Big Bang Alive Tour, Jakarta, October 12 and 13, 2012 ("Alive" Report)

First of all, there’s nothing I want to say beside thanks to Big Bang especially, and YG Entertainment in general, for visiting Indonesia, for  holding well-arranged concert, for announcing it way before hand, for adding the concert day, and for putting a good show. Well done! Love it when artists and their company consider their fans’ situation. There’s nothing much more desirable than mutual love and understanding, no? 

 So YGE officially announced that Big Bang would be scheduled to visit Indonesia on their world tour around three month ago. And the ticket selling went on for more than two months before the actual concert. When they realized the high demand, they decided to add the concert day into two days around two weeks later. So there’s still enough time to save money and to buy the 1^st and 2^nd day ticket concert before the event happening. And they were not like “some company” who thought selling ticket on-spot was a good idea, if only to create buzz, without selling the ticket on line.

The funny thing was when my friends found out that the concert was still months away, they started to question: “Is this concert for real? What if it is just a rumor? What if we have already bought the ticket, suddenly they cancel it and then runaway? This is weird.” Ahh my poor friends, they still went through traume about some K pop concerts that went AWOL and gone all their money too.  See these are the result of a concert with bad management, it is announced late, gotten canceled late, some fans get their money back and some fans just don’t. But nobody get their accommodation reimbursement, nobody get their airplane ticket money back, nobody get their hotel booking money back. But the worst must have been the fans’ distrust. 

Surprisingly I didn’t get the second day concert ticket, the concert day that got announced earlier. The website was flooded and I was so lucky, stuck in the middle of my Korean class. But huzzah YGE added one more day and that day turned out to be my luckiest day. I had saved my money for this concert so that I could reserve the best spot I could get. And yes no seat please! Big Bang is in the house, who needs that?? Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!

So the concert was happening at the same venue as the last Super Junior concert that lasted for three days long (yep, that long, it was scary), Mata Elang International Stadium. It was held on two days, October 12 and 13, 2012. I went to the 1^st day concert. I arrived one and half hour before the concert began. Sure, there was a crowd there, but the crowd was not too packed. At some point, I even asked myself, where I should stand in line to get into the concert hall? According to my experience, there’re always lines and lines of people waiting to get in. But that time, there’re only two lines and that even not that long. I thought: Okay, perhaps I come too early (Dude, like there’re words “too early” to come to your beloved artist concertL)

No one get in my way (almost literally )into the concert hall. I was in festival section. Man, it was only a quarter of it that had been occupied. I could sit on the floor waiting for the concert to start. Clock was ticking and only half of festival section was filled. I was amused like that’s only for my own benefit. It was like having half of the concert hall for my own. You know how it feels to have half of the concert hall for your own to jump, dance, run, scream, shout, and watch your favorite idols that you had been waiting for months to come?? Hell, if you are not going as crazy as I was :D I was so euphoric, I couldn’t even remember what the first song was. Kh. My memory about the concert is so hazy. If you ask me to mention all the song being sung orderly, I couldn’t do it. Tsk, tsk. Yeish I blame you Big Bang for putting an amazing show. See what I can retrieve from my hazy mind about the concert.

I remember Big Bang sang all the songs from their latest mini album “Alive”. Swear, I think I sang Fantastic Baby more than twice. I know Fantastic Baby is great song to be sung alive but Twice?? From their previous album, they sang Haru Haru and successfully made the whole stadium singing together, Café, Love Song, Tonight, Stupid Liar, Number 1,  Monster, How Gee, Baby Baby (Last Farewell), So Beautiful (Wrong Number), Lies, and Gara Gara Go.

And every member got his own moment under the spotlight, except emmm T.O.P. My Big Bang bias will always be The One of The Kind, G Dragon, but T.O.P had never be my last favorite BigBang member until now. Somehow he successfully became one. If YGE has never given him a solo project, you know album or mini album, not just a single, I can see the reason. 

I could see the truly entertainer in the group which is Taeyang. He sang, danced, and interacted with audience, everything inside the entertainer package he did. He was amusing. When he danced, twisted and turned, right in front of me, shirtless, I could feel my jaw dropped on the floor. Or was it my eyes that dropped that night?? Hee. He sang Wedding Dress and Only Look at Me from his solo project.    

If anybody ever said again Seungri was the black hole of talent in Big Bang, I believe he or she has never attended BigBang concert alive. And he or she has to be ready to receive my laser eyes. Seriously he’s only second after Taeyang in warming up the audience. Maybe he doesn’t have Daesung’s voice but he can sing. There’s nothing I or you could complain about in his live performance. And boy, maybe he is not as photogenic as T.O.P but he is flawless live. Yes that Spoch hair has to go Seungri, without one you are just >.<! He sang Strong Baby and How Do I Do?

And then Daesung, yes his voice will slay you or me. His face that many people think it can be included in that not-so-charming group of idols (seriously guys??), there’s no such of thing. There’s no such of thing like “ugly” idol, they are doll that has been polished and re-polished before they are marketed. If they have not, blame the company. Daesung is adorable to boot. He sang “Wings” while being hang with wired. Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya!

