WHEN we talk about concerts in Malaysia today, the first few things that come to mind for fans are whopping ticket prices, ticketing agents and scalpers.
Not to mention the hassle of today's ticket-buying culture, where fans "Zerg Rushed" the online ticketing site in a frenzy, due to the artists' ability to sell all seats within a few hours.
Long before concerts became a luxury for many, it was once said that a local legend, Malaysia's biggest superstar at that time, did the unthinkable.
It may sound absurd today, but did Malaysia once have a free concert on the streets of Kuala Lumpur featuring the biggest name in the country at the time?
Verdict:
TRUE
The late Datuk Sudirman Arshad did hold a free concert at Jalan Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur on April 14, 1986.
The concert drew an audience of more than 100,000 people, according to The Star's retrospective reporting.
Sudirman was already one of Malaysia's best-known entertainers at the time, building a reputation as a singer, songwriter and performer with a strong connection to ordinary Malaysians.
But why Chow Kit? Here's where it gets even more interesting, as the choice of the venue was indeed significant.
The area was, and remains, one of Kuala Lumpur's busiest and most recognisable neighbourhoods, known for its markets, traders, commuters and diverse community.
Instead of asking audiences to buy a ticket and enter a conventional venue, the concert was staged in the street and was open to the public.
The event turned Jalan Chow Kit into a sea of people.
The show was a historic free concert and a mural in the area commemorates it.
The scene has remained part of the collective memory of Malaysian popular culture, not only because of the size of the crowd but also because it brought a major local artiste directly to the public.
Sources:
https://www.thestar.com.my/
