Jakarta, IO – Dewa 19’s Pesta Rakyat (“The People’s Festivities”) concert, held to commemorate their 30-year-old career, was a success. On 4 February 2023, Jakarta International Stadium was packed with 65,000 fans, who were hypnotized by the legendary group’s performance.
Redline Kreasindo packaged the concert with spectacular staging, sound, and lighting. These amazing effects perfectly framed Dewa 19’s four vocalists, as well as guest stars Mulan Jameela, Elvy Sukaesih and Lucky Laki Band, in their performance of the Band’s 35 songs.
The concert’s pre-opening started with a booming rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” by the Ahmad Dhani Philharmonic Orchestra, immediately followed by the instrumental version of “Pangeran Cinta” (“The Prince of Love”). Right on its heels was our national anthem, “Indonesia Raya” (“Great Indonesia”), with the voices of the audience echoing through the concert hall. Epic!
Dewa 19’s four vocalists through the ages sang the song in turn. Marcello “Ello” Tahitoe started the show in a lovely trio with Ahmad Dhani and Virzha for a rendition of “Angin” (“Wind”), followed by Ello and Virzha’s rousing duets of “Arjuna” and “Restoe Bumi” (“Earth’s Blessing”) and Ahmad Dhani’s “Cinta Gila” (“Mad Love”). Ello then went back on stage with “Juliette”, “Aspirasi Putih” (“White Aspirations”), “Takkan Ada Cinta Yang Lain” (“There Shall Be No Other Love”), and “Sudah” (“Let It Be”).
Virzha, Dewa 19’s vocalist, took up the baton alongside Ahmad Dhani and belted out “Pangeran Cinta”, “Selimut Hati” (“The Heart’s Blanket”), “Larut” (“Carried Away”), “Lagu Cinta” (“Love Song”), “Pupus” (“Erased”), and “Hadapi dengan Senyuman” (“Face It with a Smile”). Ahmad Dhani went onward, with a surprising duet of “Sedang Ingin Bercinta” (“In the Mood for Lovemaking”) with senior dangdut diva Elvy Sukaesih, to thundering applause. Mulan then switched to accompany Elvy in singing the latter’s dangdut masterpiece, “Bimbang” (“In Doubt”).
Ahmad Dhani went on to sing a heartbreaking version of “Aku Cinta Kau dan Dia” (“I Love both You and Her”) with a rousing choir backup, segueing into guest performer Lucky Laki Band, whose songs were greeted with enthusiastic screams from the fangirls in the audience.