band of today’s generation proved that it really was good on stage while supporting Sylvia Saartje’s rebel-never-gets-old attitude for the whole set.
Gugun’s guitar playing was the perfect appetizer for Sylvia Saartje’s crazy skill. This Malang-based lady rocker was known for her role in paving the way for dozens of lady rockers in the music industry. She started in the late 1970s and released her last album in 1980s. Since then, she had not been heard of again.
But decades later, in 2010, she came back and proved her magic still worked. Her performance with Gugun and the Blues Shelter was the most electrifying set that night. The most notable part was when “Jakarta Blue Jeansku” was played.
Oddie Agam (center) performs with Bonita (left) and Arina Ephipania from Mocca.
Of course, youngsters wouldn’t know what the hell the song meant to the country’s music industry in the 1980s, but they surely got a glimpse of how good Sylvia Saartje was.
Another performance that night was the battle of Leonardo and Utha Likumahuwa.
“I have all of his cassettes at home, believe it or not. And when the organizer offered me the chance to play with him, well I didn’t need to think twice! I immediately told them, ‘Let’s get it on!’” said Leonardo when introducing one of Ambon’s most successful music ambassadors, Utha Likumahuwa.
Utha Likumahuwa was known by his romantic voice and dozens of hits in the 1980s. His last effort, “Kembali Lagi” (Back Again) — released in 2009 — was a complete failure, but of course he’s still the same Utha Likumahuwa. His magic (and thousand million smiles) will always be there.
“I understand that I don’t have a place in television nowadays, but playing this gig in front of you proves that I still have a place in the music industry, so let’s hit it!” opened Utha Likumahuwa prior to his collaboration with Leonardo.
The night’s highlight for this pair was when they performed “Aku Pasti Datang” (I’ll Surely Come), Dodo Zakaria’s slang composition that contributed to Utha Likumahuwa’s fame and fortune in the 1980s.
“How many of you have heard of Dodo Zakaria? Well, he’s the one with out of the box thoughts. He gave me this song,” said Utha Likumahuwa. Leonardo did the vocals while Utha Likumahuwa played the piano, which was actually rare.
That night, Oddie Agam also colored the night. He performed with three independent acts: The Trees and the Wild, Mocca and Bonita and the Husband. They played Oddie Agam’s golden tunes such as “Puncak Asmara” (Peak of Love) — popularized by Utha Likumahuwa — “Logika” (Logic) and “Surat Cintaku” (My Love Letter).
Kemala Gayatri, a 21-year-old college student from South Jakarta, acknowledged that she enjoyed the show despite not being familiar with the old performers.
“It was a good introduction for me, to be honest. I’m familiar with the young performers, but I had no idea about the old performers. But after watching their live performance here, I wish I was old enough to have seen them in their golden years.”
She was enthused by what she saw that night and was probably just one of the many happy people who ended the night with a bright smile. Somehow, they witnessed the glory of Indonesian music of the old days.
