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Semarang grindcore band AK//47 holds first US tour
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The initial formation of grindcore band AK//47: (from left to right) Novelino Adam, Yogi Ario and Garna Raditya. (AK//47/Rifqi Fadhlurrahman)
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emarang-based grindcore band AK//47 is on its first United States tour, from April 20 to May 12, with 22 shows across the coast of California.
Set to be the part of its Loncati Pagar Berduri (Jumping the Barbed Wire) album promotion, which will be released in the summer under Lawless Jakarta Records and Disaster Records, the tour began in Victorville. The band plans to continue its tour to the East Coast in the months ahead.
During the tour, AK//47 is joined by two additional members, Damian Talmadge on bass and Mark Miller on drum. It has also shared the stage with California band Violent Opposition.
“We’re intimately aware of immigration affairs as a major obstacle for our bandmates in Indonesia to come here, plus the flight tickets are unaffordable,” said Garna Raditya, the band’s vocalist and guitarist who has been living in the states for the last two years, in a press release. The addition of the new members is also part of the band’s strategy to continue performing internationally.
Read also: Janelle Monae plans dystopian film to accompany album
Formed in 1999, the band consists of Garna Raditya, Novelino “Inu” Adam on bass and Yogi Ario on drums. Following Garna’s move to the US, Inu has played with his bands Octopuz and Olly Oxen, while Yogi has joined Sergapanmalam and Yagim Grind.
Loncati Pagar Berduri comprises 13 songs in the Indonesian language, addressing the dystopia and decadence of modern society. For Garna, living as an immigrant in the US under the current administration has had a deep psychological impact, resulting in critical thoughts. Moreover, the songs also reflects upon the situation in Indonesia, starting from LGBT issues and fake news on social media, to immigrant matters. Among the song titles are “Lempar Petasan ke Podium” (throwing firecrackers to the podium), “Ayat untuk Menyayat” (cutthroat verses) and “Botol”, “Bensin dan Mawar Untukmu” (bottle, gasoline and rose for you). The band uses grindcore as a way to release its suppressed anxiety and anger.
Both AK//47 and Violent Opposition are set to perform with other bands as well, namely hardcore, punk band M.D.C., fastcore band Hummingbird of Death and Seattle anarcho, grindcore band Resistance Culture. (wir/wng)
