Warung Apresiasi is not your regular caf*, but a place where you can watch Indonesia's future stars. Popular bands like Nidji, Angkasa, D'Masiv, Steven & the Coconut Treez debuted here.
Famous as Wapres - an abbreviation also used for vice president in Indonesian - the warung is located on Youth Arena Bulungan, next to Blok M Plaza in South Jakarta. It offers a humble and friendly atmosphere. In fact, this is the place where the late reggae phenomenon Mbah Surip loved to hang out.
The warung offers cheap beverages - nothing above Rp 10,000 (US$1). You can't find alcoholic drinks here.
"It is not a caf*; it is a place to appreciate *music and art*. Our primary focus is the appreciation, not the entertainment. You can order just a cup of tea, stay from the beginning to the end of the show, and no one will drive you out," said Anto Baret, owner of Wapres.
On the night before Nyepi (Day of Silence) holiday, Wapres was more crowded than usual. Some weird looking guys may scare you, but fear not, they are completely harmless. Wapres welcomes everyone regardless of their age, social class, looks, which is why these kinds of guys feel at home here. Their looks are more like an individual expression, as many are also artists. The show started at 9 p. m. when the opening band performed.
That night, a familiar face with dreadlocks was spotted at the corner of the stage. Tony Q., Indonesia's legendary reggae singer, is humbly playing the bass for the band.
It is unusual to see a public figure like Tony performing as a warm up band. As we know, guest stars are usually placed at the end of a show to keep the audience at the venue.
"I want to support to the youth . If they see Tony Q. doing the sound check I guess they'll feel more motivated. After all, we're like family here," Tony said.
"Youth may not have the chance to perform once every month, they may not perform once every year for the Independence Day event. Now you can rehearse and then perform your original songs every day here, you can also see how the audience responds to your songs."
Abil, vocalist of band Villa 21, admitted that this is the first time he and his band had performed at Wapres.
"It was great; the audience doesn't seem to mind the musical genre at all!"
Following conventions, Villa 21, along with Revy 42, Peri, and Muda Belia each performed three original songs. The bands that perform well may perform on Friday and Saturday as the audience tends to be larger on those days.
Wapres is a showcase for all arts, not just music. On Wednesday they have Literature Day, where poets deliver their poems. Paintings are displayed in every corner of the place.
"Somehow, youth are more interested in music, maybe because of the trend. But anybody who has an original creation is welcome to perform here," Anto said.
You can also sell your books or CDs here as Wapres provides a counter for anyone to sell their original works. Unlike any regular music stores, there are not too many requirements to sell your product. Therefore, you'll see CDs and books that you won't find in regular stores.
"Wapres is not doing this for profit," Anto said.
"We don't think about profit, we must not think about profit. More importantly, we are satisfied to see the youth showing their original works, not just copying someone else's stuffs."
The place opens everyday from afternoon to midnight. You can also see selected bands on Friday and Saturday and Literature Day on Wednesday. The place is closed on Sunday. Don't expect the bands to play your favorite top 40 songs, just original creations will be played here. Are you ready to listen to new stuff?
The writer is a postgraduate student at the London School of Public Relations and an intern at The Jakarta Post.
