Cinderamata dari Eropa

Continuing the habit of proving dedication to their Indonesian loyal devotees, White Shoes and The Couples Company (WSATCC) presented a hamper of souvenirs from their latest European Tour: a journal, a music concert, and video screening at Goethe Institut, 26/07/13. For those who didn’t get to come, let’s open up the package together!

“We were working while enjoying the beauty of each country we visited,” quoting Indra Ameng’s (manager) on the journal intro. Being invited to countries all over the world, WSATCC always try their best to fulfill them. “The most popular pop culture in the world right now is either from Japan or Korea, while what they know from Indonesia is usually only our traditional culture, our political condition, things like that. So we want to show them that Indonesia also has another side, another kind of pop culture developing here,” explained Aprilia Apsari (vocal).

Around 7.30 pm, the guests started to fill in the 300 available seats and didn’t stop coming in even when the seats were filled, as there were still standing spots available. Full house!

A video of ‘Te O Rendang O’ being played on a cruise ship heading to Stockholm was shown before the band started with ‘Tjangkurileung’, and the upbeat ambience from ‘Roman Ketiga’ and ‘Windu Defrina’ was soon followed by the melancholy of ‘Runaway Song’, ‘Today is No Sunday’, and the beautifully heart-slicing melody of ‘Senja’. Right after that was an instrumental duet of ‘Kapiten dan Gadis Desa’ from Ale (guitar) and Ricky (bass guitar). Ricky’s solo cello put an end to the first set before the video screening: White Shoes and The Couples Company European Tour 2013.

Each country has different stage atmosphere. Their tour began in Helsinki where WSATCC lined-up as Indonesia representative in Maailma Kylasa, World Village Festival. Bands from all over the world gathered, from Brazil to Mongolia to Cambodia, to have showcases and discussion about music and culture. An outdoor stage and the crowd was moving to the beat; it was dynamic. Whereas in Stockholm, WSATCC got to play in a luxurious hotel where people are drinking wine, the rain was drizzling outside; now this was dramatic.

Moving on to Denmark, Rio Farabi (guitar) made an article in the journal about GLOBAL, their venue in Copenhagen. GLOBAL is a livehouse –a mini-sized concert house, which creates a scene where people could enjoy tunes from musicians outside of Denmark. We fully support Rio’s intention to pitch the idea of creating a public space like that to the governor.

The last show on the tour was an intimate gig in a basement at one of the coolest artspace in Berlin, Germany. After the last bit of the video, WSATCC were back on stage with their wardrobe changed, and it seemed to restore their energy. The dance moves were getting more vigorous on the throbbing rhythms of ‘Senja Menggila’, ‘Aksi Kucing’, ‘Tam Tam Buku’ and seven other songs, and ‘Lembe-Lembe’ played as the closing number to a very generous setlist. Best souvenir a band could ever give to their fans!