We all knew that Phoenix were about to have a show in Jakarta since someone posted a screen capture of Phoenix’s latest tour list on Twitter, but it was “who will be the promoter” that will bring them to town. So, after all of the rumours spread out, Ismaya Live tweeted an official statement on their Twitter that the Versailles-based band will be the headliner of Love Garage 2014 on January 17th 2014, “@IsmayaLive : #confirmed PHOENIX for #LOVEGARAGE14 in Jakarta 17th Jan 2014. It’s definitely gonna be a great ENTERTAINMENT!! cc: @IsmayaLive @future10”.

Phoenix will kick of their tour in 2014 by visiting Osaka on January 12th. And this will be the Versailles-based band’s second time to have a show in Jakarta, their first was on August 1st 2009 at Bengkel Night Park (now Potato Head Garage). Phoenix are an alternative rock band from French who were formed in 1999, the band consist of Thomas Mars, Deck d’Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz. The band have released five studio albums and one of them won The Grammy Award in 2010 for ‘Best Alternative Music Album’ by defeating Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Depeche Mode, Death Cab For Cutie, and David Byrne and Brian Eno.

According to Ismaya Live, Love Garage 2014 will have another names to be announced and the tickets will be on sale on November 9th. The first presale is IDR 490.000, second presale is IDR 590.000, and the normal price is IDR 690.000. The festival will also bring up “Love Can Save the Universe” as their theme for next year.

In the previous years, Love Garage had Two Door Cinema Club, Royksopp, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs to headline the annual festival, and Ismaya Live are promising the 2014’s Love Garage will be bigger that the last editions and will take place at EX’s Park.
Well, we have got our clams ready to welcome Phoenix in Jakarta!

How would you sum up your last European tour with only one word? And why is that?
Superb! Because it is.

These last few years you have traveled to so many countries, you even went around Europe twice. While there are bands who struggle hard to fulfill an invitation to perform abroad. How’s your experience?
Before we agreed upon a performing request –especially from somewhere far like Europe, we calculate first, like the impact for us, the budgeting, the preparation. When the budget they provide for transport and accommodations are not enough and we still can work out the rest, we usually sell merchandise, artwork, or throw a pre-departure gig. There were also external financial supports from sponsors like PAREKRAF, Ford Foundation, Google Singapore, etc. KBRIs are also very supportive and helpful, they even came to watched our show in Helsinki. Sometimes we get invited to lunch or provided transportation.

Do you believe in crowd-funding?
Well.. We have never tried that. We think crowd-funding is still unfamiliar here in Indonesia, most people prefer to buy what’s in front of them, direct-selling kind of thing. We also admit that our online system still needs a lot improvement; we can barely handle t-shirt pre-order, moreover a crowd-funding. So.. maybe no, not yet.

Which one do you prefer: Traveling on duty as a band or traveling by yourself for fun?
Ricky: There is a certain value and pride of traveling as a band. We get to visit many countries, plus make our music broadcasted live, all around the world? Score.
Sari: It’s a delight to see the audience enjoying our performance, their smile and happy faces; it’s the kind of appreciation that sends good vibe to us, and it’s beautiful.
I also like how traveling with band is usually more organized.
Rio: When we’re in touch with the local audience after show, they often give us recommendation of non-touristic, great places to go to.

What things do you usually look for in a city you are at?
Rio: Flea market. Like in Finland we were looking for Marimekko, a Finnish line for product such as fabrics, housewares etc –super cool but also super expensive, yet we are lucky to found them there in flea market.
Ricky: Local things that cannot be found anywhere else, like this Dala horse-patterned bag, the horse is an iconic symbol originating from Swedish province. Other than that, I look for vinyl, and books about the country I’m at.
Sari: Local tea or coffee

What is your ultimate travel essential?
Stage costumes! We must look awesome in photos, so we cannot be seen wearing the same costumes for days. Always strive to look dashing, even when we are actually starving and lacking money, nobody needs to know.

