Vocalist Jónsi Birgisson (left) and drummer Orri Páll Dýrason on the stylized Jakarta stage.

Jakarta finally witnessed the Icelandic art-rock phenomenon that is Sigur Rós.

The number of international bands that have graced Jakarta stages over the past several months is extremely high. Lots of bands representing various genres now consider Jakarta as an important stop in the region. In Sigur Rós' case, it took years for the band to finally make it to Indonesia.

When it finally did on May 10, Istora Senayan was cut down by nearly half to make room for an artistic stage, which left almost no space for the festival section. Around 4,000 people attended the concert.

Some hardcore Indonesian fans saw the band perform in Singapore and Malaysia last November. But many local fans still came to the Jakarta concert.

Despite the pricey tickets, Rp 950,000 (about US$100), more expensive than tickets in Singapore last year, excited fans stood in line for hours prior to the show. Items at the official merchandise booth sold out around 7 p.m., while the concert itself started at 9 p.m.

'I've been listening to Sigur Rós since 2004 or 2005. It was love at first sight,' said Rendie Febrian who traveled from Bogor, 40 kilometers away from southern Jakarta, to attend the show.

That night, Sigur Rós performed 15 songs from their catalogue, which includes international hits such as 'Hoppípolla', 'Popplagið' and 'Sæglópur'. The band also performed its new single 'Kveikur'.

Original members of the band ' Jónsi Birgisson, Georg Hólm and Orri Páll Dýrason ' all performed with the help of a few additional musicians. The band didn't interact much with the crowd other than when they said 'thank you' during the concert that lasted two hours. But its music spoke louder.

Bassist Georg Hólm (left) and Birgisson.
'[The concert] was great. I got really excited. The best part was Jónsi's voice, it's such a naked instrument, it should be rated XXX,' said Mikael Johani, a poet who picked the band's song 'Vaka' for his wedding song.

Sadness is the arsenal of the band's rock sound, an immense melancholy that treks with distilled guitar distortion and Birgisson's falsetto. The other-worldly feel of its music builds mystical bond with their audience.

Sigur Rós does not sing in English, it sings in its own language, which why Birgisson did not put too much effort into making himself more popular or accessible to fans. So, it is quite strange how it has managed to maintain a good relationship with the fans.

Ildo Hasman, who has seen Sigur Rós perform live six times now, said this show in Jakarta has by far been his favorite.

'The show was better than the one in Singapore. I didn't expect Istora Senayan to be such a beautiful host. The visuals and stage design were brilliant. Everything was having a good concept,' said IIdo.

 ' Photos courtesy of I Gede Adhiputra