KUALA LUMPUR, October 10 — It was a nostalgic night for 6,000 fans of local band Butterfingers at their Malayneum 2023 concert in Stadium Malawati, Shah Alam.
The concert last Saturday night was Butterfingers at their creative best as the band celebrated their Malayneum album which was released in 2001, which was a 180 degree turn from their earlier grunge sounds and was deemed as ‘commercial suicide’ from a recording company’s point of view.
20 years later however, through the show, Butterfingers has reshowcased the album in a different, improved perspective.
From incorporating horns section and a string quartet ensemble by Kuartet Kolumpo to integrated samples which included the voice of late Malaysian entertainer Tan Sri P.Ramlee.
The concert kicked off around 8.45pm with a video of multiple eyes, eyeballing concertgoers before the chords to ‘Malayneum’ kicks in and the roar of concertgoers fills the stadium as they see the four members including Loque, Emmet, Kadak and Hafiz on stage.
The band performed over 25 songs including a slew of hit songs from their previous albums such as The Chemistry (Between Us), Faculties of Mind, Sober, Garden City of Lights and Vio-Pipe.
Apart from the smooth and crisp riffs from guitarist Loque and bassist Kadak, vocalist Emmet also worked the violin while performing Royal Jelly.
The concert saw new arrangements and preludes to some of their songs such as for Pacific, Sober and Suddenly.
Concertgoers were taken on a journey through time, not just with the nostalgic music from the band as well as video montage of Malaysia in the early 2000’s which laced throughout the concert’s interludes.
Butterfingers ended their set with Suddenly which was also the last song from their Malayneum album before launching into their encore by performing Jump and Dive and Tahun 2001.
The band’s last concert was in 2019 which was the Transcendence 20th anniversary concert which saw over 8,000 crowds filling the Stadium Malawati.
Despite lower turn-out for Malayneum 2023 concert, fans enjoyed the band’s performance especially since the 2019 concert had to be cut short after Kadak suffered shortness of breath backstage during their interludes.
For fans Johari and his wife from Kajang, who have both caught the band live in action before, said Malayneum 2023 brought back memories for them.
“We last saw them at a show in Alor Setar and we were still young back then. We really miss seeing them live,” Johari said.
Ami and his friends who flew all the way from Sandakan, Sabah to catch the Malayneum 2023 said that the queue wasn’t as hectic as the 2019 show.
“Last time, we had to queue up early to get into the stadium but this time around, it was smooth. The line wasn’t that long.
“I remember having to queue up for about an hour just to get inside during their 2019 concert.”
