The online concert, supported by IT companies Citraweb and Citranet, will feature live music and a reunion talk with past crew and managers, as well as a collaboration with Yogyakartan rap unit NDX and German reggae artist Dr. Ring Ding.

Shaggydog will play a total of 12 songs in the two-hour concert. 

“We will also play new songs from our upcoming album,” Shaggydog vocalist Heru told the press during an online press conference on Thursday. “The original plan was actually to launch the album at our 23^rd birthday party, but due to the pandemic we have had to postpone the album's release.”

The pandemic has also affected their schedule as performing artists, with shows in Japan and Kalimantan as well as a book release being postponed.

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“We were scheduled to play in Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo in Japan in March, but we've postponed the concerts to November. We hope the situation is already normal by then,” Heru said. 

“This online concert is to welcome the new normal, or maybe the new crazy, which is more fitting,” Shaggydog bassist Bandizt said with a humorous note.

Tickets for the 23LOAD Concert are available on the band's official website until June 27 with prices starting from Rp 40,000 (US$2.81). A gold ticket priced at Rp 200,000 includes a T-shirt and CD, while the Rp 500,000 diamond ticket includes a T-shirt, CD and special action figure made in collaboration with visual artist Arya Pandjalu.

Founded in 1997 in Yogyakarta, Shaggydog blends influences from reggae, ska and jazz musicians such as Cherry Poppin Daddies, Hepcat, Bob Marley and Song Beach Dub Allstars.

With six studio albums under their belt and hit singles such as “Sayidan” and “Kembali Berdansa”, Shaggydog is known as one of the busiest bands in the country, with regular tour dates. The band has also toured the Netherlands and Australia and performed at the renowned South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in the United States in 2016. (wng)