A reunion concert from British rock muse The Stone Roses was a classic.

Manchester, 1987. A young man stands among a crowd and hears a song that would change his own life and the face of British music for decades to come.

That man was Noel Gallagher — a son of Manchester and the soon to be front man of 1990s sensation Oasis. The song was “Sally Cinnamon”, the second single released by The Stone Roses.

“When I heard ‘Sally Cinnamon’ for the first time I knew what my destiny was,” said Gallagher in a television interview.

Gallagher echoed what music lovers have long known; the band pioneered the birth of the rebellious Brit-pop.  The Stone Roses was the influence for bands from Oasis to Blur and The Verve.

The inspiration for this new wave rested upon one album: the group’s self-titled 1989 release, regularly acclaimed by the likes of Rolling Stone magazine as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time.

But despite industry accolades the band will always be remembered as a fallen wonder boy, who once prophesized to have it all only to slip into disarray. They may wish to move beyond their troubled history but The Stone Roses will never retrieve what they have missed. The novel, yet, turbulent height of youth and fame.  

A bitter management crisis exacerbated internal conflicts and prolonged the release of a second album by five years. It was an album destined to live in the shadows of its predecessor. The band finally split in 1996 with singer Ian Brown and guitarist John Squire no longer on speaking terms.

Fast-forward 15 years through solo careers and side projects, now The Stone Roses want to recover the missing golden years. Which may not be a bad idea amid the deserted rock scene that they had inspired. Oasis and Blur have been shrouded by group commitment issues that their creative works are not so much to talk about.

Speaking to a press conference after announcing the reunion tour in late 2011, the Roses’ four original members were nostalgic about their place in music history and their troubled past.

“This is a great day for all positive thinkers,” said Ian Brown.

The reunion was a surprise to many given the tension between members. In 2009 Squire was famously quoted saying, “I have no desire whatsoever to desecrate the grave of seminal Manchester pop group The Stone Roses.”

But in Jakarta there was no such desecration. Adoring fans saw the band reunited but by no means reformed. The Roses blasted through hits with a vengeance to atone for a jaded and tumultuous history.

Brown takes pride in his Manchester root. (Courtesy of Flux and Play)Opening with “I Want to be Adored”, Brown was met with a wall of feedback, not from his microphone but from an audience who had waited decades to sing in unison. With a wry smile he gestured madly for his microphone levels to be raised to keep up with the crowd.

Manchester wanderers from all across Indonesia reported for duty to pay one-last homage to the band. Congregating in a forward wing the chants of Old Trafford echoed among the locals clad in Manchester United merchandise.

Brown’s stage presence was as strong as ever despite his age. While leading the band through “Fools Gold” he rotated between a series of bizarre statue poses and expressionless stares.

Jakarta’s humidity visibly took its toll on the band.  At several points in the performance the bassist, Gary “Mani” Mounfield, looked as if he may die of exhaustion and excess perspiration. Brown was quick to wipe the sweat from Mani’s forehead. The bassist, despite all, never missed a beat in the bass heavy set.

Jakarta’s youth pressed together in the heat as the band launched into “Sally Cinnamon”, the catchy tune that paved the way for 90s trends. Older revelers seemed to be lost in nostalgia. They danced alone on the outskirts of the crowd with their own memories.

Of course it wouldn’t be a Stone Roses concert without paying homage to Manchester — the city that made them as a band.

Seizing a large Manchester United flag Brown rushed to the front of the stage to kiss it among Indonesia’s soccer mad fans. It was an encore of sorts as the band’s obvious fatigue led them to retire.

In Jakarta, The Stone Roses were back with a vengeance to correct their ill-fated wrongs and to provide long-awaited closure for their fans.  Whatever their history, there’s no doubting that the group will forever remain a world-class piece of rock history.

The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post.