Happenings on Film: Raisa gig in my hometown, Bandung, Indonesia

Nowaday Raisa is the phenomenon rising star in Indonesia. In many comedy tv or online joke, Raisa means “Very beautiful girl”. And last Sunday I watch her gig for the first time in my hometown and for free.

Thanks to Bank Mandiri, the government bank which held Mandiri Karnaval Festival on Sunday, October 12th, 2014 at GOR Saparua. Normally Raisa concert in Bandung are held in expensive place which made her ticket price are more than Rp 100.000 (about $ 9) which is very expensive for me. But at this marathon running event I can watch her for free.

Actually I’m not really into her music because to be honest my heart can’t touch by nowaday Indonesia musician, I’m very oldiest guy who love The Tielman Brother, Iwan Fals, Bimbo, Iwan Abdulrahman which very famous far away before I was born in 80s. But as a bachelor of journalist, my curious feeling about Raisa fever social phenomena pushing me to watch her.

I came late to GOR Saparua because I think the marathon runner is not interesting to snap but as usual my decision was always wrong. There are so many hot chic with their sweaty running shirt (Oh God please curing my mad disease hahaha =p) were hanging out at Saparua. But like blessing in disguise there are photo competition with a lot of superbeautiful model and two of them are… I’ll keep for my next article ;) Satisfied with photo model session (I will tell you the chronicle stories at my next article =) I’m very worried because the sky are getting dark. Oh no I’m afraid I can’t get a great result when snap Raisa at the dark cloud situation. Then I’m patiently waiting her after Dzuhur prayer at 12.30 PM until she really enter the stage at 2.30 PM.

Snaping the phenomenon rising star is not that easy. At the early song I stand at maybe 10th line. So many Raisa fans are start standing in front of the stage since the opening band that I didn’t watch them to avoid using my only one film at the camera. It’s impossible for me to get a good and clear Raisa photo at that so far distant from the stage.

But hey I have been a loser crowd since this teenager crowd still suck their thumb in an elementary student at early 2002 when there are still so many indie band gig in Bandung. So with a very patient waiting finally I can move until at the 2nd line of the stage. Still it’s too far for my Erika (my Horizon Perfekt name) to snap Raisa with good and clear result. But I try to be patient like I did many hours before when waiting for this moment.

Raisa are far from my expectation. She has a minimalist stage act and her vocal are not powerful as I thought. When I heard her song in the radio she remind me of powerful Motown girl such as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Tina Turner etc. but at her live performance Raisa’s voice are lost in a crowd singalong and shout also with the sound of the instrument from her band player.

Until there is one problem with the sound at her earphone and she looks very angry. Then she pull her earphone equipment at her back very hard and then come to the soundman to complain. She looks very angry and after that she come to take her mineral water bottle and then after drink it she smash it at the place for put notation book which she use to put mineral water bottle in there. The crowd and me who see that are feeling very bad for about fiveteen second. That was the moment when my admiring of her beauty are gone. She should learn from my favorite musician Au Revoir Simone when they held a gig in Jakarta, Indonesia http://www.lomography.com/magazine/lifestyle/2014/03/25/the-au-revoir-simone-concert-in-jakarta-indonesia eventhough the sound and the lighting were very bad at the Skye bar but they were bring cheerful and happiness mood which contagious to us the crowd.

At the near end of her mini concert, the host come to make the situation cheerful again with quiz which many prize from the sponsor. The crowd became wild and after pick by Raisa to go up stage they use the chance to selfie with Raisa and get a loud of BOOOO from the crowd below the stage.

After the quiz session she continuing sang couple of song and then the confetti are spread at the stage. Then she grab her sticker and throw it to crazy crowd. After she say goodbye, so many crowd move from the stage to get close to her but she guarded by her big bodyguard to her car and hundred of crowd have to get disappointed can’t take a selfie with her idol. So different from my fave musician Au Revoir Simone where all of their crowd got a photo together with their idol

written by hervinsyah on 2014-10-17