At a smoke-filled warehouse in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, hundreds of young men and women, some clad in a hijab, throw their arms in the air, bouncing to British songs from the 1990s.
The party more than 11,000km from British shores is inspired by the “Britpop” scene at the height of Cool Britannia about 30 years ago, centered on bands such as 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.”
Photo: AFP
They now tour Indonesia’s main island Java attracting thousands with a raucous mix of British music, fashion and soccer culture.
“Music is my soul and I bring Weekenders Service Crew to other cities to share the happiness, to share the vibe,” 24-year-old cofounder Abraham Vieniel said. “It’s the fashion, music ... and then football. It’s mixed.”
While the sentimentality for Britain in Southeast Asia might 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.
Photo: AFP
Abraham and cofounder Bimo Nugroho say they have turned the events, which started in Java’s Yogyakarta, 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 ’90s 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 TV 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 soccer clubs party together, a remarkable sight in a nation with a history of brutal fan violence.
“It unites the differences,” concert-goer and Persija Jakarta fan Peter Chev, 23, said. “In every fans, in every club, there must be a form of rivalry, right? And [here] they are united in one venue, one place.”
The night quickly turns into a frenzied affair as star of the show Bimo steps on stage with black shades and slicked hair.
He fires up the crowd — who have each paid nearly US$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 soccer chants such as Liverpool’s You’ll Never Walk Alone and West Ham United’s I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.
Among the testosterone-fueled 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,” Chev said.
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,” one of its Instagram posts says. “No sexism. No racism. No violence.”
Music experts in Indonesia say the love of a movement emphasizing Britishness is rooted in Dutch colonial cities such as 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 against Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s budget cuts.
“British music ... is like the catharsis for them to escape from the dark reality in Indonesia right now,” ethnomusicologist Aris Setyawan said. “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 working week starts.
As the lights come on, the revelers keep singing into the night.
“I think it’s not a job, it’s a party, man,” Abraham said. “We have fun with this music. We have fun with this fashion. We relieve stress.”
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