After two excruciating hours of delay, Khottal finally made the stage to open for the White Shoes & The Couples Company at Black Box, MAPS @ Publika last Wednesday night. The Malacca-based punk rock outfit had bundles of energy, to the point where members of the 11-piece band smashed some melodicas at the end of the ‘Woo Song’. The next opening act, Franco-Lao trio SayCet, added serenity to proceedings with their brand of experimental pop and haunting on-screen visual effects.
Due to the strange decision by organisers Frinjan to allow prolonged performances from the two opening acts, it was well past 11pm by the time the headliners belatedly made their way on stage. The indie darlings from Jakarta, clad (of course) in signature white sneakers and heels, immediately hit their stride with ‘60s-inspired pop tunes that had the crowd swooning over vocalist Aprilia Apsari and her flamboyant band members.
12 songs later, with crowd favourite ‘Aksi Kuching’ being an apt finale, it was not difficult to see why Rolling Stones named the six-piece outfit one of the 25 Best Bands on MySpace in 2006. The White Shoes & The Couples Company may have been late, but they were definitely worth the wait.