This time around Ravel gets it right and BMTH (Bring Me The Horizon) are headlining the Nexfest festival in Jakarta which also features Babymetal. In this format there is no seating - which makes for a much more intimate experience - although you do have to arrive really early if you want to pick a spot right up close to the stage. We arrived about six hours before BMTH were scheduled to start their performance and bought plenty of drinks to stay hydrated in the tropical afternoon heat (mind you, some of those were Iceland vodka mix!) This was a gig I had long been looking forward to - especially after the debacle last year. Not everyone likes BMTH of course. For deathcore fans the band sold out. For metal heads the band is not purist enough. And for the wider mainstream audience, the band is too heavy. You can't please everyone of course but there are few bands in the rock world which can match the sheer emotional velocity of BMTH. To bring metal and even aspects of metalcore t...
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Rumkicks kick off Indonesia tour with a spectacularly short gig!
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Holy smokes! The all-girl South Korean punk band the Rumkicks are doing an Indonesian tour! And their first gig is at Star Kemang in Jakarta! WTF! This is quite a coup for the owner Mark as overseas bands very seldom tour Indonesia (can you imagine the bureaucratic issues that need to be overcome?).
I’d never seen a punk gig in Indonesia. So there was no fucking way I was gonna miss this one. The Rumkicks are pretty popular too. They recently toured the UK and have featured in the legendary British music rag, the NME. They even sell their tunes on Bandcamp to reach an international audience.
The punk community in Indonesia, while not large, is very close. So news of this gig was going to spread like wildfire, that’s for sure. There was gonna be a big crowd. We’d have to get their early.
The promotional poster for the gig features a trio of bands, led by the Rumkicks of course, supported by a couple of Indonesian bands: The Desire and the delightfully named Glen & The Vicious Boys.
We arrive early but the small venue is already packed out. One dude to the left of me has brought his pet snake and a few guys are sporting a colorful mohawk.
The Desire got the party started and they did a good job at that.
But things really take off when Glen & The Vicious Boys take the stage. They reel off some real stormers and the atmosphere is really buzzing. The punks are dancing like maniacs. Tables are getting knocked over. And beer bottles are being sent flying. Someone with a broom sweeps up the mess. Meanwhile, the Rumkicks are still hanging around backstage having their pictures taken with fans. I get one as well.
I am an antichrist
I am an anarchist
Holy shit! Its Anarchy In The UK! Glen & The Vicious Boys are whipping the punks into a frenzy. This is memorable stuff indeed.
But things are not alright outside. We are told there are many parked motorbikes blocking the road and they need to be moved. And not only that: there are still about 150 irate punks without tickets mulling around in the streets most probably thinking how the fuck are we going to get inside to see the gig?
Not a great situation really.
Mark is looking anxious. “That was the most crazy night that this place has ever seen”, he would go on to say. “And never again will I charge only Rp40k to get in including a free beer.” Hahaha. Punks always know a good deal when they see one!
It’s crossed my mind that the two exit doors are nearby. Just in case. They may be needed. And luckily, I’m not pissed either.
Then finally, after what seems an age, the Rumkicks take the stage. Hurrah! The crowd is going mental. This is gonna be their first gig in Indonesia. Go for it girls!
Well, they manage 2 songs in around 2 minutes and 46 seconds (see the entirety of their performance in the video below). Then there is a pause. Someone is whispering into the lead singer’s ear and the Rumkicks disappear. They have done a proverbial runner! I can hear a police siren and the gig is over!
Punk gigs? Don’t you just love em?!!!!
Links:
Star Kemang (great place for all sorts of gigs from punk to metal, blues etc)
UPDATE 12/10/2018: due to the large number of hits this page has been receiving of late, readers should note that two of the spas on the list are, alas, no longer with us. They are: 1) Hotel Alexis , which was closed down for political reasons by the new Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and 2) Illigals , which was "closed" and promptly reopened with a new name due to its reputation as a drugs den. In place of Hotel Alexis, therefore, I would instead put Classic Hotel on the list - a real humdinger of a joint in this madcap city! A list of the top ten plus plus spas in Jakarta? Okay, without further ado (or should that be aduh!!!) here it is: 10. Malioboro Spa . Over cynical and commercial yet fun if you stick with it – a bit like watching Chelsea on one of their better days. Hey that’s a point – even Torres could score here! Hahaha! Wallet damage: Rp1million ++ 9. Emporium Spa . Overpriced but the facilities are pretty good. Go for the “one hour special package” if yo...
1. Unlike Western women who can’t drive to save their lives, Indonesian women are the best drivers in the world. I know this because my woman overtakes other cars at 130kms/hr on the inside safety lane of the Jakarta-Bandung toll road while, at the same time, keying in SMS text messages. 2. Indonesian woman love shopping. Indonesian woman love shopping. Indonesian woman love shopping. 3. According to the Indonesia Bureau of Statistics, 43 percent of 18- to 34-year-old Indonesian women live with their parents. So be very very careful if she invites you back to her place or you might get much more than you bargained for. 4. Indonesian women think dark skin is bad, but they still adore Anggun . 5. Thirty-two percent of women in Jakarta now color their hair, according to Estee Lauder (who are obviously hoping they can peer-pressure the other 68 percent). 6. Jakarta women can't live without tension. Every once in a while she's gonna pick a nasty fight with you for no reason whatsoev...
Yet another Indonesia WTF moment. And this time on the net. What are these girls employed as? - “Guest relations” officers - Tour guides - Personal financial advisors - Therapists - Security consultants Well, I’d have put my house on “guest relations” officers myself, but I’d be wrong. Cos these girls are, in fact, therapists . So if you fancy a difficult afternoon with one of these girls - who will undoubtedly do her utmost to delve deeply into the furthermost recesses of your mind - then you might like to pay a visit to one of the spas owned by the Comfort Group . But why the hell they have 65 therapists on their payroll is way beyond me! Services offered include both traditional and Shiatsu Massage, refleksi (foot massage), a hot and cold water pool, sauna and steam room and a mini bar and lounge. So why not finish your tiring day with a happy ending?!!! Also see: The 10 best plus plus spas in Jakarta Contact details for the spas managed by the Comfort Group, undoubtedly ...
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