One goal down: see an Indonesian rock band in concert. I’ve got to say, it was great. How I’ve managed to go this long without seeing a proper show here is beyond me, but I broke the spell Saturday night and I’m glad I did. No shitty cover bands in dingy, dark pseudo-whorehouses. Oh no, a proper show complete with booze, professional sound and lighting — fabulous! To say that I got drunk and had a blast would be an understatement.
We had a small snafu getting in the club, but nothing that you can’t finagle a bit and get around. The only two guys (friend and I) were wearing sandals and apparently at such a high-class establishment, people don’t wear sandals. No problem we said. We went back to the car and took two pairs of women’s shoes, forced them on, I walked like a hooker in heels (got big feet you know) and entered without a word. Once inside, I promptly changed back into the sandals — sorted.
Anyway, the show was sponsored by Surya 16 (the best cigarettes in the fucking world I might add) and when you bought your ticket, the promo guys and gals literally thrust pack upon pack at you. I managed to snag six. Too bad I’m not a chick and had a purse or I would have taken the whole lot. Only in Indonesia could this happen. Anywhere else, if a tobacco company sponsors something, there are a thousand dipshit groups that come out of the woodwork crying foul and how unethical and wrong it is — bullshit! None of that nonsense this time around, thankfully. The cigarette companies sponsor everything and that’s just life.
Inside, it felt like any other show I’ve been to that was relatively nice. The venue was an enormous hotel here that quite honestly, I usually try and avoid. I’ve been a few times to eat, use the pool and what not, but it’s such a large, gaudy compound and goddamnit, it’s expensive! To make matters worse, it creates horrid traffic for me that greatly increases my chances of death and I happen to resent that as well. Anyway, I caved in and went and it was great. I saw a lot of friends, drank something akin to battery acid that put me in the stratosphere and just had fun. For a few hours I forgot where I was and I need that now and again to stay grounded.
Now, if only we could get some international bands coming round. Granted, I do like some Indonesian bands (Slank, Jamrud, Ari Lasso, Peter Pan), they just don’t do proper metal and damnit, I miss that. I’ve yet to find the metal underground or find out if it even exists. In Jakarta, yeah, I’m sure it does, but I don’t live there so it does me no good. Speaking of Jakarta, they’ve had a string of good shows come through and every time I see the ads, I curse myself for not being there. However, I wonder if being able to attend a few metal shows a year would be worth living in a sinking shithole? Eh, probably not.
Okay, enough bullshit for today. I’m going to go try and enjoy Valentine’s Day. At least tomorrow’s a holiday.
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