“To fight AIDS and ignorance”....says the flyer for this international event,
and yeah...it is tough to fight those thing in today’s world of hedonistic-ignorance...
but shall we dance just for tonight?
It was a bit rainy when I got there, but still lotsa people [around 1500] stood up there in front of the stage, which had 2 massive glowing condoms on both sides of it.
Under preparation since September, this event involved 3 hi-skools in Denpasar, fitting in w/ the whole concept of Dance 4 Life, to save the next generation from AIDS.
Great view from Bajra Sandhi but the entrance was kinda disorganized, lotsa people got in for free easily, even tho there was a donation voucher counter near the main entrance. Hmm, ignorance or lack of experience?
The sound system was ok, the MC and the performers were looking good, but the dancers were the flame of the show. They moved sensually in their anti-AIDS costume. Nice combo.The crowd also loved it when Jakarta’s VJ Nirina, Dave Hendrik, Nurul Arifin and other Indonesian TV stars, showed up on stage. For sure they don’t see them much in real life. All those celebrities were telling the crowd how AIDS is so dangerous and and how Bali is so so beautiful [reaally...]. All positive messages for the Indonesian/Balinese next generation. Thousands of students from the 3 hi-skool were dancing together to the Dance 4 Life theme dance, on the stage there were sexy dancers and their instructors, guiding them, complete w/ their anti-AIDS yells. Cool.
Later on, the DJ’s filled the air w/ their own modern-techno sounds,...but the Denpasar crowd, man, guess they were just not into clubbing/rave scene, yet. But thanx to DJ Achdyat, Emon, Rizal and other DJ’s for the support. Then there was Oppie spoiled the crowd w/ her hippie dippie, minus-one performance. Nice voice, Miss, very Seminyak. Same thing w/ Nugie, acoustic guitar and hi-quality voice, nothing but a peaceful one. Everybody was singing their heart out. We needed some candles.
Bali born-but-big-in Jakarta rapper, Oka shared his thoughts on love and hip-hop on the stage, featuring his Bali partners in crime, local thugs Korleon MC. Respect.
The nite was getting old but the local bands fired up the cloudy sky w/ the distortions of today: Pandawa hit it hard w/ their skillful-modern rock blend, Devildice stood proud and jumped high w/ their pro-environment punkrock. Stop using plastic bags!
The soon-to-be-famous-Telephone [check’em out at The Beat Party] came w/ their own cosmic music outfits. Then there were bands from Kisara [anti-AIDS activists] and a band of Denpasar hi-skool kids. Everyone was just having fun, w/ lotsa love and positive energy.
Before the closing, Sova band from Jakarta chilled the nite out w/ their seductive-tunes. Angelic voice from their singer, but more than half the crowd was already gone. 1 AM was a bit too late for Denpasar time but it was all ok. Not a big fuss. At the end of the show, eveyone looked happy, the moon showed up again, another mission accomplished>more people knows about the deadly AIDS.
Well, we might not be doing that much to ‘save’ the world, but at least we try to do something. Like one of those old agnostic street-punk singer said to me “if you don’t like how things are, do something about it”
The same thing that Gandhi said “be the change you want to see”
Get involved! –jrx-