The Indonesia Tour Blog

5 AUG (TUESDAY)
we’re arriving at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta at 8.05 am (local time, approx Malaysia time – 9.05 am), means we’re finally touchdown Indonesia! ahahah! despite with 2 hours of tiring on air, the excitement of arriving in Indonesia basically ease us all. First thing we do is to start film our DVD documentary, which I made a silly introduction…. (hahah, maybe not enough experience in front of camera, I guess). The weather is damn hot for 8 am! (yah,yah, coz it’s 9 am in Malaysia). The next thing we do is to catch a train to Solo, which is going to be our first tour destination, but unfortunately, when we reach at Stasius Gambir (Gambir Station – Intercity Train Station), we have already missed out the first train, so next thing we know that the next train to Solo will be only on 8pm and we’re already at the station around 11.30 am!! What are we going to do for the next 9 hours? no motels around, and thanks to Afwan that he managed to find a so-called as “rest area” on the first floor of the Train Station. Not really a rest area, I suggest it should be called as abandoned area, maybe back in few years back there’s a few stores and it’s closing so now it’s abandoned!

*at Stasius Gambir “rest area” – look how pity they are

And that should be a good things coz we don’t really have time to find a place to sleep/motels and we don’t want to take a long time before we could took our train on 8 pm, and if there is a vacant for the train! coz you know what? the sales ticket counter will only be open around 2.30 pm and looking at the monitor screen at the station, only around 22 tickets available (and there’s 10 of us! hope we could get ours as well!).
Jakarta is damn hot, and after taking a short nap, then the test really begin. Approx. around 1 pm (Indonesia time), there’s already been a long queue in front of the counter and from this moment we could not even think that will we get the tickets or not? AND if it’s failed, the next train will be only on 8 am the next morning and to let you know that the journey will be around 9 hours, and that mean we will miss the breakfast, soundcheck, lunch, everything… and it shouldn’t be happened. After a blood, sweat and tears of queue, we finally managed to get our tickets and that left all of us with a smile on our face!
FYI: The price for Executive Coach is around Rp230K (and that’s  around RM82)
The remaining band boys and crews are exhausting, I understand it why. Hot weather, not enough sleep and the things that could be done is to sleep. But I decided to have a short journey around the city coz from the station I could see it’s not far from the city. Luckily Apek Joel (Forsaken aka crew during this tour) asked me whether I would like to join him for a walk, then hell yeah! We set our destination as to Blok M. During our walk, we managed to capture some scenario around Jakarta, where we could see people who sell food at the roadside, cigarette ads everywhere. Around the journey we could see the big gap of people lifestyle hierarchy, where you can see there’s a very big house at the roadside but outside, there’s a homeless people who just have their home at their small shop selling cigarettes, drinks, etc.
We walked around for 6-7 km distance and unfortunately, Blok M is still damn too far from our distance. Clock is already ticking on 6.15 pm and we have to get back to Gambir as soon as possible, so we catch a bus to the station to avoid any lateness (since we also tired of walking).  The fare is around Rp2500 (around RM1) and the bus really remind me for the late “Mini Bus” in KL back in the days.
When we reach, the boys already on their way to take a dinner at the same cafe we had our lunch earlier. I had myself a chicken with rice and water, just a simple dinner to assure the rest 9 hours on train will not be on empty stomach. We finally board the train around 8pm and the rest was history coz all I know that we’re all sleep through the whole journey. I managed to capture some moments on the train, it was a comfort train anyway (feels reasonable although we have to pay 230K for it!)

 
*on stage in front of Solo crowd. thanks!

