Returning To British 50’s Rock Era with FUR on 9th Music Gallery
JAKARTA (3/9) – The ’50s and ’60s are some amazing eras on the British music industry with their rock and roll revival. We were a bit sad that we didn’t get the chance to relive those eras, but the legacy lives on through several current musicians who bring back the nuance, atmosphere, and melodies. One of them happens to be FUR, a band hailing from Brighton, the UK has produced a unique sound that pays homage to their late predecessors. Their coming to Indonesia has been long awaited and the 9th Music Gallery becomes the band’s host for its first-ever performance in the archipelago. This year’s Music Gallery held by BSO Band FEB UI became more special as it was held during National Music Day which falls on March 9th each year. The celebration has now moved to a bigger venue which was Tennis Indoor Senayan where they occupied the outdoor and indoor area with two stages available. Since its first line-up announcement back in 2018, The 9th Music Gallery had generated quite a buzz by compiling high profile local musicians like Kelompok Penerbang Roket, The Upstairs, The Trees and The Wild, Kurosuke, and many more.
The addition of FUR heightened our anticipation of the annual music festival and we came with great expectation to see them live. As we mentioned earlier, the two stages available for The 9th Music Gallery were Ashbury Stage which was located outdoor and Haight Stage which was located in the indoor area. There were several photo spots available throughout the venue that the visitors could use as a background photo. An interactive digital space caught our eyes for its appealing visual and the murals made the whole occasion even more festive. In the afternoon, many visitors who were dominated by those aged 18 – 25 had gathered on Gelora Bung Karno area to witness the performances from Asd Trio, Biagi, Burning CIgarettes, Muspro, KIV, KRLY, Daramuda, Dream Coterie, Elephant Kind, Kelompok Penerbang Roket, Kurosuke, Oscar Lolang and The High Temples, Pamungkas, Rumahsakit, The Upstairs, The Changcuters and The Trees & The Wild.
FUR proved to be a band with down-to-earth personality as they were not shy to also experience the festival by watching The Changcuters’ performance on Ashbury Stage. Tria and co. who rocked the outdoor stage greeted FUR, “Hi FUR, We’re The Changcuters. We’re not the best Band from Indonesia. But, we’re the coolest band in Indonesia”, as they continued to sing their hit songs like “Racun” and “Hijrah ke London”. Meanwhile, on Haight Stage, The Upstairs turned the venue as their dance floor as they played several numbers like “Matraman”, “Disko Darurat”, and “Terekam Tak Pernah Mati”. Modern Darlings (red: the fans of THe Upstairs) showed their best move on the dance floor and the band’s new listeners nodded their heads in unison. Jimi Multhazam uttered that the event has become The Upstairs’ best event to attend since the air conditioner consistently blew cool breeze to the performers.
At last, FUR took over the stage after The Upstairs and the crowd cheered them as they played their first number on the set. Donning 50’s inspired outfit with haircuts that might belong to our grandparents when they were teens, FUR brought their love songs which contain melancholic lyrics. Beside vintage rock and roll melodies, they also combined their music with the current dream pop ambiance, making the blend sounded unique. Will Murray and co. clearly knew what they did that night as they garnered cheers while bringing their most notable hits like “If You Know That I’m Lonely”, “What Would I Do?”, “Angel Eyes”, and “Not Enough”. This year proves Music Gallery’s never-ending succeed in bringing great independent or alternative musicians from abroad. Unlike last year when Beach Fossils met several technical difficulties, the organizer learned a lot from their past mistake and delivered a smooth running show. It was over, but we can’t wait to see the next edition of Music Gallery already!
Reporter: Narisha Zulkarnain/Translator & Editor: Novita Widia
