Cendol Like Audience @ Jason Mraz Show: Java Jazz 2009 Festival Success Indicator

We (me and my friend Ami) arrived at the crime scene at about 5.15, greeted by a long line of queu to enter the Festival. We religiously follow the line for about 5 mins and realize that there were 4 entrances and soon release ourselves from being an obedient liners. Our tickets were verified, bags were searched for food and beverages.

Thank God, my chocolates and bottled sugar free gum survived. I brought these just in case, learning from past concert experiences. I've watched people colapsed during concert from lack of sugar. Naaah....it's just my excuse to eat chocolate.



Mr. A-Z Stage

About a minute later we're busy searching for the Jason Mraz stage and manage to enter the stage in about 2 minutes after queing. The atmosphere wss there, allright. I mean, really, really, really.... crowded. We had to wait about 30 mins before the whole thing started.

Prior to that, Mike Idol appear on stage singing our national anthem Indonesia Raya (it's been a long time since I sang the sacred song). After that, Jason with his band appered.

On stage, Jason Mraz looked really comfy wearing an oversize gray t shirt and khaki cargo pants. Nevertheless, the guy did a good (if not great) job in entertaining the audience in Exhibition Hall B. His appearance immediately greeted by histerically screams from girls (and guys), including us. I mean, look at the guy, so simple and still captivating. Is that Zen or what?!

The first song, no doubt, gathered another histerical moment, "make it mine", followed with "the remedy". After that, "Lucky" and "I'm Yours" (this song was nominated song of the year @ the Grammy). The audience sang with his every song except for one or two numbers that were not as popular here, but still they were greatly performed by Mraz and the Band and followed religiously by the audience.

I was actually waiting for my favorite Mraz track: "Bella Luna", knowing that this is not a highly popular song here, but he played the song anyway and I thanked him for that.

Closer to the ending, Jason took the time in capturing his band members using a polaroid camera and throw it out to the audience. Too bad, we're not that close to the stage.

Mraz closed his performance with "Butterfly", the song that rocked the audience once again. Although we're not that close to the stage, we really enjoy his performance. The Grammy was not exaggerating by nominating "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things" in a best engineered album category. His previous albums also rocks!

My verdict to Jason Mraz act at the Java Jazz Festival (060609):

1. A highly engineered performance: great voice, great band, great show!
2. Better than the album.
3. Highly engineered crew.
4. Highly motivated audience.
5. Special note for the audience: too much people there. My friend Reza (who were also there with his wife), refer to as sardine. I'd prefer to call it "cendol-like audience". (cendol is a delicious traditional drink from Indonesia - not sure if it's West Java or Medan). Some people, too anxious to see Jason, they were willing to be scoffed at.