For G Dragon, yeah what can I say? He’s my bias through and through, my favorite idol in the entire K pop universe. He is not as talkative as Taeyang, but even he just stood on stage silent (of course he was not he sang and rapped :P), he was just that, showered with charisma , full swag. Check!! I came to the concert with little hope he would sing one or more songs from his One of The Kind mini album (uh I adore that album), but alas. He just did medley of One of The Kind and Crayon. So sad, I meant I want him sings a full song. Now, YGE just bring down YG Family concert down here in Indonesia, ASAP and make him sing a full song.

And T.O.P, he performed with G Dragon as GTOP, Big Bang’s subunit. They made the audience go “High High” and then Knock us Out. There’s something about T.O,P. I don’t know if he performs alone, he can live-up the audience well enough. Yes, that’s why I need to see him performs alone, YG! He doesn’t have charisma or stage present as much as G Dragon. So, when he tried to be “cool”, not talk much (yes, I know it is just the way he is, but…), he tended to fall into “distant” territory. Like half of his heart was here, at the concert, and the other half was somewhere else, only T.O.P knows where. Well, his distant territory doesn’t work to entertain me. To be an actor and model are good future careers for him. He just leaves something from Idol package, I don’t know what. Funny, when camera were flowing freely inside the concert hall, when the other Big Bang members sing and dance, many times he looked like he just posed, waiting flowing cameras to capture him. Aww…. Lub you for that, I know many came home with good pictures of him. Kh. And there’s another reason for me to love him: He was my dance instructor that night for my breath couldn’t catch up the dancing Taeyang :P

There are things that worth noted from Big Bang “Alive” concert, beside Big Bang awesome performance. The sound system was good, all my friends who attended the concert always gave comment about this (plus how flawless Seungri was ha ha). This is added with the fact that they gave us “live music”. Sometimes I forgot they are idols who have to be be the jack of all trades, master of none. All I saw were just thres singers and two rapper. Without the whole gag show, lip-synch suspicion, the concert was truly enjoy-able. One point that other idol groups need to take a note. Hear this: I know your choreography is important for your performance, but if your song needs you to slow down for a moment, you're better be, catching your breath, and singing your lines the best you can. There's many of you, if one member doesn't dance while the other four, five, even ten do dance, I believe your fans won't complain. If the choreography doesn't allow, be creative and tweaks it a little bit, make it possible. Don't be lazy, it is not MV, it is live performance, your own concert, your own fans who pay to be there, your are singer for cry out loud, not dancer. I'm not buying your music album or buying your singles at iTunes if you are DANCER.

There’s no long introduction about who is who. I meant they are just five of them, and you already decided to come to their concert, long member introduction is no longer needed, no? That’s just waste of time, just sing already! Taeyang’s English is understandable, Seungri’s is too. And Daesung’s…. He’s better just speak in Korean next time. But I respect your effort, Dae! Truly from the bottom of my heart. Yes, the fact that the concert left out a live interpreter received a good point at least in my book. How you can interpret a laughing and joyful person I meant??  Interpreter no matter how good she or he is can never capture and translate the artist’ emotion. And that’s what I need to feel.

Don’t worry for lack of attendance in the first day because my friends who came to the second day, they said the concert was full packed. And I have already told you Indonesian’s music taste more bends to SME centric. So I was not surprised about the first day concert. But I believe if Big Bang comes again to Indonesia next time, the ticket will be sold out for 1^st day and 2^nd day since I am kind of sure all the audience came home only to spread the news how good and satisfying the concert was. Those are who will come again and bring more people.  Good news can’t be kept lock inside for too long no? 

Thinking about to give a lot of commentary, but I feel not eloquent enough to tell what a fabulous night was it. I was chanting and dancing on my way home. My body went stiff for straight three days after. Fact proved: Going to an idol concert with share enough craziness, love, and euphoria that caused you to jump, dance, run all through the concert is not good for your body without warm-up session. My gastrocnemius muscles were hurt like I had been hiking for three days. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to do it again though. :D

   

빅뱅 (Big Bang): 천국 (heaven) Korean Version | Stand Up - 3rd Mini Album           

[Lyrics, Romanization, Translation]

사랑해 난 널 기억해 heaven(singing together - ha!)

Sarangae nan neol kieokhae

I love you, I remember you heaven (singing together – ha!)

la la la la~

24/7 그댄 영원한 heaven

24/7 Geutaen yeongwonhan heaven

24/7 just like my eternal heaven

24/7 그댄 나만의 heaven

24/7 Geutaen namane heaven

24/7 just like my own heaven

24/7 그댄 영원한

24/7 Geutaen yeongwonhan heaven

24/7 just like my eternal heaven

24/7 heaven

마지막일 줄 알았던 두 번 다시 안 올 줄 알았던

Majimak il jul aratdeon, du beon dasi an ul jul aratdeon

Knew this the last day, knew it was never be the same again

내겐 전혀 어울리질 않았던 사랑이 어느 무더운 여름 날 다가왔죠

Naegen jeonhyeo eoullijil anatdeon, sarangi eoneu mudeoun yeoreum nal dagawatjwo

It was totally not for me, love that came in one hot summer day

기다리고 기다리던 나의 반쪽 항상 널 꿈꿔왔죠

Gidarigo gidarideon na-e banjjok hangsang neol kkumkkwowatjwo

Kept waiting and waiting, dreamt of you always as half of me

넌 내 맘의 안식처 보고 또 보고 주고 또 주고만 싶죠

Neon nae mame ansikcheo bogo tto bogo jugo tto jugoman sipjwo

You’re my resting place that I keep looking for, the only one whom I want to keep giving

난 설레임에 목말라 왜 내 사랑은 다 도망가

Nan seolleime mokmalla wae nae sarangeun da domangga

I have thirst for some thrills, why do all my love run away?

