Legendary US metal band Dream Theater has decided to take their head-banging rock music away from an ancient stone-based architectural site for an upcoming concert in Indonesia.
The band, who is currently touring Asia as part of their “Images, Words & Beyond” 25th anniversary tour, had planned to play a couple of shows in Jogjakarta on September 29 and 30. Their initial venue of choice was the world famous Prambanan temple compound, one of only four cultural sites in Indonesia to feature on UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list.
However, that prospect of a heavy metal show being played at the pleasingly juxtapositional backdrop of the serene Hindu temples was soon dashed after Indonesian archaeologists filed an official complaint about the concert’s choice of venue.
In a letter signed by the Association of Indonesian Archaeological Experts (IAAI) on Tuesday, as picked up by Detik, the group voiced their strong concerns about the concert from a religious sanctity point of view, as well as including their observation that a jazz festival held at Prambanan last month caused sonic vibrations that could have damaged the temples.
Despite assurances from Education and Cultural Minister Muhadjir Effendy that the concert would not damage the temples, Dream Theater and the concert promoters today announced on Facebook that they are moving the show to Kridosono Stadium in the heart of the city of Jogjakarta.
“Even though this is out of the band’s control, we are very disappointed to not be playing in what would have been a beautiful and iconic setting at the Prambanan Heritage Temple. The shows are still going to rock though and we look forward to seeing all of you real soon!” reads a statement from the band.
Another potential cultural pitfall Dream Theater needs to avoid is holding up another modified version of the Indonesian flag, which is illegal and almost got them investigated by the police after they held one up the last time they played in Jakarta in 2014
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