6 AUG (WEDNESDAY)
It was 5 in the morning and we’re finally reach Solo. That was when we get to know Fajar, from what I understand is the PIC who will take care of us during this tour in Solo. We have been fetch by a van and been taken to The Think Production house/office (the promoter for the Solo show). There we met our new friends like Putri, Angga Mora, Moky, etc and the first impression was awesome. They were very friendly and do really welcome us, which make us very comfort to chat and have a conversation with them. I even see a show poster inside the living room, and wow! there’s a Restraint name on it. ahah! Yeah, just to let you know that the entire tour have been sponsored by Gudang Garam International, the biggest cigarette company in Indonesia – what I mean sponsored is the show, not us.. ahahha! Yeah, cigarette is bad for your health but in the other hand, who could lend a help for this people to organize such a big tour like this? and Gudang Garam is even a local born company who actually provides one of the biggest capital to Indonesia? Ok, enough said.
Next thing we know that we’ve been taken to Sunan Hotel, a 4 star hotel in Solo. A comfort hotel equipped with swimming pool, we even had our breakfast in this hotel. It was a very good breakfast at all since it is actually our first good food overhere.
Then the Caliban boys reach the hotel around 9 and we checked in to our hotel rooms. Quite a very comfort room, 2 bedded with TV! We have been given of 3 rooms, and we had our short rest before the sound check. Around 1 pm, we have been taken to the Velodrome Manahanan, Solo – it’s the venue for the show! and fuck, it is a big place! a bicycle race stadium which I heard can fill up to 30K people inside. The stage setting was awesome, really remind me for our own Rock The World and please take note that the show it today, Wednesday, a working day! the price for the show is quite cheap (for us), around Rp30000 (and that’s is only RM11 for concert ticket!) but according to the promoter, this price is still expensive for most of the people here in Solo. Sometimes I think how fortunate for most of us here in Malaysia, but what amazed me that according to the promoter, last time they have show at the same place, with a ticket price of Rp7500 (and that’s around only RM3 for a festival, damn cheap!), the turn out was about 30000 people. Fuck! that was awesome, and we can’t even wait to rock the stage tonight!
The soundcheck was awesome, we have been provided by lunch after the soundcheck and the next program was back to hotel since I have to attend the press conference afterwards (which we had to withdraw our participant since we was late, from this we have learn the important to follow all the schedule which have been forwarded to us earlier. What happen is some of us want to be take to the nearest mall to buy their things, it only took not more than 30 minutes but we missed the press conference already). So, we just had our rest in hotel, grap some short sleep, walk around the nearby, swimming at the pool, some even hang out with Caliban boys, etc. For me, it’s time to watch TV! ahahahha….
We have been taken to the venue around 630pm, and Fajar accompany us directly to the backstage. Then we have our dinner (same food like lunch) before awaiting for our set on that night. We have been scheduled to play at the slot no.3, right before Down For Life and Caliban, of course. The first band on that night was Bring Her Head to Antena, a youngling talented boys from Semarang (if i’m not mistaken), playing sort of metal hardcore like Bring Me The Horizon to The Black Dahlia Murder, they really rock the show. Look really young people but full of talent. Next was The Sleepless Angels, I’m not sure where they’re from, but they play some southern metal style, really remind me of Everytime I Die from the musical arrangement to the vocals voice and style. Then, it was our time. Our setlist was True, Pure From Blood, Restraint, This Promise and Until The End. Quite a good responsive for the first timer and we heard people sing-a-long with us, especially during “Until The End”. Quite an honored and thanks god, the crowd do really like us, and this was the time when we took our pictures on stage to show our friends in Malaysia how many people turn up. I don’t know how many people turn up but it was a lot, view the picture and you got what I mean! the response was overwhelme, we have been receiving tons of compliments that night, lot’s of people taking photos, etc.

*crowd in solo. we really have a good time

Thanks a lot to Solo crowds, you guys are amazing. Well, I learn few new words here, like if to ask people to do circle pit, despite from saying circle pit, say “lingkaran besar”, if wall of death, say “belah kasi dua”. And one thing for sure is they are more comfortable if we spoke in Bahasa Indonesia rather than English, so I have tried my best to speak in Bahasa Indonesia. Next was Down For Life, they have charismatic vocals and I heard he also a DJ for a radio in Solo! certainly, the band with a tagline of “babi neraka” have a very good team and loyal supporter and they definitely the band of the night. I don’t know how to say this but from my point of view, they have better sound than Caliban on that night. Caliban as usual play their atmospheric performance and play around 1 hour set. The show ended around 11pm ++ and then we just straight back to hotel for a sleep.

