This video essay offers an unfiltered look into Jakarta's music scene through cellphone footage of one of its most familiar faces. The montage of Jakarta stage vibes invites you to be immersed in the sensory overload and emotional resonance of attending music gigs.

If you had access to the cellphone memory of a person who is so immersed within the local music scene, what would you see?

This short video essay is a montage depicting the vibrant Jakarta music scene shot through Anida Bajumi’s own cell phone, compiled from the countless hours she spent intertwined in the very fabric of the scene. One of the most celebrated bass players in Jakarta, Anida also spent a lot of her time in Rossi Music, a legendary venue in South Jakarta owned by her family.

The hallowed halls of the beloved establishment have witnessed the greatness of local and international acts, as shown in the intimate, unfiltered glimpse into this world, seen through Anida’s lens. These are the explosions of sound, the sweat and exhilaration of the crowd, the unvarnished authenticity of live music experienced up close.

The raw, captivating footage of the fleeting moments captured at small-scale concerts are masterfully put together by Robonggo. Another important player in the Jakarta music scene, Robonggo makes time in between his day job as a video editor to organize shows with his collective, Paguyuban Crowd Surf.

Accompanying this visual diary is a compelling excerpt from Dymussaga's poignant short essay, «Blooming Through Concrete». This narrative, also a stand-alone part of this series, provides a unique first-person perspective, immersing you in the sensory overload and emotional resonance of attending a gig at Rossi Music. The text is read as a voiceover by Gisela Swaragita and recorded by Dania Joedo.

The text and the videos together paint a vivid, multifaceted portrait of a music scene that truly thrives, blooming resiliently, through the hard concrete that is Jakarta’s chaotic megapolis.