Unique Moment at the Dutch Tong Tong Fair, G-Pluck Initiates a Meeting of "The Beatles" and Indorock

G-Pluck, in collaboration with two living legends of Indorock music, namely Eddy Chatelin (left) and Hans Bax (right) at the Tong Tong Fair 2023 (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - A unique moment occurred when The Beatles tribute band from Jakarta G-Pluck appeared on the main stage of the biggest annual arts and culture festival in the Netherlands Tong Tong Fair 2023 by initiating a meeting of "The Beatles" with Indorock music on stage.

Up on the Tong Tong Podium stage at 18.30 p.m., Friday (8/9) evening local time wearing batik-patterned shirts, a musical group consisting of Awan Garnida (bass), Gilang Pramudya (guitar/vocals), Fery Gustian (guitar/ vocals), Beni Pratama (drums), and reinforced by Aufa Kantadiredja (keyboards/vocals) not only presents popular numbers from The Beatles, but also brings out the feel of Indorock music by involving two living legends, namely Eddy Chatelin and Hans Bax.

"We, G-Pluck, who play great songs from The Beatles, this time are proud to invite two Indorock music legends, namely Eddy Chatelin and Hans Bax. I am very sure that all of you who are present here will know them as quality musicians number one," said bass player and band leader G-Pluck, Awan Garnida, when introducing two guest musicians from the Indorock music scene on stage that night, quoted by Antara.

So, the two old musicians went up on stage wearing the same clothes as G-Pluck, namely long-sleeved batik-patterned shirts. In this collaborative performance, G-Pluck together with Eddy and Hans performed five songs, namely "18th Century Rock", "Black Eyes", "Guitar Boogie", "Blue Suede Shoes", and "Johnny B. Goode" which invited the audience to throwing their bodies swaying to the strains of '60s Indorock music.

Indorock is a term referring to the music played by people of Indonesian descent who settled in the Netherlands about a decade after Indonesia's independence. This hybrid form of music includes rock 'n roll, keroncong, Hawaiian, and Indonesian gamelan.

One of the Indorock bands that was very famous at the end of the '50s in Europe, especially the Netherlands and Germany, was The Tielman Brothers. This musical group is a family band that came from Surabaya, then moved to the Netherlands.

Hans Bax formed the band The Tielman Brothers in 1965 when he was 18 years old. Meanwhile, guitarist-vocalist Eddy Chatelin, who was born in Palembang and then moved to the Netherlands at the age of 11, also gained popularity in mainland Europe through an Indorock band called The Crazy Rockers.

"We are very happy to be able to play with G-Pluck by presenting an Indorock feel on stage. G-Pluck's playing in performing The Beatles' songs is also truly top quality," said Hans Bax, who was agreed by Eddy Chatelin after leaving the stage.

G-Pluck's stage performance at the Tong Tong Fair 2023 in Malieveld Den Haag this time is part of their European tour series which received full support from the Ministry of Education and Culture, Research and Technology, BCA Bank, and JavaMifi. Next, Awan Garnida and his compatriots will continue the tour by appearing in front of the public at Alte Feuerwache Köln and Indra Club Hamburg, Germany.