Pesta Malam Indonesia

Date: April 15, 2006 (Saturday)

Time: 1500 Hrs ~ 0000 Hrs

Venue: Stadium Merdeka

I wasn’t planning to go actually, but since few of my friends were asking about it so I think it would be merrier if I joint together. The concert was sponsored by Maxis Hotlink. It gathers 8 big Indonesian groups such as Ada Band, Ungu, Cokelat, Padi, Gigi, Ari Lasso, Ratu and Dewa 19 and special appearance by Audi.

The concert starts at, well as I have told above and lasted for 8 consecutive hours. We arrive there at the stadium at 3pm and were thinking that the gate is open since I anticipated that most of the crowd would come earlier. To our surprise, there was a huge crowd gathering outside the gate lining up to get inside. Without wasting anymore time, we joined the crowd and macho were becoming the security guard there. Whenever a car was coming towards the crowd, he will shout “tepi2, bagi laluan!” to the other crowd. So i said to him “kalo orang tanya ko datang ngan saper, ko cakap ko datang sorang” to macho.

(see pix : we spotted this guy was wearing the same shirt with anonymous)

While we were waiting outside, the concert already started inside the stadium and the crowd started to grew wilder. The sentry were holding us back outside the stadium and asking us to formed 2 line or else we would not be allow to enter…heck, what were they’re thinking of. I’m paying my ticket!

At last we got in at about 4 pm, and yes we missed ada band. Its ok, we still have 7 performers yet to come.

I felt really hungry since I haven’t had my lunch nor breakfast. I reached my wallet and realize I have only RM3 in it, so I borrow rm10 from bala and bought a burger. It is a very decent burger, with just meat and bread…but neither one of us would care, as long as we could eat it.

We entered at the time they were preparing for the next performer- UNGU, and while waiting, we were entertained by Sarah Sechan.

We wouldn’t want to miss the chance being in the crowd, so we move forward towards the packed crowd in front of the stage. It feels like being in the cornfield, once you lost track of the others, you are trapped. We found a nice spot, and realizing that all that is surrounding us were Indonesian fans which I never bumped into in real life. Long colored hair with black metal shirt, I am definitely out of place.

(fanatic fans or just fans who wants to get some attention)

Luckily we have a bala who have some similarity, plus he does speak a few java phrases. So he became our passport to get around.

When the band starts to play, the crowds are jumping and head banging like crazy, while I was waiting for my mood to swing. And already, macho and bala were jumping around (wish I could show the video here). The crowd were fantastic, its like they have energizer battery inside their body. but some are not coming to watch the concert, instead they brought along with them banners and flags like those demonic or cult symbol and flagged it over, and thank god that the stage is far from the crowd. If not, I’m sure that stage jumping might be one of the interesting events that day. It was like a pool full of fishes, and one would not missed the chances to fishing.

(Its not a riot, this guy was holding a banner of somekind of indonesian blackmetal cult, i think)

As the night is coming, I started to feel that rain is coming. I am right, what I fear the most to be on that day. Rain come pouring heavily as it wants upon the crowd and everybody started to look for shelter. I wasn’t worry about the rain, I was thinking about my handphone. My neck pouch was not water resistant to rain, so it got short circuited and turned off. The concert stopped for a moment. Although it was raining heavily, there are still people who have prepared earlier and they insisting on staying in front of the stage. We were soaked in the rain, and it chills to the bone. I almost got cramped on my feet and I am hungry.

As soon as the rain is “renyai”, we head towards some stalls open there to buy something to eat. I had the most delicious hot milo I ever tasted in the rain. Cold and chill does make us hungry. I had nasi lemak, mee goreng and burger for dinner.

The concert resumed again with PADI continuing the part that they stopped before. And this time we were not standing in the crowd, the field was muddy and I feel really itchy wearing wet clothes.

We were waiting for DEWA which was the last performer and I can’t feel my legs anymore after standing for a few hours. But I really enjoyed it very much. They jump, I jump. Luckily I did not lose my voice the day after, since I was screaming all day long.

I have much more to write, but I am getting tired besides It would not be interesting if I wrote it too long

For more of the picture I’ve taken that day (before my phone short circuited), just click here