FOR the first time, veteran rock quintet Slam will entertain fans at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) in KLCC, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur in June.
Slam comprising lead vocalist Zamani, keyboardist Eddie, guitarist Shah, bassist Lili and drummer Man are busy rehearsing five to six days a week in preparation for their historic concert which takes place at 8.30pm on June 8.
GRAND VENUE
"Never in our wildest dreams did we think of serenading fans in this 920-seater hall," said Zamani in a recent interview at DFP.
"Since it is the grandest venue we will be setting foot in, we want to give 200 per cent to our fans, hence the early rehearsals.
"We are very excited and looking forward to our big day, and we want to thank DFP for extending an invite to us last year."
LESS-KNOWN SONGS
Zamani revealed that 50 per cent of Slam's songs in the 90-minute, non-stop concert will be their lesser-known numbers.
These include 'Malam Dan Semalam', 'Terasing Dalam Sepi' and 'Warna Kehidupan'.
"Of course, our usual songs such as 'Gerimis Mengundang', 'Tak Mungkin Berpaling', 'Mentari Muncul Lagi', 'Manisnya Rindu', 'Rindiani', 'Kembali Terjalin' and 'Jika Kau Rasa Getarnya' will still be present as fans love them," said Zamani.
DIE-HARD FANS
Slam will perform a total of 16 songs, including some medleys, and they might introduce a guest musician or two.
"This concert is dedicated to our die-hard fans as well as their children who are getting to know us courtesy of my involvement in 'Gegar Vaganza' a few years ago," said Zamani who participated in 'Gegar Vaganza 5' in 2018 and 'All Stars Gegar Vaganza' last year.
FIT AS A FIDDLE
Despite undergoing back surgery in November 2022, Zamani said that he had followed his doctors' advice while recuperating over the last year and now felt as "fit as a fiddle".
"I've been eating well and keeping healthy, so now I feel energetic enough to entertain fans non-stop for two hours.
"I did just that in Slam's recent concert with Ukays in Stadium Malawati, Shah Alam (on Feb 3)," said Zamani.
YEAR OF THE DRAGON
Shah said that the Stadium Malawati and DFP concerts meant that Slam was starting 2024 with a "bang".
"It is the Year of the Dragon, and we will be 'otai' rockers breathing lots of musical 'fire'," he said.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Zamani said that social media, such as TikTok and YouTube had worked wonders in promoting their music and concerts among information technology-savvy young fans.
"It is heartening to learn that the kids of today are appreciating our music. Syabas to their parents, our first generation of fans, for helping to introduce us to them."
MUSICAL AND MOVIE
Zamani paid tribute to director Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri for coming up with 'Gerimis Mengundang The Musical' and 'Gerimis Mengundang The Movie', based on Slam's most popular song.
"Ahmad Idham sought my approval and invited me to watch both of them when they premiered in 2012.
"The storyline wasn't 100 per cent related to my song, but close, and I'm happy that the protagonist pilot played by Kamal Adli was named Kapten Zamani after me," he said.
11 ALBUMS
Slam turns 31 this year and has 11 studio albums to their credit.
The group's albums include 'Kesan Terbukti' (1995), 'Kembali Merindu (1996)', 'Dalam Harapan' (1998) which went platinum, and 'Terbaik Slam' (1996) which went double platinum.
They won Best Vocals at Anugerah Industri Muzik 1997 and Anugerah Industri Muzik 1999, and the special award Anugerah Kembara in Anugerah Industri Muzik 1998.
Slam's popularity extends beyond Malaysia, as it also has a strong following in Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia.
Tickets for the concert are priced from RM188 to RM548.
Call 03-2331 7007.