7 AUGUST (THURSDAY)
A good day should be start with a good breakfast. We had our breakfast for the last time at this hotel, which we can’t missed. I think this was the first time I’m a having a white rice for breakfast, which I notice and learn that in Indonesia that you can even eat white rice in the morning, not only lunch or dinner. 
Not much activity today coz it is actually our off day. On the afternoon, the promoter and their crew pay us a visit in hotel and I got some frebies like posters, stickers and CD as well. They even brought us a lunch box, thanks a lot! What left me a question till today is where the hell is my poster? Where I keep it? have I lost it? nah, forget it… my bad! According to Adjie (Down 4 Life), he got his radio slot that night around 10pm but since we have to go to Malang by bus on that night, so we have to cancel the session. So next what we do in the afternoon is visiting some mall inside this town, Solo Square and Grand Mall. The price here is quite cheap comparing to what we had in Kuala Lumpur, but I must blaming myself for not bringing extra cash here.
At night, around 8-9 pm, the promoter brought us with Caliban to Nusantara Restor (Restoran Nusantara) and from what I understand, it is actually one of the famous eating place in Solo, where it’s provide good Javanese Foods and some entertainment! We had a good chat with all The Think promoter crew (Santi, Biaz, Angga, Moky etc), and again we would like to thanks a lot for the great hospitality we had and this was the great opening for the entire tour. They’ve been so friendly with us and trust me, all of us can’t forget Solo even after the whole tour end. Before we reach the hotel, we have been brought to the biggest billboard in Solo town about Caliban tour in Indonesia. Wow! will you think they’ll be such billboard for metal/hardcore event in Malaysia? I don’t think so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
*billboard in Solo

We will definitely make a comeback here, next year! Afwan even told us about his first crush on the lift service girl at the hotel, Lydia…. ahaahhaha! that’s happen when you reach 30 plus and just want to fall in love. hahahahha Next thing we know, we’re on the tour bus with Caliban heading to our next destination – MALANG.

8 AUGUST (FRIDAY)
A journey went very bad, the bus had to be stopped several time due to aircond difficulty and I’m sitting the most back inside the bus and several time the baggage falls on me. During one time when we stop at nowhere, where the bus went very hot, and everyone come down from the bus, we took some funny footage with Caliban boys. Hope you could view it by yourself when the DVD is out. Let this be a secret but it was damn funny! One thing for sure that I’m experiencing this difficulties for the entire 7-9 hours of journey via bus and hard condition. We finally reach at Pateh Gajah Mada Hotel in Malang (hope I get the spelling right) and check in for hotels and have a breakfast. Then we had a rest at the hotel rooms before going out for soundcheck. Since it was Friday, so we supposed to have a friday prayer and from there we get to know Pak Kamel (the person who will take us from here to there, just like what Fajar did in Solo). We reach at the UMM Dome around 12 noon and it is a very beautiful place. Last think we heard that it was exactly the same place where Walls of Jericho played.

*me in front of UMM Dome

It was just not more than 200 meter from the campus mosque and this shown how open minded people here in Indonesia. One thing that question me for this show is because I haven’t seen any flyers and gig posters for the Malang showcase, so we didn’t know who is the opening act apart from us and Caliban. Last things we heard last night in Solo that there is possibility only us and Caliban in Malang, what the fuck? Ok, since the venue is quite big and it was indoor, we can’t really avoid the echo, so I heard my voice going twice. Sick fuck! but it’s OK since the musician really find their sound and that’s make me happy already. Then Pak Kamel hand us our lunch box and well, the food is damn awesome! really traditional kampung style with ulam, damn good! I had a short conversation with Andy (caliban) right after lunch before they went for soundcheck. From that moment, we return back to hotel coz what matters is to have a good rest before the show started, right? We did managed to pay a visit to some local stores, and guess what? Mizan and Nizam had buy something for their loved ones at Bandung Sport store. Nice store anyway but again, I should blame myself for not bringing extra cash!
While the other decided to sleep, it’s a walking time again! so, I just have a short walk around the town with Afwan; and seen some local shop and try to compare their prices to what we have in Malaysia. Fuck! the cyber cafe rate is only Rp2000/hour (and that is only 80 cent per hour!) and I don’t know how long I will be spending in Cyber Cafe if it’s only 80 cent here, ahaahhaha! we then have a short rest n drink at stall nearby the hotel.
Time is flying by and it’s time to rock the Malang City, around 6.30 Pak Kamel took us from the hotel and drove us to the venue; and buy us the lunch box (similar with the lunch one) and we had our dinner at the backstage. I need dinner, man before show, if not there’ll be less energy but if the dinner took so near from the performance is not so good as well. Ok, forget about it, let’s go to the show!
Now I just realize there’s another 2 opening band before us. There’ll be 4 bands performing on Friday inclusive of us and Caliban. When the first band perform, it’s only like around not more than 20 people in front of the stage. What a fuck? where’s the rest? I remember being told by the promoter that there’ll be thousand of kids will be attending the night show, but where are they? OK, clear up my mind and go to the show directly, alright? I’m so sorry I didn’t know the first 2 bands name, coz no printed flyers and we don’t even being told that there will be another 2 bands performing tonight. The first band play 2 covers of Slipknot, but what amaze me is the image of the band, while the band members do suit the style, but the two vocalist wear like “black metal” uniform, long hair, completed with leather boots, non sleeve t-shirt with anti-christ logo on it, tight skin jeans… wow, really scary. I do even think before they went up on stage might be another black or death metal band, but they cover a nu metal band. Next band remind me a lot of our local melodic death metal squad of Herriot or The Hidden, really swedish style. I really enjoy their set despite next was us. On this time, crowd still standing but eventually more this time. Our setlist tonight begin with The Final Hope, then Restraint, This Promise, Pure From Blood, Stand Strong and last but not least, Until The End.
Still there is some empty space but the crowd movement already there, I will try to find a best picture that we took on their circle or “lingkaran besar”, where the kids will hold each other hand, make one big circle and start to do a circle pit. I never seen such things before so I guess it would be great to share something with the local homeboys. Caliban in other hand played their best set during this tour, the final encore of “beloved and hatred” do really good and they even dedicate us with a song of “love taken away”. Thanks, Caliban. The show end around 11 pm and then we return back to the hotel for a short rest since we have to move to Surabaya around 1-2 am since the journey from Malang will take around 3 hours and Caliban’s flight to Jakarta will be on 6 am. One thing I would like to share is on that night I had myself a late night food at McDonald’s and what amaze me that most of the set consist of rice! that’s how big influence of rice in Indonesian food until you can find it everywhere, even at fast food centre (McD, KFC, A&W, etc)

