Lets Go Dangdut

Early this month, the PAS Youth raised up some objections about a particular scheduled concert. However, the event in question Konsert Fenomena Dangdut Inul Daratista has been given the green light by the relevant authorities and will go on as scheduled on May 1 at Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.

This will be Indonesian dangdut queen Inul Daratista’s first ever appreance in Malaysia. Known for her (in)famous goyang gerudi dance routine, this lady has generated a lot of controversy even in her home country.

Dangdut is a genre of popular music originating from Indonesia. It is a mixture of Arabian, Indian and Malay folk music and originated in the 1970s. Indian tablas and flutes are featured prominently in dangdut. However, in Malaysia, this music has short of lost its popularity. Mention Dangdut and I found that many of my friends would make a face and go "UUUUUUUGH!" or an even bigger "EEEEEUUUUWW!"

I have a confession to make. Now I know a lot of people are going to disapprove, just like my wife when I first told her. She told me that the lyrics are full of sentences having naughty double meanings and she also goes "UUUUUUUGH!"! I like dangdut music and even bought a CD of Amelina, Malaysia’s own dangdut queen. I don’t where she’s disappeared to now.

Anyway, some years back during our MBA days in University Malaya and when we were still friends. On learning that I liked dangdut, one of our common friends, Bear asked me whether I would like to go to visit a dangdut club. He was curious too as he had never been to one. We went to one called Klab Malam Mawar Biru at Jalan Ipoh. BTW, the name means 'Blue Rose Night Club' in Malay. I later learnt that this place was quite famous because I noticed that it was featured in a few Malay TV dramas.

There was no cover charge for the guys but the girls were pretty mad with the fact that they had to pay a cover charge (for a change). After we got ourselves settled down nicely and had ordered the drinks, a lady came up to us and enquired whether we would like a Guest Relation Officer (GROs) to accompany us. We politely declined. They had a live band and I had fun with my friends. They were dancing away like mad. However, being not much of a dancer I got all my moves wrong. I don't have any professional training.

There were a several naughty old man dancing the night away, their drivers patiently waiting for them outside. In fact we were the only ones with a Perodua among the BMWs, Mercs, Jags among others.

I was surprised when afterwards, my friends swore never to go back again. I think its due to the bad rep that dangdut has in Malaysia. It is associated with the Indonesians and is now looked down by most of the people here. However, I think they had a great time. ;-)

There was this one time we went to a Karaoke and one of the girls put on some dangdut songs and what do you know all of them were singing along.????

I learnt that this form of music is slowly gaining in popularity among the younger crowd in Indonesia. MTV Asia even has a program dedicated to dangdut.

You can also read Lonely Planet’s guide.

Dangdut anyone?
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUUUWWWWWWWWW!

-----------
Now Playing: (Not dangdut)
Don't Cry :: Guns N' Roses.