Indonesia`s capital has opened one of the world`s biggest jazz festivals, with up to 80,000 visitors expected to cheer 220 local and international acts over three days, organisers say.
|Last Updated: Mar 07, 2009, 11:42 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Jakarta, March 07: Indonesia`s capital has opened one of the world`s biggest jazz festivals, with up to 80,000 visitors expected to cheer 220 local and international acts over three days, organisers say.
Any concerns over the impact of the global financial crisis on the 5th annual Java Jazz festival appear to have been misplaced, with some visitors complaining about the crowds at Friday`s festival launch.
"It`s the renowned jazz artists that are on the line-up," said Dinesh Sharma, 28, a Malaysian music fan who flew in from Kuala Lumpur to attend the event.
This year`s line up includes international acts like Jason Mraz, Laura Fygi, Dianne Reeves, Swing Out Sister and Brian McKnight, as well as 150 local acts.
The chaotic Indonesian capital is not usually known for hosting many major concerts or other events, and some visitors complained of difficulties getting to the venue in a city notorious for bad traffic and little public transport.
"There are too many people, I had to go round and round one-and-a-half hours before I found parking, but the artists they offer were great," said local fan Yulvia Suman at a performance by Matt Bianco.
The festival is spread over 19 stages with 70-80 performances a day in the cavernous Jakarta Convention Centre.
The price of a three-day pass that excludes many of the international acts is 850,000 rupiah (USD 70.89), prohibitive for many in a country where millions live on less than USD 2 a day.
"The appetite is amazing. We didn`t expect it," said Eki Puradiredja, the festival`s programme coordinator.
He dismissed concerns over security. Indonesia has been hit by bombings by Islamist militants in the capital and in Bali but there have been no major attacks for more than three years.
Another Malaysian fan, Martin Dass, praised the festival.
"I`ve been coming here since 2005 (and it) never fails," he said. "To put all this sound together and there are so many bands. It`s awesome."
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.