GEORGE TOWN: The spectacular performances of three local music icons Kugiran Masdo, Ella and Spider bowled over the 5,000-odd fans who turned up for the Mahardika concert at Spice Arena in Bayan Lepas here on Friday (Aug 30) night, held in conjunction with the National Day eve celebrations.
The concert organiser The Dons Group’s choice of performers for the event was fitting as all of them embody strong spirits and have made their mark, both nationally and across the Nusantara region.
The concert, which started a bit later than scheduled, opened with a performance by the concert host, influencer and model Agy, who performed ‘Rolling In The Deep’, originally sung by Adele.
The venue erupted in cheers when the members of Kugiran Masdo came onstage. Comprising Ali Sariah (vocalist), Putu Ceri (bassist) and Asmawi (guitarist), the band got the ball rolling with ‘La Obe’ and ‘Janji Manis’ before entertaining their fans with favourites like ‘Teruna & Dara’, ‘Miss Flower Learns To Twist’, ‘Bunga’, ‘Berduka-lara’ and ‘Kecundang’.
They also performed their popular song ‘Inilah JalanNya’, composed by Noh Hujan, with the audience joining in as well.
The band also invited their fans to sing along to the song ‘Bercanda Di Malam Indah’ before concluding their nearly hour-long non-stop performance.
During the performance, Ali shared the band's pride in sharing the stage with music industry legends like Ella and Spider.
Queen of Rock Ella then made an appearance as a guest singer, delivering songs like ‘Permata Biru’, ‘Dua Insan Bercinta’ and ‘Gemilang’.
The crowd, naturally, was not satisfied with just three songs and started chanting ‘we want more’. Much to their delight, Ella suddenly emerged from the side of the arena, making her way through the sea of fans to the main stage to perform the much-anticipated song ‘Standing in the Eyes of the World’.
Her melodious voice, combined with the heartfelt lyrics and beautiful composition, made the song a fitting tribute to the Malaysian athletes who competed in the Olympics and Paralympics.
The energy was electric and a wave of excitement rippled through the audience when Spider took to the stage at 10.15 pm, performing 12 songs including some of their greatest and most enduring hits ‘Laukku Cukup Masin’, ‘Bila Nak Saksi’, ‘Cinta Dewa Dewi’, ‘Kasih Latifah’, ‘Relaku Pujuk’, ‘Aladdin’ and ‘Nazraku’.
The presence of the 2004 Anugerah Juara Lagu winner in Penang, after having not performed here for three decades, undoubtedly thrilled fans comprising not just those from the band’s era but also young people who danced and sang along throughout their hour-long performance.
Then came the countdown to midnight. The arena resonated with chants of ‘Merdeka’ followed by the song ‘Tanggal 31’, originally sung by the late Sudirman Haji Arshad. The artistes and everyone present sang the patriotic song while waving the Jalur Gemilang as a sign of love for the country. - Bernama