9 AUGUST (SATURDAY)
We reach Surabaya around 4.30 in the morning, and the Caliban boys have already busy packing up their stuff for air cargo. For us, we just have a rest first because our flight will only be schedule on 8 am. After sending them for departure then it’s our turn to pack ourselves and do all necessary things, like check-in our baggage and such. Airport tax of Rp30000 each person have been imposed as well. Then, the journey by air took us about 1 hour to Jakarta, which actually where the real challenge began.
We reach Jakarta Airport around 9-9.30 and guess what? No one is picking us up at the airport during this time. The promoter decided not to pick up our calls, left us at the airport and it started make us pissed off especially our manager, Ann, who actually the responsible person bringing Caliban here.
After stranded for almost 2 hours, we manage to contact the van driver but again, now the driver is try to charging us for picking us up, around Rp250K! (that’s RM100! Isn’t it supposed to be the promoter’s job?). Ok, never mind. We later been brought to the Altel Hotel (?), Fuck I can’t remember the name, it is like 5-6 star hotel (really like our own Hotel Istana) and again, no hotel booking has been made.

*me in Jakarta. Look how hot the city are

With our manager is already sick, how the promoter treat us make us really pissed off this time. What Ann told us that the promoter is now in a great dilemma, because due to them, the day after it should be a Skid Row concert in Jakarta, and it was cancelled due to the band unable to obtain a visa to enter the country, and the sponsor will filed a lawsuit sue to the promoter as the promoter already use sum of money for promotion, stage etc. OK, that’s your problem, bro… how about us? It’s not fair to treat us like a shit. We do understand everyday is not a sunny day, but again, just be fair with the others, ok? respect each other and try to work professionally.
Then we were taken to Tulip Hotel, which I guess a cheap hotel just nearby Senayan area. It’s OK for us coz we don’t really need all the expensive accomodation, but we need a place to stay and to rest before the show. Tonight should be a last night and we just want to complete this tour before we could go home the day after. And another fucked up things happen and there are no even any soundcheck session for us and any local band. It’s fine anyway. Later in the afternoon, we just have a short rest at the hotels but some of my friends, like Ady, Apek Joel, Fahmi and maybe Nizam going out to some interesting place at Senayan area, and telling us about the hot chicks (like what we’ve always seen on TV and what we’re dying for to see here in Jakarta! damn, I miss it!) but well, I’m here for the shows, anyway. Ijam, please focus on your primary target, ok? what make me sick is I’m about losing my voice a bit, and my body temperature is a bit high. Hate it but well, I know it’s a test for me. So, I just have myself drinking a lot of water with a hope that I could deliver the final show with a success tonight.
Anyway, this is Jakarta, man. It is all in all, is a very beautiful city, with a beautiful people and come with a very big scene. With population is 100 times more than Malaysia, not a wonder how they could have this such a big scene.
The tickets for the Jakarta show also quite high (compare to the other 2 places), it’s about Rp150K (around RM60) for pre-sales and Rp165K at door (that’s around RM65). The van pick us up from the hotel around 8 pm and from what we heard that the show is already started. Along the journey to the Mega Sport Senayan, I’ve noticed the biggest billboard in Jakarta on Caliban shows. This was really big, really really big with our bands also attach on it. So, it was kinda a good impression for us. Next we saw something look so “riot” on the roads. Wow…. is it that many people who turn up for the show? Nah…. it’s another show just across the road, which I heard consist of local band festival with much cheaper price with more bands like Siksa Kubur etc. How’s the Caliban shows then? Just pray that it will be awesome like the other 2 previous places.
When the van reach outside the venue, we saw a lot of kids who actually hang outside the venue and this leave us another good impression but again, like in Malang, the attendance in venue is still small as fuck! No soundcheck, no food provides, no rest area, this time we’re gonna end this tour with style. I don’t really recall the first 3 bands perform before us but there’s one band that caught my intention, which metal and hardcore music combines with traditional instrument, that’s an awesome ideas! Each opening bands perform 5 songs, so do us. On the last night we perform True, Pure From Blood, Stand Strong, Final Hope and for the last song, I dedicate it to Caliban, which is “until the end”. Again, from few crowds at first gain more and more until the last song. We really enjoy the moments and crowd even sing a long with us.

