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Keep on rocking
In order to have a musical career spanning four decades, you need God’s blessing
I
n order to have a musical career spanning four decades, you need God’s blessing. The Hard Rock Café and God Bless both have one, and they celebrate it together.
Donny Fatah (from left),Yaya Moektio and Achmad Albar perform at Hard Rock Café. Courtesy of Hard Rock Café
It was a hell of night for the clusters of middle-aged executives. They left their suits at home, cleared out their late-night business appointments and found themselves in the heart of the city. Their agenda: the Hard Rock Café’s global 40th anniversary with legendary rock band God Bless.
The five-piece band still has the same stunning ability to kick some ass with their classic rock music. Vocalist Ahmad Albar, now 65 years old, still looks like a hungry wolf. His prime vocal control kept him in good shape for the two-hour set, with more than 15 songs on the set list. Of course, it goes without saying that his top-notch charisma is still considered the best in the country.
At his side stood Ian Antono, the magnetic guitarist who created nearly all of the band’s catchy tunes, and Donny Fattah Gagola, the only dude who has been with the band since the very beginning. Ian and Donny also provide talented background vocal harmonies.
The other two band members are Yaya Moektio and Abadi Soesman. Yaya became the band’s drummer just before the group started working on its latest album, 36th, nearly two years ago.
After years of absence from God Bless, Abadi Soesman marked his return to fill the gap left by the amazing keyboard player, Jockie Soeryoprajogo. Abadi’s first contribution can be traced back to 1980 on the Cermin (Mirror) album. He reunited with the band prior to the release of 36th.
That night, the band opened the set with a single from 36th, N.A.T.O, an acronym for No Action Talk Only, which wasn’t familiar to the band’s long-time fans. Understandably, the older gang expected the classic tunes that accompanied them through their teenage years.
They cheered up and started to feel the heat when Bla Bla Bla, the closing track of God Bless’ top-selling album, Semut Hitam (Black Ant), began. Ian Antono, as always, kept the tight harmony well. He wrote the song with the help of poet Remy Sylado.
When people started jumping, Ahmad Albar seemed to get the same feeling, but he was not so communicative, which was understandable. He needed to sing rather than just talk.
The first surprise of the night came at the fourth song, when crowd-favorite “Rumah Kita” (Our Home) was played. “This is a song about urbanization. But if you think this is about polygamy, that’s fine,” said Achmad Albar, his first wise words of the night.
The crowd turned into a choir and sang along with Rumah Kita. It was one of the most memorable parts of the night, made even more special because it took place in a club rather than a stadium, where people were packed tight in standing room only and radiating together.
Everyone in the Hard Rock Café that night knew that all they wanted was rock. God Bless delivered it in the best way an audience could get. Despite only delivering rock, the old gang also brought back memories with every tune.
At one point, however, God Bless made an unpopular move when they put out an uncompromising avant-garde album. That night, they played a single from that album, Anak Adam (Adam’s Child), written by Donny Fattah and saxophonist Benny Likumahuwa.
“‘Woohoo’, I thought after we cut so many parts from that song, ‘the duration will be a bit shorter.’ But I was wrong, it’s still long,” joked Ahmad Albar after finishing the song.
Yaya Moektio left his instrument and joined Donny Fattah on backing vocals while both Ian Antono and Achmad Albar crooned a few of their popular songs such as Panggung Sandiwara (Stage of a Play), Syair Kehidupan (Poem of Life) and
Bus Kota (City Bus).
They also performed Serigala Jalanan (Street Wolf), the only song of the night to come off of the 1997 album Apa Kabar? It was followed with Semut Hitam and Kehidupan (Life).
They marked the country’s rock music with golden ink. The place they played that night also stands as a historical venue, particularly for surviving for the past four decades. Everyone was happy and everyone was part of a history.
