Shockfest: Kajen Musik Festival 2017

Pekalongan underground movement has been suffered a severe set back after the infamous punk-vs-police unrest during a charity concert which took place on November 7, 2010 at Gedung Kesenian Pekalongan. The concert was organized by the Regency’s Youth, Sport, Tourism and Cultural Office.

According to the official, the riot was sparked by some drunk punks confronting four anti riot police officers (Dalmas) which resulted a melee, due to the officers refused to give a lift with the stand-by Dalmas truck after the concert over. The police were outnumbered and the crowd subsequently started damaging the truck then fled. Tens of punks were arrested later.

Artikel mengenai even ini dalam Bahasa Indonesia dapat dibaca di tautan berikut: Shockfest kembalikan kejayaan underground Pekalongan

Since the commotion, it is difficult to get an event permit for an underground gig in the Regency, especially an “indoor gig”. Since outdoor gig spends more money than its counterpart, then makes regular gig becomes hard to happen.

The underground communities in Pekalongan overcome the situation by holding  small outdoor gigs under Village Administration flags and disguise as common national/local observance fiesta. Since the gigs were held at outdoor venue, the organizers could not sell tickets and depend on collective donation only.

This year, a new “big” underground gig is coming to town. Extreme People, a new metalhead community in Pekalongan makes an effort to organize Shockfest: Kajen Musik Festival. Like previous attempts, the gig faces the similar situation: there is no event permit for indoor underground gig.

The festival was initially intended to be held at Gedung Pertemuan Umum Kajen, but then the organizer was forced to move the venue to a military field at Kompi C Yonif 407 (Company C – 407th Infantry Battalion), Wonopringgo, Pekalongan, the official Facebook said on June 23.

The Shockfest: Kajen Musik Festival will be held on Thursday, June 29, 2017.

Twenty metal bands from all over Java are listed in the current line up roster. Tangerang-based brutal death metal act Disgusting Castigation and Kediri’s grindcore band Pukat Harimau will top the bill along with Noiseblast (Bandung), Putrifacdity (Samarinda), Darah Perawan (Bogor), Terror Blast (Banyumas ), Chaos Squad (Purwokerto), Infection Bleeding (Jakarta), Batu Nisan (Pemalang), and Abirowo (Batang).

The Disgusting Castigation duo will promote brutal tracks from their brutal debut Perpetual Carve On Manifest Torture which just released on April 16, 2017 at Tangerang Brutality 2, a metal fest owned by Nanda Z Bastian, the band founder and guitarist.

Frontman of Germinativum and Imperforata, Fajar, will sing with the band as guest vocalist. Disgusting Castigation has lost frontman Petrus Naibaho last February due to his previous commitment with Oscuro, another Tangerang-based death metal act. Petrus’ departure had made Nanda took his parts during the debut recording sessions.

The band was founded in 2015 and now consists of Nanda (guitars/vocals) and Arga Haryanto (drums).

Endless Torture Records’ artist Pukat Harimau has been promulgating grindcore since 2006 in its hometown Pare, Kediri. The band has released first studio album titled Suspicious on December 20, 2014 containing 22 tracks, mostly microsongs.

Pukat Harimau’s current line up comprises Ridho (bass), Zane (drums), Negro (guitars) and Prodie )vocals).

Samarinda-based brutal death metal act Putridfacdity lists 7 dates in Java Island promo tour to promote EP Carnivorous starting from Metamorfest 3. The full dates are Metamorfest 3 (Pemalang, June 28), Shockfest (Pekalongan, June 29), Rock Infection (Purbalingga, July 1), Mbangun Desa #8 (Batang, July 2), Madiun Super Squad (Madiun, July 8), Lamongan Bawah tanah #1 (Lamongan, July 9), Banyuwangi Death Fest (Banyuwangi, July 16). Back to Samarinda, the band will headline Extreme Aggression 3 on August 8.

EP Carnivorous was released on April 29 this year containing five brutal and aggressive tracks.

Putridfacdity‘s latest line up consists of Keceng (drums), Alus (guitars), Rizki (guitars), and Herman (vocals). 

Pemalang-based Gothic metal band Batu Nisan has released debut full-length album Cahaya Bidadari through Black Art Production on March 7, 2013. Since its inception in 2004, the band has several line up changing. The last formation consists of Taufik (bass), Adam Kawur (drums), Ary Nisan (guitars), Eno Gondrong (guitars), Rury Rades (keyboards) and Dyanti Maharani (vocals).

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Muhammad Firdaus from Extreme People spoke to www.Musik.or.id about the show. He said the gig is intended to show the world that the Pekalongan metalheads are still alive. It aims to revive the underground community in the area which has been undeveloped since the infamous punk-vs-police unrest in 2010 that resulted a hindrance to event permit issuing by the authority.

Shockfest is the brainchild of Firdaus with fellows Milo, Sitoy, Taul, Isam, Pepi, Klenyer, Eko, etc. After a short discussion with local metal veterans Kapron (Bols) and Garong (Never Surrender), the flocks started a new community named Extreme People on June 1, 2016 to organize the new metal fest.

Firdaus  (known under moniker Verdos) is the frontman of grindcore act Devforgrind.

LINE UP

PUKAT HARIMAU (Kediri)
DISGUSTING CASTIGATION (Tangerang)
DARAH PERAWAN (Bogor)
NOISE BLAST (Bandung)
TERROR BLAST (Banyumas)
CHAOS SQUAD (Purwokerto)
INVECTION BLEEDING (Jakarta)
PUTRIDFACDITY (Samarinda)
BATU NISAN (Pemalang)
ABIROWO (Batang)
CRYONICS (Kendal)
FIRASAT (Comal)
CONTRARIOT (Batang)
NEVER SURRENDER (Pekalongan)
INVECT (Pekalongan)
DEVFORGRIND (Pekalongan)
DISDRASTIS (Pekalongan)
BRING ASS (Pekalongan)
CRANIAL HOLOCAUST (Pekalongan)
FIRE HELL (Pekalongan)

Early bird ticket is available for IDR 15K by contacting the organizer at 085602841084 (Verdos) and 085842394385 (Fajar). The on-the-spot ticket will be sold for IDR 20K.

Shockfest is supported by Mendo Sablon Division, F*cking Enemy, Kiansantang Merch, Blackhawk Merch, Syndicate  Printing, Holygrind Company, Boekaji.co, Homunculus Merchandise, Pigscrew, Ilay Black Le,vis, Error Street Shop, Whelstore, Sweet Screen Printing, Grafis Gelap, Lapak Kumat, BMS (Bendot Metal Stress), Wonk Loro Merchandise, Prawasan Barat Guyon, Gemuk Apparel, BOLs Pekalongan, JSI Pekalongan, Lapak Angke, Jave Metal Crew, Tarloji Grind, DMS (Donowangun Metal Society), BBC (Bojong Bringas Community), F*ck Trendy Musick Merch, Angkling Darma Merchandise, Mendoan Blasting, and Purworejo Negative.

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