US band Foo Fighters’ long-awaited return to Indonesia will come with some unusual sights and sounds – with local organisers set to accept the band’s requests to swear, smoke and drink alcohol on stage during the coming Jakarta gig.
Advertisement
The October 2 show at Carnaval Ancol will mark the rock group’s first performance in Indonesia after nearly three decades. The band last played there in 1996.
“They’ve asked for the freedom to curse on stage, as well as permission to smoke and drink during the show,” Ravel Junardy, chief executive of local promoter Ravel Entertainment, told the Jakarta Globe newspaper on Thursday.
“As long as it does not touch on sensitive topics like race, religion or Indonesian cultural values, we’ll allow it.”
While alcohol is not prohibited in Indonesia, as the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, the country imposes heavy regulations on liquor. Alcohol sales have been banned in mini-markets since April 2015, except in tourist areas like Bali.
In addition to their onstage requests, the band is flying in their own private chef to handle backstage catering. However, Junardy said that the local organisers were planning to introduce the group to Indonesian cuisine as part of the hospitality experience.