IO, Yogyakarta – Scorpions and Whitesnake kicked off Kridosono Stadium Yogyakarta in JogjaROCKarta Festival # 4 2020, Sunday (1/3/2020). Around 17,500 spectators packed the field, which was wet from rain which had fallen since noon. Scorpions and Whitesnake hypnotized viewers who have been waiting for their arrival at JogjaROCKarta Festival # 4 2020 since last year, not only fascinated by the musicality of the two European continent bands, but the audience also sang songs by Scorpions and Whitesnake. Whitesnake appeared earlier than Scorpions. They opened their performance with the song Bad Boys at 20.40 WIB. “Finally met again after 1975,” said David Coverdale, the vocalist, greeting the JogjaROCKarta Festival # 4 2020 audience.
As is known, David Coverdale had greeted fans in Indonesia in 1975. At that time, he was still a Deep Purple vocalist and came along with his band. The band whose members are David Coverdale (vocal), Bernie Marsden (guitar), Micky Moody (guitar), Neil Murray (bass) and David “Duck” Dowle (drums) performed 14 songs, including Hey You, Slow And Easy, Shut Up And Kiss Me, and Still Of The Night. They satisfied their fans by performing for 80 minutes.
Scorpions opened the show with the song Going Out With A Bang. The rock band from Hanover, Germany consists of Rudolf Schenker (guitar), Klaus Meine (vocal), Matthias Jabs (guitar), Paweł Mąciwoda (bass), and Mikkey Dee (drums). Scorpions play 15 songs, including Wind Of Change and Still Loving You. There is also a 70’s medley consisting of Top of the Bill, Steamrock Fever, Speedy’s Coming, and Catch Your Train. The action stage which is no less stunning also presented by Klaus et al. Even though some time ago, Klaus had just undergone a medical operation, in the form of kidney stone surgery. “Good night, Yogyakarta, how are you,” Klaus said in Indonesian greeting the audience of JogjaROCKarta Festival # 4 2020. He tried to look energetic and mastered the stage, including distributing several drumsticks to the audience by throwing them from the stage. Scorpions ended the show with the song Rock You Like A Hurricane.
Rajawali Indonesia’s CEO and founder of JogjaROCKarta, Anas Syahrul Alimi, was grateful that the concert was a success, even though it rained. He did not deny that there was one band that failed to perform due to weather factors. “They also apologized,” he said. According to Anas, JogjaROCKarta can be replicated in other regions and become an example of a world-class festival that can also be held in the regions. He said the Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo who also watched JogjaROCKarta Festival # 4 2020 wanted to make a similar event in Semarang.
Anas also revealed that JogjaROCKarta Festival # 4 2020 bears witness to the history of Indonesian music because Scorpions and Whitesnake can play on one stage. This performance also proves that amid the coronavirus issue, tourism can be boosted through this event. “As many as 70 percent of the audience came from outside the city,” concluded Anas. (Rayi)
