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Weekly 5: The swinging hotspots of yesteryear
With 1,799 entertainment businesses, dozens of shopping malls and thousands of restaurants sprawling across the city, it is easy to find a place to hang out with dates or friends in Jakarta today
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Bioskop Metropole: (JP) (JP)
W
ith 1,799 entertainment businesses, dozens of shopping malls and thousands of restaurants sprawling across the city, it is easy to find a place to hang out with dates or friends in Jakarta today.
The options were more limited back in the 1970s and 1980s, but the hype surrounding the venues back then still lingers in the memory of Jakartans who will celebrate the city's 486th anniversary this weekend.
Here are five of the most 'happening' places for young people back in the days.
Dance clubs
The successful American dance flick Saturday Night Fever influenced young Jakartans who would go wild on the dance floor in the 1970s.
Andre Syahreza mentioned in his book The Innocent Rebel: The Weird Side of Jakartans some popular clubs in the city at that time, such as the Oriental in the Hilton Hotel (now The Sultan Hotel) in South Jakarta, Le Mirage in the Sahid Hotel in Central Jakarta and Manhattan in the Horison Hotel in North Jakarta.
Other popular spots were Stardust on Jl. Gajah Mada in West Jakarta and Ebony in Kuningan.
Artha Bangun, a former deejay with Prambors Radio in Jakarta, said back then young people only went to discotheques located in their own neighborhoods.
'The clubbers were split into two groups, namely Kota kids, who went to nightclubs in West Jakarta, and South kids, who went to nightclubs in South Jakarta. They were reluctant to hang out together,' he told The Jakarta Post.
Roller discos
There was a time when roller skating was a big draw in the capital city. The youngsters with wealthy parents would have their own roller skates, while others would willingly rent ones. Artha said the most popular places to visit were Lipstick and Happy Days Disco Skate in Blok M, South Jakarta.
'There would be disco music to enliven the place. Unlike a square ice skating rink, the roller-disco was rectangular-shaped,' he said.
Amusement park
Families and young people would have fun in the now defunct Taman Ria Remaja in Senayan, Central Jakarta, which was built in 1970 in order to curtail the escalating rebelliousness of the city's youth.
The facilities included small trains, a merry-go-round and some music performances. Those going out on dates who wanted to enjoy some time together usually hired a swan boat on the man-made lake or just sat in the shade of trees.
Bioskop Metropole: (JP)
Movie theater
The legendary Bioskop Metropole will always be in the hearts of long-time movie lovers. The heritage building that was built in 1932 previously had a Dutch name ' Bioscoop Metropool. It was changed into Bioskop Megaria in 1960s. The cinema was renamed Metropole XXI in 2008.
Another cinema that was popular in the 1980s was the Teater Kartika Candra on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta. Today, it is known as Hollywood KC.
Street action
Before the mushrooming of shopping malls and street cafes, young Jakartans in the 1980s liked to hang out on Jl. Melawai Raya in South Jakarta and spend their afternoons parked along the street.
'They would show off their cool cars and make fashion statements from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. It was the time for them to see and be seen,' Artha said. ' JP
