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

EUR -
AED 4.100273
AFN 78.60757
ALL 98.166966
AMD 432.286638
ANG 1.997847
AOA 1023.661719
ARS 1274.492205
AUD 1.739351
AWG 2.012159
AZN 1.902168
BAM 1.95574
BBD 2.26123
BDT 136.075794
BGN 1.958829
BHD 0.422187
BIF 3332.496993
BMD 1.116315
BND 1.454255
BOB 7.738761
BRL 6.322034
BSD 1.119965
BTN 95.745041
BWP 15.144532
BYN 3.665087
BYR 21879.783696
BZD 2.24963
CAD 1.559549
CDF 3204.942189
CHF 0.935299
CLF 0.027413
CLP 1051.967484
CNY 8.048081
CNH 8.048713
COP 4704.554582
CRC 567.282465
CUC 1.116315
CUP 29.582361
CVE 110.261592
CZK 24.899757
DJF 199.433835
DKK 7.461011
DOP 65.907963
DZD 148.865399
EGP 55.928271
ERN 16.744732
ETB 151.194627
FJD 2.537725
FKP 0.842071
GBP 0.840567
GEL 3.05914
GGP 0.842071
GHS 13.887571
GIP 0.842071
GMD 80.937172
GNF 9698.700213
GTQ 8.598734
GYD 234.312757
HKD 8.722499
HNL 29.141099
HRK 7.532941
HTG 146.54547
HUF 402.867531
IDR 18412.786848
ILS 3.96752
IMP 0.842071
INR 95.543378
IQD 1467.15465
IRR 47010.84053
ISK 145.891703
JEP 0.842071
JMD 178.534481
JOD 0.791807
JPY 162.594147
KES 144.755526
KGS 97.622219
KHR 4481.861466
KMF 492.857526
KPW 1004.660245
KRW 1561.859763
KWD 0.343145
KYD 0.933371
KZT 571.02235
LAK 24221.251321
LBP 100346.698283
LKR 335.109642
LRD 223.983077
LSL 20.217275
LTL 3.29619
LVL 0.675249
LYD 6.178809
MAD 10.389879
MDL 19.509397
MGA 5019.844837
MKD 61.528098
MMK 2343.870677
MNT 4001.744803
MOP 9.015121
MRU 44.32763
MUR 51.47373
MVR 17.25866
MWK 1941.939975
MXN 21.73009
MYR 4.795735
MZN 71.336723
NAD 20.217275
NGN 1788.71739
NIO 41.208726
NOK 11.593835
NPR 153.192265
NZD 1.897963
OMR 0.429497
PAB 1.119965
PEN 4.129072
PGK 4.654856
PHP 62.294316
PKR 315.375252
PLN 4.268489
PYG 8941.723611
QAR 4.081974
RON 5.106255
RSD 117.226377
RUB 90.497203
RWF 1603.750428
SAR 4.186446
SBD 9.31055
SCR 15.922308
SDG 670.351558
SEK 10.907859
SGD 1.452108
SHP 0.877249
SLE 25.344455
SLL 23408.578004
SOS 640.080215
SRD 40.8365
STD 23105.476908
SVC 9.799697
SYP 14514.229131
SZL 20.222375
THB 37.223582
TJS 11.546543
TMT 3.912686
TND 3.376696
TOP 2.614527
TRY 43.377235
TTD 7.596765
TWD 33.732379
TZS 3021.006621
UAH 46.488763
UGX 4097.873335
USD 1.116315
UYU 46.59856
UZS 14520.55117
VES 105.163869
VND 28936.572095
VUV 135.253884
WST 3.10171
XAF 655.936725
XAG 0.034565
XAU 0.000349
XCD 3.016899
XDR 0.815775
XOF 655.936725
XPF 119.331742
YER 272.496621
ZAR 20.143411
ZMK 10048.183034
ZMW 30.104069
ZWL 359.453134
  • CMSC

    -0.0500

    22.05

    -0.23%

  • RELX

    0.5300

    54.57

    +0.97%

  • SCS

    0.0000

    10.5

    0%

  • GSK

    0.4991

    37.64

    +1.33%

  • RBGPF

    64.5000

    64.5

    +100%

  • BP

    0.1300

    29.76

    +0.44%

  • BTI

    1.2700

    42.64

    +2.98%

  • NGG

    1.2500

    71.28

    +1.75%

  • CMSD

    0.0472

    22.06

    +0.21%

  • RIO

    -0.1100

    62.64

    -0.18%

  • JRI

    0.1600

    12.9

    +1.24%

  • RYCEF

    0.0200

    10.72

    +0.19%

  • VOD

    0.1800

    9.45

    +1.9%

  • BCE

    -0.0700

    21.56

    -0.32%

  • BCC

    0.9200

    91.91

    +1%

  • AZN

    0.8500

    68.81

    +1.24%

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)