T

he progressive-metal band Dream Theater will rock the stage in Yogyakarta this weekend.

Rajawali Indonesia Communication, the promoter of the 2017 JogjaRockarta International Music Festival, which is scheduled to run on Sept. 29 and 30, has relocated the concert venue from Prambanan temple complex back to Kridosono Stadium in Kotabaru, Yogyakarta.

The change was made after concerns, including those from the Association of Indonesia Archeologists (IAAI), that the noise level of the concert could damage the 9th century Hindu temple.

“We decide to change the venue because we don’t want the international concert to create a bad image [for Indonesia and Yogyakara] due to the polemics,” Rajawali Indonesia Communication CEO Anas Syahrul Alimi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. “We hope it would, instead, make them proud.”

In their initial Prambanan plan, the promoter, according to Anas, had actually obtained permits from the directorate general of culture at the Culture and Education Ministry, PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, the management of Prambanan and Ratu Joko temples.

During a meeting to present their proposal to hold the event in the temple complex, the officials, who were accompanied by 15 experts, including archeologists, gave the concert the green light.

But, on Tuesday, IAAI issued a statement urging the government and temple management to revoke the permits. The archeologist association also called on Rajawali Indonesia Communication to relocate the venue as the concert could harm the temple’s preservation efforts.

In its arguments, IAAI chairman Djuwita S. Ramelan cited a study by the Borobudur Conservation Team into the 2017 Prambanan Jazz Festival, another festival organized by the Rajawali Indonesia Communication last month, that revealed that the level of noise at the time of the festival had exceeded the normal limit of 60 decibels (dB).

“I suppose [the protest] is because rock music is associated with loud noise,” Anas said.

“But we have previously made adjustments, including adjusting the decibel and noise levels [to prevent any damages to the temple], as requested by the directorate general of culture,”

The promoter, who has spearheaded the Prambanan Jazz Festival for the last three years, said there were no resistance from local residents because such international events could help them financially.

As of Wednesday, the promoter had completed 70 percent of the concert’s infrastructure and stage at the Prambanan complex.

However, Anas refused to reveal the losses resulting from the relocation, saying that they “are now focusing on how the concert can be successful and make Indonesia and Yogyakarta proud.

“The benefit will be bigger than the losses,” he added.

On some social media platforms, like Facebook, the promoter immediately issued a public apology to all stakeholders for the inconvenience caused by the relocation.

The fans have supported us and they completely understand the situation, Anas said.

But some expressed their disappointment on Twitter.

Beside United States-based Dream Theatre, who will be the main act at the 2017 JogjaRockarta, the event is also set to entertain fans with other famous bands including Godbless, Power Metal, Roxx, Pad Band, Burgerkill, Death Vomit, Something Wrong and Kelompok Penerbang.