Twas the 30th of October 2009,
and a big was about to happen that night.
After work through the dreaded jam,
between the hustle bustle and screwed up things,
ambiance wasn't what was to seek,
but the act of Slank and the Ting Tings.
A little yucky poem to open up my entry about dancing.
There I was, ready to watch one of the best new artist around... The Ting Tings. A bonus, I might add, was the Slank charity concert before it. I've never watched them live before. There is no doubt in my mind, SLANK CURRENTLY IS THE BEST BAND IN INDONESIA!!! Their music is HOT and so is their performance, no matter how much false teeth they have all together hehehehe...
Anyways... standing at the tribune, all piled up somewhere near the stairs, me and my friends (Vira and Leci) awaits these new comers. I was really curious if they were 2 people and whether thet had additional players...They didn't. Seeing them rock (yes, I think they rock in the lifestyle definition even) on stage, kinda made me imagine where they came from. I bet you they started somewhere in the basement or garage and had this musical vision that no one else shared. They struggled from bar to bar or online until one day a producer discovered them. I guess they usually hang out with their usual friends, people like you and me, and how their friends always support them through every gig. They would be just slightly odd compared to their compadres, but it's so subtle that you would notice until you talk to them. And in parties and gigs, they would be dancing!
By the time they started the 3rd song, the area around me started to loosen. I think the girl besides me felt so annoyed by my ridiculous over the top dancing (compared to most Indonesians) and my super screams in her ear. I can tell because every time I did something, she would smirk at me and say something to her friend... ah well, more room for me :D! So once these (I think) high school girls ran away from me... all hell break loose! Now again, I'm 29 and proud to say so, and I'm dancing like a 13 year old. Why?
1. I LOVE DANCING!!! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!!!
2. There's room
3. Concerts are celebration of music
4. It's high appreciation towards the performer (and appropriate for this particular performer to be exact)
5. The lights are dim and I probably don't know these people anyways...
Now here comes my point. I have concluded that I am disappointed in the Jakarta crowd when it comes to enjoying music. I come from Bandung, a city that is drowned by music appreciators, and I can only say that Jakarta's crowd is not as enthusiast as the Bandung scene. Bandung people dance! Now I don't know if Jakarta people don't know how to move, or they didn't know much about the band, or they think their outfit, their age, or their prestige is too precious, but the gestures seems to be too homogenize for a city with such diverse people.
As people that claim to be highly educated, too bad they've never learned anything about performing. When performing, it's thrilling when you know your audience is enjoying your act and showing it. It could be in various gestures: applause, standing ovation, head banging, toe tapping, or like me, dancing way crazy. To make things shorted, I believe the Ting Tings would love to see their crowd dance. How would I know? BECAUSE THEY CONSTANTLY ASKS US TOO. And for that, and point numero uno, I did! I don't know what y'all elite people think about it but this is my appreciation towards this struggling band. Even Katie (the girl) constantly moved through her songs, and she never ever ever stopped. Unlike some of us that was too proud.
Keep up, falling, these heels they keep me boring
Getting glammed up and sitting on the fence no
-That's not my name, The Ting Tings-
It sad to think that the Ting Tings had to perform infront of an uptight corporate socialite crowd, and it's ironic that their lyrics actually critique their audience. 3/4 way of the show people around us started to dance. Yes, better late than never, but too bad because I think they missed out on a great opportunity to be foolish without being misplaced. I heart the Ting Tings. Please come back soon!!
I did peek in to the act of Tortured Soul. A loungy kinda sound. And some people were dancing... wait... they were foreigners and drunks... ah well better drunk that concious then hehehehe...
In the end, I will always choose to dance, no matter if I'm 29, 37, or 53 and dancing with my grandchildren (amin). Let it be in concerts, in my car, on site at a dodgy karaoke bar, with my friends, or just alone at home. Although I'm not that looney to dance in the streets alone, I'm not afraid to bob around to the music from my earphone.
But wait.... there is something that I realize while waving my hands around up in the air. I realize that my future boyfriend or husband hopefuly has a great appreciation towards music, thus to my dancing. Or he at least understands my point of view. He doesn't have to move like me but I hope he shows some appreciation towards the performer. And I will always understand whatever his choice of gesture may be, for at least he has the guts to stand beside me :D
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