Scratches on the Line.: Foster the Concert

Although Jakarta wasn't facing some hot weather - literally - it didn't stop fans from catching band sensation Foster the People live.

The venue's festival area was full but, surprisingly, the tribune and VIP areas still had a lot of space. Let me just take a moment to call out 3 Ocean Live on their poor promotion of the concert. I know FTP is a relatively new band but I'm pretty sure their fanbase here isn't small, especially with the attention from their big summer hit Pumped Up Kicks. Not to mention the lack of publicity to let the city know the band was coming. Honestly, (I'm going to rant here a bit) I only found out they had a gig here the night before they were showing! And it was only because I happened to be listening to the radio while on my way to work. What if I decided I wanted some peace and turned off the radio instead? I would have not known they had come until after and I'd be raging mad. Luckily the universe took pity on me and there were still festival tickets available at the ticketbox venue on the day of. Even though this was pleasing it was also strange because I would have guessed a band as hot as them would be sold out, at least for the festival area. If you check their tour schedule after this they have shows at Malaysia and Singapore - that have been sold out for days. I mean, come on? More proof of the incompetence that is the promoters.

Rant over.

Well, no. The show also managed to start 90 minutes late. That is a whole football match, son. Are you kidding? Not quite sure what the hold up was, but I'm thinking managing the artist to the show's venue on time fits into the promoters' job description, no?

Now the rant is really over, I can say that THE CONCERT WAS AMAZING. No regrets, definitely your money's worth - even worth the 90 minute wait! The crowd's annoyance and aching feet were well forgotten once the lights flickered off and the room was submerged into total darkness, followed by Mark, Cubbie and Pontsy coming out and starting the show with a banging performance of Houdini. Turns out it was their first show of the year 2012. They played all of their songs from the Torches album, with a few additions. One of the best surprises was when Mark started rambling on about meeting a guy wearing a Weezer shirt (another favorite band of mine) that ended up informing him that the guys from Weezer had actually done a cover of Pumped Up Kicks at one of their concerts! Flattered, FTP decided to show their gratitude by doing a cover of Weezer as well, the song Say It Ain't So - which Mark said was one of his all time favorite songs. So it was basically an FTP/WZR lovefest. Too amazing.

They also played their new unreleased song, Ruby. It was their kind of ballad, since they don't really have one yet on the album. It was slower than the usual FTP (Mark was on piano instead of the keyboard and Pontsy took it easy on the drums) but it was a great song. Definitely going to try and find it online.

At one point when the boys went off stage for a quickie break (?) the audience was still on a high and started shouting "we want more! we want more!". Some even demanded Pumped Up Kicks, which I thought was rediculous because that was their biggest hit and obviously it was going to be the last song. The incident led me thinking, though, how were they going to close the concert on a high note when the song isn't really an energetic song? Well, they had their ways. They played it at last, changing the ending of the song to hang on longer and beat harder. IT WAS GREAT. They had everyone jumping like insane (which had occurred throughout the concert, of course) and then - suddenly - MARK WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STAGE WHERE I WAS NEAR TO AND HE REACHED FOR THE FANS. Mass hysteria ensued as everyone started screaming and pushing to get closer to him like a bunch of obsessed psychos. The song was still playing its new ending beats and he stayed there for a while, a bit smug of the adoration and enjoying every second of it. I'm certain if it wasn't for the security guard that yanked him back, Mark would have dove in and bodysurfed, meaning I would have had the chance to touch him. That guard is a life ruiner.

before what could have been - Mark almost surfing

Finally the song did come to an unwanted end. The boys waved and smiled at the fans and headed off the stage. I'm glad they seemed to have also enjoyed themselves playing here. Mark had mentioned to us that it was one of the best crowds they had ever played for and they were thankful to us. In the back of my mind I'm sure many artists say that, but I can't help feel like it's true when they say it about Jakarta. Despite the lack of love I have for this city, it is definitely one of the biggest and loudest audiences any artist could ever hope to play for.

Getting back to the band, I didn't expect it possible to come out of there loving them even more than I already had. It was a really great show. They were the Foster The People that everyone came to see. They're very talented, the real deal. You can hear it in their music, you can see it in their show. One of the reasons I love this band so much is the fact that I can listen to their whole album. Just listen, and do nothing. That isn't easy to find these days. Usually there are bands that I enjoy 1 or 2 songs of, but that's it. And FTP's songs aren't just good to groove to, if you really listen to the lyrics you'll understand just how creative and inspired the songwriting is. If you haven't bought their album or caught them live given the chance then something is seriously wrong with you. Can't wait to see what's next for them and I hope they come back again.