Berliner Boersenzeitung - Young Indonesians toast Britpop scene with singalongs, swagger

EUR -
AED 4.109552
AFN 78.631197
ALL 98.196471
AMD 432.408837
ANG 2.002394
AOA 1025.990895
ARS 1274.522047
AUD 1.746378
AWG 2.016739
AZN 1.898229
BAM 1.956345
BBD 2.26193
BDT 136.11791
BGN 1.956327
BHD 0.422314
BIF 3333.528425
BMD 1.118857
BND 1.454705
BOB 7.741156
BRL 6.337382
BSD 1.120302
BTN 95.774674
BWP 15.149084
BYN 3.666221
BYR 21929.589638
BZD 2.250327
CAD 1.561672
CDF 3212.237453
CHF 0.934587
CLF 0.027476
CLP 1054.365804
CNY 8.066396
CNH 8.065541
COP 4715.264561
CRC 567.45297
CUC 1.118857
CUP 29.6497
CVE 110.295719
CZK 24.905518
DJF 199.495562
DKK 7.46114
DOP 65.927772
DZD 148.910142
EGP 55.930831
ERN 16.782849
ETB 151.24007
FJD 2.543501
FKP 0.842393
GBP 0.840977
GEL 3.065913
GGP 0.842393
GHS 13.891869
GIP 0.842393
GMD 81.120469
GNF 9701.702033
GTQ 8.601165
GYD 234.385279
HKD 8.743076
HNL 29.149858
HRK 7.535943
HTG 146.590827
HUF 403.026675
IDR 18454.420994
ILS 3.980277
IMP 0.842393
INR 95.662796
IQD 1467.608746
IRR 47117.850798
ISK 145.890702
JEP 0.842393
JMD 178.588143
JOD 0.793606
JPY 162.503291
KES 145.081653
KGS 97.843928
KHR 4483.248635
KMF 493.97951
KPW 1006.971003
KRW 1564.038315
KWD 0.343925
KYD 0.93366
KZT 571.199085
LAK 24228.747979
LBP 100377.756336
LKR 335.213361
LRD 224.052401
LSL 20.223532
LTL 3.303693
LVL 0.676785
LYD 6.180721
MAD 10.393095
MDL 19.515435
MGA 5021.353624
MKD 61.547142
MMK 2349.244173
MNT 3998.537788
MOP 9.017912
MRU 44.340953
MUR 51.590929
MVR 17.297491
MWK 1942.523653
MXN 21.761146
MYR 4.811324
MZN 71.498218
NAD 20.223532
NGN 1798.214592
NIO 41.221481
NOK 11.609956
NPR 153.238309
NZD 1.900865
OMR 0.42963
PAB 1.120312
PEN 4.13035
PGK 4.656255
PHP 62.436696
PKR 315.470042
PLN 4.277812
PYG 8944.491142
QAR 4.083128
RON 5.045598
RSD 117.262659
RUB 90.500131
RWF 1604.232459
SAR 4.196494
SBD 9.331744
SCR 15.927236
SDG 671.87298
SEK 10.899252
SGD 1.452455
SHP 0.879246
SLE 25.388677
SLL 23461.86401
SOS 640.272601
SRD 40.929456
STD 23158.072951
SVC 9.80273
SYP 14547.207646
SZL 20.228453
THB 37.140447
TJS 11.550117
TMT 3.921592
TND 3.37765
TOP 2.620477
TRY 43.481672
TTD 7.599116
TWD 33.809158
TZS 3021.914628
UAH 46.502736
UGX 4099.141657
USD 1.118857
UYU 46.611732
UZS 14525.045389
VES 105.403258
VND 29002.441724
VUV 135.518458
WST 3.108774
XAF 656.133876
XAG 0.034423
XAU 0.000345
XCD 3.023766
XDR 0.81602
XOF 656.139742
XPF 119.331742
YER 273.111241
ZAR 20.200452
ZMK 10071.052264
ZMW 30.113387
ZWL 360.271373
  • BCE

