Tarko Sudiarno

The Prambanan Jazz Festival returned to the Prambanan Temple Compounds in Yogyakarta, Central Java, coming in with more vigor than ever in its fifth year.

The highly anticipated music festival managed to attract over 50,000 attendees, around 60 percent of whom were visitors from other regions and neighboring countries.

This year’s festival was also crowded with millennials. In attempt to appeal to the younger generation, the latest iteration of the Prambanan Jazz Festival showcased a series of performances that struck a delicate balance between the modern and the traditional.

Prambanan temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, looked stunning in the background of the jazz festival’s colorful stage. The lights that illuminated the Trimurti, Siwa, Wisnu and Brahma temples juxtaposed with the stage in the foreground, making for a striking sight in the evening.

Every artist in the festival line-up seemed proud to be performing at such an iconic location. The first day of the festival was headlined by musicians with strong millennial appeal, such as the Jogja Hip Hop Foundation, Hanin Dhiya, Sisitipsi, Mexican pianist Alex Mercado, Calabby, Ardhito Pramono, Tashoora, Calvin Jeremy, Danila, Gamaliel Audrey Cantika and English singer-songwriter Calum Scott.

The second and third days were also similarly decked with renowned national and international artists, including Glenn Fredly, Ari Lasso, Maliq n D’Essentials, Anggun C. Sasmi, Tulus and Greek composer Yanni.

This festival, organized by concert promoter Rajawali Indonesia, attracted so many people that it caused traffic congestion around Yogyakarta. It would seem that traffic management should be on the event organizer’s list of priorities for the next festival. (rfa)