KUALA LUMPUR: Remember this date - September 28. It is going to be one unforgettable night for Nusantara music fans - with Indonesian stars Pamungkas and Bilal Indrajaya - leading the way for the inaugural Panggung Purnama music festival at Zepp KL on Sept 28.
To make it even more exciting, local rising band Fugo have also confirmed their participation for the much-awaited event.
Singer-songwriter Pamungkas is also set to perform his new single, "Sambung", for the first time at the inaugural Panggung Purnama concert. The song is scheduled for release on Sept 12, just two weeks before the show.
The concert promises to be a clash of flavours, sounds, and South-East Asian cultures, bringing together selected artistes who have the power of art and stories that pierce the soul for the special night.
The music festival organised by UdaraLaskhar said in a media statement that it will be a festival like none other for music fans in Malaysia and also the South-East Asia region.
"This will be a very special night for music fans. We have three top-class acts and they will surely entertain the fans as seen in any other music festival," said John Labu, the representative of UdaraLaskhar, during a special press conference held in Kuala Lumpur last week.
"And to open the curtain on the first phase, who else would be more deserving than Bilal Ahmad - an alternative music icon full of mystery, yet so close to regional fans. And to make it all so perfect, now Pamungkas and Fugo have also joined the party."
John Labu also added that his organiser outfit is confident the show will be a success despite the crowded concert schedule in September.
"We believe 'Panggung Purnama' will be successful because of the product we are presenting," he said. "Pamungkas, Bilal Indrajaya, and Fugo each have their own fan base and strengths."
Taking a look at the acts for the festival, the talented Bilal Ahmad Indrajaya (full name) is an Indonesian singer-songwriter from South Tangerang. Bilal began his professional music career by releasing a song titled "Biar" in 2018.
He was nominated for the Best Alternative Collaboration at the 2021 Indonesian Music Awards with Reality Club for the song "I Wish I Was Your Joke" and has also released a mini album titled Purnama in 2019.
His appearances at festivals such as the BNI Java Jazz Festival 2024 and collaborations with Malaysian artists such as Malaysian Noh Salleh in "Niscaya" prove that Bilal is not only respected in his country but also has a special place in the hearts of Malaysian fans.
As for Rizki Rahmahadian Pamungkas, better known by his stage name Pamungkas, is an Indonesian all-in-one talent - a singer, record producer, songwriter, and actor.
Pamungkas' introduction to music began at the age of 8, when he took drum lessons at the prompting of his mother, who had hoped that his hearing might improve in his left ear, which is half deaf. And there has been no stopping this amazing Indonesian talent since then.
Pamungkas joined a band called Potenzio in 2009, and they released an album titled "Jingga.
Pamungkas released his debut solo album, "Walk the Talk", in 2018 to popular acclaim. The album was, in fact, first released in 2017 with 10 songs, but re-released in 2018 with six more songs and a new cover. Most of the songs are written in English, but three are in Indonesian. Songs in the album, such as "Sorry", "One Only", and "Kenangan Manis" ("Sweet Memories"), received over 30 million streams.
In April 2021, Pamungkas' song "To the Bone" from Flying Solo became the longest-running top song on Spotify's Indonesia Top 50 chart. The video for the song had received over 240 million views on YouTube by July 2022. Then in the same year, he announced his first tour outside Indonesia, starting with shows in the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
On top of that, in January 2024, the talented Pamungkas announced that he had also joined a rock band, The Krankers, as their drummer.
As for the Malaysian group Fugo, they are a fast-rising face in the Malaysian music scene.
Fugo is a Malaysian alternative indie pop rock band formed in October 2019. Their music is a mixture of vintage electro vibes with a modern sound, drawing influences from late 70s, 80s pop, funk, modern rock, and new wave music.
Fugo released their impressive self-titled EP in April 2021, which included crowd-favourites “Lagu Balada Kala Hujan” & their stellar collaboration with Bil Musa, “Moon & The Sun”.
In 2022, they hit the top limelight with the haunting single, “As Long As We Stay”, said to be among the best songs heard by fans that year. Last year, their album “99” garnered critical acclaim with the album-titled single “99” and the soulful “Pentas Sandiwara”.
"This concert is one where we are realising the dreams and requests of fans through the debut of Pamungkas and Fugo joining Bilal Indrajaya at Panggung Purnama on Sept 28 at Zepp Kuala Lumpur," said John Labu.
"We are confident that Pamungkas, Fugo, and Bilal Indrajaya will leave a lasting impression on all. We expect this concert to be an unforgettable experience for all Nusantara music lovers."
Tickets for the concert are priced at: Bintang (RM179), Langit (RM199), Awan (RM249), Bumi (RM239) dan Purnama (RM399) and can be bought at www.ilassotickets.com