    -0.0700

    21.56

    -0.32%

  • CMSC

    -0.0500

    22.05

    -0.23%

  • BCC

    0.9200

    91.91

    +1%

  • NGG

    1.2500

    71.28

    +1.75%

  • JRI

    0.1600

    12.9

    +1.24%

  • CMSD

    0.0472

    22.06

    +0.21%

  • GSK

    0.4991

    37.64

    +1.33%

  • SCS

    0.0000

    10.5

    0%

  • BTI

    1.2700

    42.64

    +2.98%

  • AZN

    0.8500

    68.81

    +1.24%

  • RBGPF

    64.5000

    64.5

    +100%

  • RIO

    -0.1100

    62.64

    -0.18%

  • VOD

    0.1800

    9.45

    +1.9%

  • RELX

    0.5300

    54.57

    +0.97%

  • RYCEF

    0.0200

    10.72

    +0.19%

  • BP

    0.1300

    29.76

    +0.44%

Young Indonesians toast Britpop scene with singalongs, swagger
Young Indonesians toast Britpop scene with singalongs, swagger / Photo: Yasuyoshi CHIBA - AFP

Young Indonesians toast Britpop scene with singalongs, swagger

At a smoke-filled warehouse in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, hundreds of young men and women, some clad in hijabs, throw their arms in the air, bouncing to British songs from the 1990s.

Text size:

The party more than 7,000 miles (11,000 kilometres) from British shores is inspired by the 'Britpop' scene at the height of Cool Britannia about 30 years ago, centred on bands like Manchester's Oasis, rivals Blur and Suede.

Playing to the 800-strong crowd is a DJ collective called the Weekenders Service Crew, who have turned student gatherings into a "Britpop party service".

They now tour Indonesia's main island Java attracting thousands with a raucous mix of British music, fashion and football culture.

"Music is my soul and I bring Weekenders Service Crew to other cities to share the happiness, to share the vibe," said 24-year-old co-founder Abraham Vieniel.

"It's the fashion, music... and then football. It's mixed."

While the sentimentality for Britain in Southeast Asia may surprise, the appeal for its catchy, melodic rock hymns as an antidote to bleaker US grunge tunes and present-day commercial hits has not been lost.

Abraham and co-founder Bimo Nugroho say they have turned the events, which started in Java's Yogyakarta city, into a full-time job in just two years.

The collective has amassed more than 30,000 followers on Instagram, where they post scenes of revelry alongside pictures of famous Britpop frontmen Liam Gallagher and Damon Albarn.

Their fans wear British nineties streetwear from Reebok trainers to Kangol bucket hats, as well as the Stone Island brand made famous by the European 'casual' hooligan subculture.

Others don flat caps, looking like characters out of the British television show Peaky Blinders.

"It's like in the UK. After watching football they go to the bar," said Muhammad Fillah Pratama, an 18-year-old student.

"I think what Indonesians are adopting is the culture in the UK."

Inside the warehouse fans from rival football clubs party together, a remarkable sight in a country with a history of brutal fan violence.

"It unites the differences," said concert-goer and Persija Jakarta fan Peter Chev, 23.

"In every fans, in every club, there must be a form of rivalry, right? And (here) they are united in one venue, one place."

- 'Safe, fun space' -

The night quickly turns into a frenzied affair as star of the show Bimo steps on stage with jet-black shades and slicked hair.

He fires up the crowd -- who have each paid nearly $5 to enter -- through the smoky haze with a microphone in hand and a swagger encapsulating that of his idols.

The crew's members climb tables on stage, with local spirits passed around and crowd surfers flung into the air as the singalongs get into full swing.

Upbeat records such as "I Am the Resurrection" by the Stone Roses segue into slow singalongs from Oasis and The Smiths -- credited with partly inspiring Britpop -- against the backdrop of a giant England flag.

As the joyous scene unfolds, British classics are replaced by famous football chants like Liverpool's "You'll Never Walk Alone" and West Ham's "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles".

Among the testosterone-fuelled crowd are some women also enjoying the music.

"Old and young people, if they want to come here, they can come here. Women as well. Everyone is welcome," said Chev.

The DJ collective's young creators promote equality at the shows.

"Thank you for taking the decision to... make the show a comfortable and safe, fun space for female friends," reads one of its Instagram posts.

"No sexism. No racism. No violence."

Music experts in Indonesia say the love of a movement emphasising Britishness is rooted in Dutch colonial cities like Jakarta and Bandung, which were built for Europeans who many still want to reference and imitate.

But the scene also serves as a space for disenfranchised youth who have been protesting in recent weeks against President Prabowo Subianto's budget cuts.

"British music... is like the catharsis for them to escape from the dark reality in Indonesia right now," said ethnomusicologist Aris Setyawan.

"They can forget the problems they have to face in their real life."

The crew's founders want to help people shrug off those worries, hosting some events on Sundays before the work week starts.

As the lights come on, the revellers keep singing into the night.

"I think it's not a job, it's a party, man," said Abraham.

"We have fun with this music. We have fun with this fashion. We relieve stress."

(K.Lüdke--BBZ)