On September 30, 2023, a historic event occurred at the Kridosono Stadium in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia. Jogjarockarta 2023 marked the first visit of the renowned Thrash Metal band Overkill to Southeast Asia.
Metalheads from various parts of Java and other Indonesian islands and neighbouring countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Timor Leste eagerly attended the concert.
Umar R and the MetalTalk team welcomed Overkill to Indonesia at their hotel. The next morning, we accompanied the band to the venue for setup and sound check. Later, we had a unique experience being backstage for the evening show.
After a long journey from the USA across three continents, Overkill arrived at their hotel in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Three fans were waiting for them, greeting them with gifts and some Overkill vinyl to be signed.
Two of the fans, Bee and Rangsarit from Bangkok, had made a special trip to meet and watch Overkill perform. Bee had been waiting for 35 years for this opportunity to be able to meet Overkill. He expressed joy, saying, “It’s a dream come true.”
The plan was for Overkill to set up their equipment at the Kridosono Stadium at noon. However, only drummer Jason and his crew were able to arrive on time. Bobby, DD, and Dave were waiting for equipment that hadn’t yet arrived from Singapore.
It’s worth noting that only four members of Overkill went to Indonesia, as guitarist Derek Tailer was still taking care of his house and family following a recent storm in his area. After everything was sorted out, Overkill completed their soundcheck later in the afternoon.
That evening, Overkill performed an 11-song set in Jogjarockarta. They entered the stage to rapturous applause and kept an elated crowd happy in an exciting and boisterous one-hour show. You can see Overkill in their tent behind the stage in the photos below.
You can also see, above, what Bobby does when he takes a quick break behind Dave’s gear while the show is happening. Additionally, you can see the crew and technicians who are always ready during the show.
That night, Overkill fulfilled the desires of Indonesian Metalheads. Fans had been waiting for a long time, and finally, their dreams came true. One item on their bucket list was successfully accomplished.
Overkill took Jogjarockarta by storm at one of Indonesia’s best rock and Metal festivals. The closing performance was delivered by Sepultura, leaving a lasting impression.
The day also featured high-energy performances from Iron Voltage, BIP, Delusive Purit (Tribute to Rotor), and Slank (feat. Bongky and Pay). MetalTalk would like to express gratitude to Jogjarockarta, particularly Anas Alimi, and Overkill, especially Jason Bittner.
How many people had the joy of see them in this festival?