*crowd in Jakarta. Thanks a lot!

I even notice there’s several kids who sing a long few songs with us, maybe they have watch us before or already get our CD. Thanks a lot Jakarta!
The last night watching Caliban is phenomenal. They even invite us to be at the sidestage during performance as this is the final night. I even catch some interesting moments on the stage on tape, and hopefully can be view in the DVD. They dedicate the song to us again, credit us and this was the night we can’t be forgotten for the rest of the tour. Later, we had a TV interview with Bandung TV and soon after that we took a picture together for the last time and Patrick (drummer) even pursue us to come to Germany anytime soon. To Caliban, it was a dream come true for a small band from South East Asia to tour with one of biggest metal/hardcore band worldwide, they were definitely a big band with very down to earth and friendly personnel, we enjoy every moment we had with them. Thanks a lot to all the people who make this tour possible, especially Ann who work hard to make this tour happen. We hug each other and wish each other best of luck!

*we’re taking picture with Caliban backstage in Jakarta. miss u guys!

We went back to the hotel, and this final night I decided to have a late night meal with my bandmates, Afwan and Mizan. Well, we have been told about Indonesian’s indomie, so we gonna grab one! It was damn cheap here and the taste is more original, that’s why they call it “indo-mee” (indo stand for Indonesia, what else? right?)
later, we just took some rest before getting ready to the airport. KL, here we go!

10 AUGUST (SUNDAY)
The final day reach, and we’re already at airport around 4 am. Our flight schedule on 625 am and it’s important for us to reach 2 hours earlier. Then we departure from Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Jakarta and reach LCCT, KL on 930 am (Malaysia time). The rest was history, we are so happy with this tour overall, and here there are some things I would like to share with you about Indonesian scene which we don’t have here in Malaysia. The most important is the music appreciation in Indonesia is really high, you can even find a hardcore and metal music banner all around the city, even the smaller scale city like Solo and Malang, they even put this on the billboard. Will you find it in Malaysia? I don’t think so, you even will be label as “black metal” or “satan worshipper” if in Malaysia. Next, they have tons of media who supported music movement and I have come across several advertisement on TV where this type of music come across in national TV. Will you find it here in Malaysia? nah… again, you will be label as “black metal”. There’s even people who live themselves on this metal and hardcore music scene, like recording label or full time band; and again which you can’t find it right here in Malaysia. They have platform, facilities, supports and most of all, recognition. I heard this supports come from the very young age whereby music is one of the major academics in school, which not amaze me why they have such good qualities musician. I find local music magazine even at the airport, which again, you can’t really find here in Malaysia. I really enjoy the whole tour but the best moment, personally, was at Solo. I can’t personally repay them by bucks, but I can thanks them million times and hopefully we will make a return to Indonesia, soon than we can imagine. We not yet visit the other city like Bandung, Semarang, Jogja, Bali and of course, next visit will includes all those cities. To Indonesia, I will miss you and definitely a come back will be done soon…. maybe next year!

all blog written by Ijam