Sekumpulan Orang Gila (SOG), Malaysia’s post-hardcore group with a Nusantara flair, are not only known for their musical ability and dynamic live shows but based on the overwhelming response from contemporary music fans, they have gained success rarely achieved by a group in the hardcore genre. The solid support from music fans in Malaysia and Asia has prompted SOG to organise their latest ‘REIMAGINASI’ concert on 17 June 2023, held at Malaysia’s newest world-class event venue, JioSpace, in Petaling Jaya.
SOG’s success in winning Best Song at the 36th Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL) in 2022 with their song ‘Pelukan Angkasa’, a powerful collaboration with Shila Amzah, and then at Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) 2022, where SOG took home the award for Best Rock Song with ‘Tugu Ugut’, proved to everyone that SOG is very serious about their involvement in the country’s music industry.
Coupled with the recognition and positive comments from critics and music fans that are a lot more sophisticated, this trajectory has fueled their spirit to continue producing high-quality works. Their products must not only be entertaining but SOG is determined to educate, create awareness and open the minds of Malaysian music fans to appreciate music genres that are different from their usual go-to.
‘REIMAGINASI’, taken from the English word ‘reimagine’, means ‘reworked according to the imagination’ and is a brief definition of SOG’s latest concert. They will perform more than 20 songs that are written and produced by SOG, taken from their first EP up until their newest album, Second Voyage, and almost all of them will be backed by the symphony orchestra, giving them an updated and renewed feel.
A total of 30 experienced musicians were specially invited by SOG to participate in this concert. They include string, woodwind and brass players. SOG’s original works featuring post-hardcore, modern rock and experimental rhythms with a Nusantara influence will sound even more epic with the addition of Western classical symphony orchestra music.
SOG is made up of six talented young men namely Raja Nazrin Shah on guitar and vocal, Riko Agus on vocal, Raja Nazmin Shah on drums, Amsyar Saiful on guitar, Abdul Qayyum on bass and MK Ridzuan on flute. They shared that the project has been delayed several times and their biggest setback happened during the onset of the global pandemic.
As commented by Raja Nazrin, “Alhamdulillah all the preparations went smoothly even though at the beginning we were facing multiple challenges”. While talking about the idea behind the ‘REIMAGINASI’ concert, he said, “It started when we received incredible reception from our fans at our first concert in October 2016 at UiTM Shah Alam, where we collaborated with the famous Music Director, Jennifer Thompson. After that, our fans kept asking us when will we organise a bigger concert, so this birthed the idea for the upcoming ‘REIMAGINASI’ concert, planned at a larger venue, equipped with the latest sound system technology at double the audience capacity of 1,500 people.”
Raja Nazrin explained further, “SOG has also invited Jennifer Thompson to return as our Music Director, it is not just based on her impressive reputation but it is also because the synergy between us is so compatible. This factor is extremely important, without an honest understanding between the musicians and the music director, the quality of the performance may also suffer”.
The concert will also feature guest artists such as Shila Amzah, Naim Daniel and Asmidar, to be produced by SOG with event management in collaboration with MK Ridzuan Edutainment. The funds to run this concert is provided by MyCreative Ventures under the Muzik Malaysia program and the Music Industry Digital Content Fund 2023.
“We can’t wait to have this concert and give all our fans the best performance. Don’t miss this opportunity, as we are confident that it will be a unique experience to remember for everyone attending. Get your tickets now and see you all at JioSpace on 17 June!” urge the SOG members.
Tickets for SOG’s ‘REIMAGINASI’ concert priced at RM80 for free-standing are available through the website www.esojimy.com and music fans in Malaysia are encouraged to buy the tickets as soon as possible as places are limited.
Keep up with SOG’s latest developments through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Please contact +60195866771 for any inquiries regarding the ‘REIMAGINASI’ concert.