뜻대로 되지 않아 속만 타 알다가도 모르겠다

Tteudaero dweji ana sokman tha aldagado moreugetda

It’s not like I wished for, my heart never became to know and understand

그래도 너많은 놓치고 싶지가 눈앞에서 멀어지고 싶지가 않아

Geuraedo neomaneun notchigo sipjiga nunapheseo meoreojigo sipjiga ana

Nevertheless, don’t you disappear, don’t you go way from my sight

그댄 천국보다 아름답다

Geutaen cheongukboda areumdapda

Just like more beautiful than heaven

사랑해 너를 부르네 너를 기억해 너를 기다리네

Saranghae neoreul bureune neoreul kieokhae neoreul gidarine

I love you, I call you, I remember you, I wait for you

그대의 말 한마디 사랑한다는 그 한 마디

Geudae-e mal hanmadi saranghandaneun geu han madi

Those words I want to say, those “I love you” I want to say

너를 사랑해 너를 기억해(너의 전부를 기억해)

Neoreul saranghae neoreul kieokhae (Neo-e jeonbureul kieokhae)

I love you, I remember you (I remember everything of you)

기쁨 슬픔 눈물

Gippeum seulpheum nunmul

Joy, sadness, tears

하늘 별 그리고 천국

Haneul byeol geurigo cheonguk

Sky, star, and heaven

내 모든 생활 속에 그대가 숨을 쉬고

Nae modeun saenghal soge geudaega sumeul swigo

My everyday life, your breath taking

나의 전화기엔 어느새 너의 이름만 보이고

Na-e jeonhwagien eoneusae neo-e ireuman boigo

My call, your name that easily appears

하루에도 몇 번씩 너의 두 손을 붙잡고

Haruedo myeot beonssik neo-e du soneul buchabgo

Once, many times a day, I hold your two hands

입 맞추면 세상을 다 가진 기분이야

Ib matchumyeon sesangeul da gajin gibuniya

If we kiss, all feelings in the world get together

oh baby 매일 들어가는 미니홈피 달콤한 향기

oh baby maeil deureoganeun minihomphi dalkhomhan hyanggi

oh baby every day going into homepage, sweet smell

oh baby 내 사랑을 전하기엔 짧은 문자메세지

oh baby nae sarangeul jeonhagien jjalbeun munjameseji

oh baby to deliver my love, short message

사람들이 놀려대 하루 온종일 행복해

Saramdeuri nollyeodae haru unjongil haengbokhae

People laugh, feeling happy all day long

(oh baby 요즘 살만해) because of you

(oh baby yojeum salmanae) because of you

(oh baby today distraction) because of you

너를 사랑해 너를 부르네 너를 기억해 너를 기다리네

Neoreul saranghae neoreul bureune neoreul kieokhae neoreul gidarine

I love you, I call you, I remember you, I wait for you

그대의 말 한마디 사랑하는 그 한마디

Geudae-e mal hanmadi saranghaneun geu hanmadi

Those words I want to say, those “I love you” I want to say

너를 사랑해 너를 기억해

Neoreul saranghae neoreul kieokhae

I love you, I remember you

하루하루가 두렵지 난 네가 또 떠나갈까봐 내게서 희미해질까봐

Haru haru ga duryeopji nan nega tto tteonagalkkabwa naegeseo huimihaejilkkabwa

Every day is awesome, I and also you will leave, to me will fade away

너무 감사해 너무 사랑해 내 맘의 천국문의 단 한 사람아

Neomu gamsahae neomu saranghae nae mam-e cheongukmun-e dan han sarama

I really thank you, I really love you, my heart, my heaven door, that one and only person

너를 사랑해 너를 부르네 너를 기억해 너를 기다리네

Neoreul saranghae neoreul bureune neoreul kieokhae neoreul gidarine

I love you, I call you, I remember you, I wait for you

그대의 말 한마디 사랑한다는 그 한마디

Geudae-e mal hanmadi saranghandaneun geu hanmadi

Those words I want to say, those “I love you” I want to say

너를 사랑해 너를 기억해 (너의 전부를 기억해)

Neoreul saranghae neoreul kieokhae (neo-e jeonbureul kieokhae)

I love you, I remember you (I remember everything of you)
24/7 my heaven

24/7 my heaven

Thanks To:
cassie4771 for the video

All photos and lyrics are free to be copied and edited, all credites go to YG Entertaiment and Big Bang. :)