Oh... Nothing, I just hang out with Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye in Jakarta

photo by Nico Novito/Jakarta Globe

Everything started on November. I was in the city of Malang, waiting for the rain to stop. Then, suddenly I checked out a notification in Facebook, a post by Sarah Kay saying that she and Phil Kaye are coming to Jakarta on January and that they need a venue to hold their performance. I was so excited that I emailed them straight away. I knew some of my friends had emailed them as well. But eventually, it was down to Christabelle and I, who continued to correspond the conversation.

I have learned that seeking a venue that is strategic and hassle-free is hard. We tried to contact several theaters and venue, but there were no satisying result. I even went to TIM to check whether any of their theaters are available. Gosh, they do have so many requirements. Plus, the administration is very slow-responding... it was not possible.

Thankfully, Goethe Institut were ready to host us.

A week prior to the show, Project Voice Manager asked us if we wanted to be volunteers. I also learned that Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye had already been in Bali. Three day to the show, they asked if we could find 2 more volunteers, and we had final count of volunteers up to a night prior to the show. Everything moved so quickly... and at the same time, I learned that the manager did not travel with Sarah and Phil, which means, we were going to assist the infamous, the spectacular stars of the night Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye... say what now???

At the day of the event, I was still busy by my (new) domestic task. My mom had bought rice cooker so we have been starting to cook often. So after I went shopping and cooking, later sweating, I got myself prepared.  I was so tired but I focused my mind on 1 thing : I am gonna meet Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye today.

So I arrived early, probably by 3.15pm. We were told to meet by 4pm and what a chance... when my taxi parked in front of Goethe-Institut, in front of me were Sarah and Phil who happened to arrive.

So it began... the thrill and excitement to attent to my idols...

I introduced myself, we checked the hall... Christabelle came... we checked the sound and the lighting... Anggi came... Sarah and Phil splitted our task... Tia came... We set the registeration table... and we waited until the door's open.

Oh, one more thing... Sarah and Phil asked if any of us is a poet and if one of us would like to open the show.

At first, I was so inconfident, because I do poetry for fun... not to open my stars. But as Christabelle said, "who can say no, this is a special case." So we practiced separately, me in front of the ticketing desk and her, outside the hall.

This. Never. Gets. Old. Having to work so closely with #SarahKay and @peekaye in Jakarta. A memory I will keep for life. #jakarta #indonesia #spokenwords #KamiTidakTakut #poets #writers

A photo posted by ayu meutia (@adjoemoetia) on Jan 17, 2016 at 6:53am PST

What can I say about the evening except that it was completely out of my dreams... I was in Kuala Lumpur, my heart beats so fast from my chest, I was going to meet Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye in person. Now, I am meeting them... not meeting them... having a chance to work with them and actually open for their shows. Spokenword friends from Malaysia had opened the show, and I wish I could be like them... but I think I was not ready.


I think all we need is not really to be ready, but we need to just do it.

So luckily, I brought my zine along and I read a piece called "About a Girl" from the zine, which talks about stage-freight and shyness... which is perfect.

So I got up the stage and read... and um, yea.... I heard dead air. It was so intimidating and it was so hot when you stand below the limelight. I wondered what would Sarah and Kay feel up there. I was there for five minutes and I could feel it's burning.

But everything went well... I watched the show whilst monitoring the crowd. It was fair and win-win situation. The crowd was under control, so I could enjoy some of the performance undisturbed. My favorite is Phil's "Virginity" poem which was so hilarious, and I remembered he did not perform it in Malaysia last year. So it was special... and of course, the notorious Sarah's "B".

Look at how professional Phil Kaye and Sarah Kay are at handling the book signing at Goethe Institute, Jakarta. I was honored to be one of their volunteers who stayed from the beginning til the end. I cannot imagine to finally be able to work with my idols. I will share you more peeks of what's up. As you can see we have full-house despite of the attack that happened in Central Jakarta 2 days earlier. #KamiTidakTakut ... And say hi to Poppy and Nisya! #jakarta #indonesia #projectvoice #sarahkay #philkaye #spokenwords #poets #booksigning

A video posted by ayu meutia (@adjoemoetia) on Jan 17, 2016 at 2:35am PST

What I can learn from Sarah and Phil is not only that they are talented and artistic but they are so professional. They know what they are doing. They asked what they need from us without being so intimidating... I mean to learn that Project Voice especially Sarah and Phil have been doing show so independently from time to time is a real quality of professionalism.

I guess that's all I can tell you. Let me savor up the moment, because I think this one will stay til the rest of my life.

Love,
A