By Mar Galo.
The Wknd was invited to experience one of the biggest festivals in Indonesia, Soundrenaline 2016, which took place over the weekend of September 3 – 4 and was held in Bali’s Garuda Wisnu Kencana cultural park. Sandwiched among tall cliffs, the event featured 5 stages, with 3 main stages built in between the cliffs. There were many creative activities and fun areas, along with numerous food vendors to keep attendees occupied. With over 70 bands performing, including international headliners Simple Plan, The Temper Trap and Bloc Party, Soundrenaline 2016 brought about 100,000 fans of various music genres together in one place.
There were a number of special collaborations between performers. A very special appearance from Cholil Mahmud (Efek Rumah Kaca) singing for Sore was one of the highlights of the festival. Another memorable collaboration was the Soundrenaline Project led by Nikita Dompas, which saw six musicians singing their renditions of popular songs.
Some other highlights from the event include:
Stars and Rabbit
Having grown from a duo to a full band on stage, Stars and Rabbit has always been a consistent band to watch. Playing at an amphitheatre suited the Yogyakarta-based band’s sound, with the combination of an open air stage and vocalist Elda’s strong vocal character created a mesmerizing and unforgettable performance. Audience members were given hand bells to use throughout the set. Man on the Hill was the last song they played, which earned them a standing ovation from the packed crowd.
Efek Rumah Kaca
Soundrenaline 2016 brought a very pleasant surprise for Efek Rumah Kaca fans with the appearance of Cholil Mahmud. The singer has been based in the US since March this year, and thus wasn’t expected to perform. But he appeared after the band’s first song, which was sung by Adrian Yunan, to the audience’s delight. The band went on to play almost all of their hits, including Di Udara, Pasar Bisa Diciptakan, Sebelah Mata, Putih and December.
The Hydrant
This rockabilly outfit from Bali offered up a very energetic performance. Playing early on one of the main stages on the first day can work against many bands but The Hydrant managed to draw a good sized crowd. The singer, Marshello, lived up to his nickname ‘Brown/Bali Elvis’ with his smooth glides and graceful moves. The songs were catchy, the suits were incredible, and the band was tight. Their passion for rockabilly is undeniable and it shone through on stage.
Overall, Soundrenaline 2016 was an exhausting but a truly memorable experience. This is definitely the festival to attend if you want to experience and discover bands in a scenic environment.
If you’re looking for another Indonesian music festival to attend, you should check out RRREC FEST 2016 In The Valley, which is happening this weekend (9-11 September). Entering its third year, this camping festival offers 3 days full of music, arts, workshops and plenty more. You can visit the official website for more info.
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Mar Galo writes for a living. She plays music, collects records, and watches lots of films in her spare time which she has plenty. She also writes for Viddsee Buzz Indonesia and contributes to W Music (Whiteboardjournal.com).
