Western Front presented a showcase of music from Indonesia represented by the Yes No Wave Music label run by the interdisciplinary artist and producer Wok the Rock. The showcase featured live performances by Gabber Modus Operandi and Rani Jambak, and a DJ set by Wok the Rock.
Based in the Javanese cultural hub Yogyakarta, Yes No Wave Music is an online label and platform to nurture Indonesian artists and promote their activities internationally. Founded by Wok the Rock in 2007, the label is run with a DIY ethos to build a post-capitalist alternative to music industry norms. All music on the label is free to download, distribute, and even remix, reflecting the Indonesian social value of sharing communal resources, and the necessity for artists to develop their activities in spite of nominal government support and funding.
The showcase began with a DJ set by Wok the Rock, followed by a performance by Rani Jambak that layered live vocals with electronic tracks and field recordings. Gabber Modus Operandi closed the evening with an hour-long set that featured strobe lights, fog, and lasers—some of which were emitted by a pair of gloves worn by duo member Ican Harem.
Prior to arriving at Western Front, the showcase was presented by Debaser, Ottawa; Arts in the Margins, Montréal; The Music Gallery, Toronto; and Send + Receive Festival, Winnipeg.
The concerts were accompanied by a screening of video works by Natasha Tontey and Riar Rizaldi in the Grand Luxe Hall during gallery operating hours.
Presented with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Canada, and SOCAN Foundation.
Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.
We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.
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