WHAT COULD BE HAPPENED ON NAVAL VESSEL?
It's been a while, well, almost a year, I don't touch my LJ page. There are a lot of things to tell, but I guess it's too late to tell it one by one.. I don't want to waste your time reading them all.. So, let's start the new one after missing a year...
Ok, so, the question on the subject. It can come up with any kind of answers. And my answer is a rock band performance. Yep, exactly that my answer. Why? The answer is simple: because I was there.
On Monday, Nov 12th, I was invited by my former boss to attend the launch of - my first time favourite Indonesian band, PADI's 5th album called "Tak Hanya Diam" (in English means "No More Intertia") on KRI Teluk Mandar (it's a Naval Vessel). Nearly 2 years, we had been waiting for them to launch their latest album. FYI, I never had a pick for favourite local band until I heard their first single called "Sobat" (means "Best Friend") on 1999 and I did really put on my intention to observe their songs/musics, bought all their albums, got their autograph (but incomplete, the vocalist don't want to give his autograph to me, even I asked him in the present day, he still don't want to give it... The reason is simple: because he thinks I'm his friend, so a friend don't need his autograph..), went to their concerts, and finally, became friends with them even with their families also - some in weirdest way. Well, the last one is another story... And if you curious about this band, you can check here.
Okay, back to the first topic. After I got called by my former boss that day at 11 AM, I went to her office right away to get the free pass. Together we went to the venue at 1.30 PM. I thanked God for that because I didn't have to trouble my self going to Tanjung Priuk (the harbour in Jakarta) with my motorbike. We arrived at 2.30 PM. There were about 300 people people in the ship. The press, Sony-BMG men, roadies, high school kids (they still wore their school uniforms), Sobat Padi (that's how PADI called their fans), other guests and most of all, the Navy. Then I joined with my fellow "Sobat Padi" who sat under the big tent next to VOA sound. They did a very brilliant idea for the weather was so damn hot!! It looked like the sun shone brightly to the maximum level. I believed that soon after the show, my skin would be tanner and tanner and tanner. And 30 minutes later the warship started to sail. Frankly the truth, I didn't think the show would be in the middle of the sea. I thought it would be on the vessel and we watched the show from below, the ground. When I felt the vessel moved, I asked Julia, "Does the warship move or it is I, the only one who have feeling that the warship moves?" and she said, "Nope, the warship is really sailing now and we will be in the ocean for the next 3 hours." OMG!! How could I not knowing that?? Okay, enough with that stupid little thing. My bad for lack of information (or maybe I didn't notice?). So, we did sail to Java Sea.
Me, Ricky and Maureen
Andra, Me and Julia
While waiting for the show began, me and my fellow Sobat Padi did our own tour to the entire vessel. We were wandering to the head, to the tail and to the top. We didn't get a chance to see the inside. The Navy didn't allow it. Well, that was fine. We still could enjoy the other though. We stayed quite a while at the top of the vessel, feeling the sea wind blew and saw some fishing boats, the other naval vessel and a cruise boat. Well, the sun didn't shine like before. It was cloudy after all. We took some photos. Oh, we really did take our chance in a warship because it could be our first and maybe the last time, nor once in ten years we experienced it. I remember what my deceased father ever told me, "If you ever be in the chance that you never be experienced again for the next year, feel it and take the memory of it or you shall regret it." I did that before, when James Brown did his concert on Java Jazz, March 2005. Not so long after, he passed away. I didn't take him as my favourite but at least I could see "The King of Soul" performed.
Before the show
Me, being narcist above the vessel.. *grins*
Me, being narcissist above the vessel..(again) *grins*
We waited for almost 2 hours. I had a feeling that the show would begin so late. I read the invitation again. It was written that the show started at 3 PM to 6 PM. Then I saw Rindra, the bassist, came out from the main deck and I asked him what took them so long to start the show and he said there were some interviews from the TV press. No wonder then.. *sighs*. Btw, for I wasn't mistaken, it supposed to be the first time that a (Indonesian) band had their album launched on a vessel war.
About ten minutes before the performance, the MC asked all the guests and the press to move forward. The press took their best position, which was absolutely in front of the stage. Me and other "Sobat Padi" stood behind all those damn press. We wanted to sit in front of the stage too! Gee... the press didn't want move their ass to give us a place for sure. But there was Bang Ipul, Padi stage manager. He knew us very well and then guided us through those press to put us in front of the stage. Yay for Bang Ipul!!
Then the show began! Oh.. finally... Here came what we waited so long - the latest album (we had been waiting for 2 years) and, of course, the show in the ship... It appeared they split the show in 2 sessions. The 1st session was starting from 5 PM - 5.30 PM. Padi started their performance with 3 songs from previous albums before they hit us with another two songs from the latest album. Oh, when they played their 2nd song, Yoyo - drummer - loose the metronome so he stopped in the middle of the song. While he fixed it, Fadly - vocalist - gave his best shot to throw a joke. Well, actually, we all know that he's not that good in approaching the audiences. It was mostly Piyu - 1st guitarist & the leader of the band - to do the approaching. Well, maybe just like Pete Wentz does almost the approaching instead of Patrick Stump of FOB... So, it was our honour to see the progress from this front man of the band to do the talking (joking to be exact). Fadly did it with little success actually (honestly, the joke didn't funny at all), but we still respected him. Besides, it was fun and friendly show anyway.
The band posed before they started they performance
Piyu, leader of the band
Yoyo, the drummer
Fadly, the vocalist.. cutey!
Ari, 2nd guitarist (left) and Rindra, bassist (right)
Then they had press conference for about 20 minutes before 6 PM. Then break again, giving the Moslems to do their Maghrib & Isha praying. While waiting for the break over, I with Ricky, the Padi tour manager, and Maureen took time to go to the back of the ship and admiring the beauty of the sunset, the beauty colour of the sky that turned bright red-purple-pink to dark. Wow.. I never saw this kind of view. It was amazing. I was blessed seeing the magical work that God had created..
Then 30 minutes later, 2nd session began. Before Padi sang their hit singles, "Sang Penghibur" (means "The Entertainer"), we watched (for the first time) their new clip that took location in London about a week ago.. Then Fadly joked again, same joke but different story, still not going well (even worse.. *head on desk*). Ah, during the show, me, Julia, Andra, and other Sobat Padi took pictures in front of the stage with Padi, who were still performing, as the background. At last, I have the picture of it!!
The band's performance at night
Ari and Rindra in action
Julia and Me, in front of the show
Wow, it was fantastic actually to be on board together with friends and my fave band. And usually, you can't keep the press or the guests in the place after the show, right? But not when you have an event in the middle of the sea! (Maybe) that's the benefit of having an event in the middle of the sea. What's the bad thing? For the duration of much of what follows it might be a bad idea if you have to wait for one hour and 45 minutes to harbour. I was getting increasingly bored... The vessel was sailing soooooooooooooooo damn slow!!
Well, maybe the last part wasn’t that good, but at least I had a great time. It was a blast experience. I'm glad to witness the new album launch party of my fave band. I bet my ticket could be sold to the highest price to other Sobat Padi who was really a die hard fans, who was longing to touch, to hug, to get their autographs or to take picture with them. So, simple to say: I was really thankful for that time...