They're not just playing music. They're teaching a lesson we can all learn.
For musicians, living outside Jakarta is a significant disadvantage. They have to make an extra effort to be heard because the music industry is so centralized in the capital.
Yogyakarta-based Risky Summerbee and the Honeythief might not be the biggest name in our music scene, but they sure do have something for us to check out.
Recently, they just added another special something to their portfolio - a solo concert called "Risky Summerbee and the Honeythief: Live at Teater Garasi".
The gig took place in a small and cozy multifunction venue - which is usually used to host drama performances - in outer Yogyakarta.
What made it special was the band's ability to gather around 250 people for this gig - not to mention the other would-be audience members who could not enter because of the limited size and seats of the venue.
While most gigs in the independent scene tend to be free of charge, 95 percent of the people coming to the Risky's gig paid for the tickets.
"There are people who have been following us for the past two years," says Risky Summerbee, the band's frontman. "During that period, we have tried hard to create something different. Maybe that's why they buy tickets to our gigs, whenever and wherever we play.
"I guess those people probably find something interesting about us," he adds.
"They have certain expectations of our concerts. On the other side, I hope they get something from the whole big picture. We have a cultural principle that we're trying to show to these people. Hopefully they're aware of it and it has a collective commercial value."
It wasn't their first such gig. They worked with Solo-based artist Slamet Gundono to produce "Memoirs of Gandari" back in 2008. They also did Je.ja.l.an, a dance and music performance with Teater Garasi.
Most memorable was their successful tour "Inside Your Shoes" in Yogyakarta, Solo and Jakarta.
The band has released one album called The Place I Wanna Go and three DVDs, documenting a few of their self-initiated works.
You can find further info on the band at www.riskysummerbee.info.
- Felix Dass
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