Malaysian legendary band Slam celebrates three decades of music at concert in KL on June 20

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Nearly three decades after the first ‘The Grand Slam Unplugged’ concert at Stadium Merdeka on Aug 3, 1996, Malaysian rock band Slam returned to entertain their fans, this time at Mega Star Arena here on Saturday night.

For many fans who turned up to watch the group perform, ‘The Grand Slam Unplugged 2’ concert was a nostalgic experience as the songs rekindled memories of their youth, as well as their romances and significant moments in their lives.

As the stage lights dimmed and the opening notes from the National Symphony Orchestra filled the venue, the audience's enthusiastic cheers reflected their excitement at revisiting an era when Slam stood at the pinnacle of Malaysia's music scene.

The band delivered 20 of its hit songs, including ‘Kembali Merindu’, ‘Tak Mungkin Berpaling’, ‘Nur Kasih’ and ‘Kembali Terjalin’. The songs were met with an overwhelming response, with nearly the entire arena singing along.

Some concertgoers captured the performances on their mobile phones, while others chose to immerse themselves fully in the moment, singing along and savouring every song performed on stage.

One thing that has clearly remained unchanged throughout Slam's three-decade journey in the local music industry is the remarkable vocal prowess of its lead singer Zamani, whose voice continues to define the band's identity.

During the concert, each time he performed one of Slam's signature songs, his vocals sounded almost identical to the original recordings that once dominated the airwaves. 

His ability to preserve his vocal character drew admiration from fans throughout the evening.

Apart from Zamani, fellow band members Shah (guitar), Lili (bass), Man (drums) and Eddie (keyboard) also played pivotal roles in livening up the arena.

The evening became even more memorable with the appearance of three legendary Malaysian guitarists - JoBranko, Kid Search and Aznan Alias - who joined the band as guest musicians to perform ‘Intanku Kesepian’, ‘Gadisku’ and ‘Sentuhan Listrikmu’.

The trio brought their own distinctive playing styles while adding fresh dimensions to the acoustic arrangements presented that night.

Every guitar solo was met with thunderous applause from the audience, who clearly appreciated the artistry of the veteran musicians.

The evening concluded on a particularly special note when Zamani invited all three guest guitarists, together with Slam guitarist Shah, to perform the band's iconic hit ‘Gerimis Mengundang’. As thousands of fans sang every line in unison, a roaring round of applause accompanied the finale, serving as a fitting tribute to the band. -- BERNAMA