Is there any bad habit or quirks in each of you that’s significantly shown when traveling?
Ale: Hmm nothing too significant, it’s the usual takes-too-long-to-dress-up-and-make-up for the girls, which we are used to.
Sari, Mela: Oh the boys are so, so loud sometimes me and Mela will just look down and momentarily pretend not to know them. But yeah, we can put up with that, we know they are just overly excited.
Ale: And the boys love field of green grass; we can’t not run and roll on them

Any particular band riders?
No, we are really easy to maintain, actually. All the rough days we endured in college, sleeping on rickety wooden chair every night, it kind of built us for the worst (laughs)
Rio: We don’t expect to get excellent services, but thankfully it was never unbearably bad.
Mela: In Indonesia we often get drivers or LO who will take us to places, while in Europe they let us wander alone. It gives us the chances to explore and get lost while looking for instagramable corner. That’s fun.
Sari: We enjoy hopping on different public transportation to engage with the city. The transportation in Europe is so convenient. I don’t get it when there are still people complaining; boy you have never been to my country.
Ale: Or Chennai

What about Chennai?
(The group burst out laughing and talking simultaneously)
Once we rode on a bus that doesn’t have side-window, so there’s only one front-window, can you imagine how stuffed it was? And The traffic is far worse than ours in Indonesia, it’s like they’re about to hit anything that stands in their way, except cows. And man, the city is jam-packed with people. Do you know how crowded Tanah Abang is near Lebaran time? Well that, times 1,000,000. Walking around will drown your energy in minutes. But the cool thing is its fresh air we breathe despite all the crowds of vehicles. It’s probably their technology. Oh and we are not allowed to smoke in public places. Once I got reprimand for lighting my cigarette in a fresh market. You are allowed to poo in public places, though. A lot of people walk around the city barefooted, even the one with suits and tie. Chennai was interesting and unforgettable; it makes coming home feels like rejuvenation.

Given another chance to fly again to India, will you take it?
Yes, but we would like to see another side of India other than Chennai

If you can choose freely, what kind of custom-made vehicle will you have to travel as a band?
(John directly answered “mini airplane” but the rest of the group opted for bus)
Sari: A bus with bathroom and toilet, so we don’t have to stop for pee
Mela: Make it double-decker
Ale: with DJ turn-table and mini kitchen

When you meet a foreigner who absolutely has no idea about Indonesia, what will you tell them?
Ricky: I will tell them that, you will meet a lot of passersby who will smile at you. Indonesian people are warm and friendly. Secondly, our spices and herbs here are so good even a vegetarian will be tempted to eat meat.

So as Indonesian people, what do you love about Indonesia?
Ale: It’s inexplicable, really. Like, no matter how long we were abroad, we always want to go back home. We have met people who brags about their home country but never go home, while Indonesian, we curse and loathe our country but always, always come back home.
Sari: Sirepnya kenceng.

Say that we give you a chance to be the conceptor of a music festival. We’ll provide everything; your wish is our command. What kind of festival would you make?
The festival will be held in a secluded island. So there will be shuttle buses from many pick-up points to the harbor, continued with ferry rides to the island. We have camping area and guest houses for rent. It’s a three-day festival with free flow of food and beverage. We will invite local and international bands, the great and the awful, just so the bad could learn from the good. There will be big tent for disco. And the name of the festival must be very Indonesian.

… And their touring life continues as their next stamp on their passport will be from Australian immigration, early August. Bon Voyage!

(photos source: wsatcc’s instagram)

You probably have read from Djakartamosphere’s twitter page that the tickets are selling fast or even worst have been sold out less than 2 days after their announcement about the events, but for those who haven’t heard about it, this what you’ve missed about; G Production collaborating with Rain Dogs Records, are making music concert concept tour for these three talented local Indonesian bands, Starts and Rabbit, Dialog Dini Hari, and White Shoes and The Couples Company, in three days, at three different cities. The tour itself will start from Bandung on March 6th, 2013 at Maja House, continue on the next day at Teater Garasi at Yogyakarta, and ended Taman Argo Bali on Macrh 6th, 2013. So if you really want to catch their live performance, you better make your reservation in a rush before its too late!

Suara Tujuh Nada:
G Production:
info@djakartartmosphere.com (081310081510)
www.djakartartmosphere.com

Bandung
Rabu, 6 Maret 2013, Pkl. 19.00
Maja House, Jl Sersan Bajuri 72 , Bandung
Reservasi: info@djakartartmosphere.com | 081310 081510

Yogyakarta
Kamis, 7 Maret 2013, Pkl. 19.30
Teater Garasi, Jl Bugisan Selatan 36 A, Tegal Kenongo, Yogjakarta
Tiket & Reservasi: Rp. 50.000 | Hani (0877 1991 1200 & 0857 4753 2000)

Bali
Jumat, 8 Maret 2013, Pkl. 19.00
Taman Agro, Jl. Hayam Wuruk 212, Denpasar, Bali
Tiket & Reservasi: Ticket box: Rp. 40.000 , On the spot: RP. 50.000
Idiom Garage: Jun (0878 6035 9544) & FBI Bali Radio: Rezka Fria (0857 7399 6701)