Setting Off Fireworks, Lost Passports And More: Cobra Take On Indonesian

In September, Cobra and our best buds Devil’s Crossroad toured the East Java region of Indonesia, playing eight shows in seven cities. The tour was presented by Herman Bimz of Whiplash Records, who has toured Drunk Mums, Kaleidoscope, Hoon and Mangrove Jack. Cobra is Yanni Apostolidis and me. While Devils Crossroad is Nathan Dior and Stefan Metzgar. Kyle Clarke plays bass in both and Nathan’s girlfriend, Rosie, came with us for the adventure.

In Surabaya we met Herman, his wife Upii, and our driver Flip Flop. Our first place of rest in Jombang was also the venue for the next day - a rad joint called Rushmini Studio. When we arrived Kyle, Yanni and I rushed into the studio, rum in hand and jammed until 2am. Later we found ourselves sitting on the floor with the locals, drinking, smoking, learning basic Javanese, and testing the local alcohol. In Indonesia alcohol is rarely sold, the locals who drink brew their own spirit called Arrah. Yanni got absolutely smashed, exclaiming he only wanted to pay for the van in Egyptian money, vomiting on the front porch, and then passing out. The next day we went to a water park that had just opened. It was awesome chilling out and riding water slides. After meeting the pool staff, I gave them a Devil’s Crossroad EP to play over the PA at the park. They played it on repeat all day!

A Nirvana cover band and a Hatebreed cover band opened our first show. The room was modest, housing 25 people, and it was ungodly hot. Yanni, Kyle and I were drenched with sweat. The floor was tiled, and the drums were sliding around the floor in my own fluids while locals physically held the bass drum in place. Devils Crossroad had the crowd singing along, swaying and dancing. Nathan used a keyboard live which he has seldom done before. After the show we drove to Wates where we stayed at one of Herman’s friends’ houses.

We spent the following day on Mt Kelud, a 2.5km summit accessible only by scooter or motorbike due to the ridiculous amount of pot holes. It was an amazing sight with winding roads, and astounding forested ridges. Nathan and Kyle took their guitars, and we had a little jam session with a practice amp on the mountain top.

Our first show that night was at Dayak Café, a bohemian venue with dirt flooring and bamboo construction. We co-headlined a ten band bill and there was a tonne of diversity with funk, pop punk, metal, hardcore and even a Blink-182 cover band supporting. The crowd were wild, jumping, dancing and stage-diving.

Devil’s Crossroad were well received, inciting a circle pit. It was late when Cobra played the final set but there was a dedicated bunch who really got into it. Afterwards we ate and moved to the next venue for a late night show.

The Royal Club was a last-minute addition to the tour. We rocked up and there were Indonesian bangers playing. We had a bottle of brandy and beers delivered to our booth while Devil’s Crossroad played. People invaded the stage to pour entire long necks down Nathan’s throat as he played.

Cobra were about to perform when I realised there was no double bass pedal, which I use heavily. I improvised the set with a single pedal, modifying the arrangements on the fly. Funnily, Yanni liked some parts better with the single pedal.

In Kediri, we played at Warehouse 35. The venue was awesome, and the backline was impressive. Cobra had one of our best sets of the tour here. People lost their minds, sweating, attempting to crowd surf and falling over each other.

The next day in Blitar we relaxed and explored the markets. Nathan bought a traditional mask, I bought an Indonesian flute and Yanni bought a strange instrument which he broke two days later.

The venue in Blitar was called Rumah Rimbah, translating to Jungle House. It was super grimy and people sat on the floor. One of the supports were unbelievable, a heavy three-piece called Octopus. The drummer was 13 years old and a god damn prodigy. They became my favourite Indonesian band. Devil’s Crossroad had a great set; the locals flicked the light switch on and off to create a strobe effect. The atmosphere during Cobra’s set was intense and our chemistry strong. It was the first show where it sunk in that this was having an effect on people.

En route to Malang I realised my passport was gone. Convinced I left it at the venue, we turned around to look for it, but no one with access was still awake. After turning the van inside out and attempting to scale the two-meter-tall gate topped with spikes, someone came through, but the passport was nowhere to be seen. Uncertain about what happened we continued to Malang while brainstorming a contingency plan; we would wait until the morning to see if anyone had picked it up. If not, we would report it to the police, and see if the embassy could mail a replacement passport to one of the next cities. We arrived in Malang as the sun was coming up.

I was on the phone to the embassy for most of the next day. My flight home was in seven days, and it would take ten to issue a new passport. Alternatively, I could get an emergency travel document, but I would have to visit the embassy in person with a police report. The kicker was that Malang is 9-hours away from the embassy. I was hoping that travel insurance would cover the cost of the ETD. That night we bathed in natural volcanic hot springs. It was lit by the moon and we had the place to ourselves. Some of us got naked and we had brought rum and beers, staying until we were drunk and our fingers pruned.  

In the morning I jumped on a motorbike with Herman to the police station. The whole process took three hours, but it was cool smoking a cigarette in a police station, like in an '80s detective movie. A police officer even asked me if I was single, and for a photo together. Herman crafted a story that he and I studied together in Adelaide (neither of us hold a degree) and that after we graduated I had come over to visit.

We met back up with the tour party and Herman’s little brothers. Purchasing $100 worth of fireworks we drove up to the top of a mountain. We had a blast shooting them off of the precipice; giggling and running for cover as we let them off. All of Malang could be seen below, shining beautifully. We weren’t able to resist buying all of the biggest fireworks and the sense of accomplishment was high.

The next night we performed in Malang. I made plans to fly to the embassy the following day to get an ETD. With one flight from Malang to Denpasar per day I would have to spend the night in Bali, visit the embassy in the morning and fly straight to Surabaya right before catching a bus to Tuban in time for the next show. This is when Kyle found my passport in his bag. The Houtenhand Beerhouse in Malang had a bar on ground level, stairs up to the band room and a ladder to the third floor rooftop. We hadn’t drunk beer for almost a week so we purchased a five litre tower and obliterated it. The support band were finishing up, so I jumped downstairs to check them out the room was packed wall to wall so we were in for a good show.

Excitedly we took the stage. Tearing into our set and it was easily the tightest we had played for the whole tour. A local was chilling by the wall next to me smoking as we played. Yanni was introducing a song when he lit one up and handed it to me. I ended up playing the whole thing while smoking a cigarette. As we played Yanni and Kyle were yanked from the stage and into the crowd, where a crazy mosh pit started. It was miraculous Yanni didn’t miss a note whilst barging into Javanese rockers, guitar in hand. We climbed the ladder, saturated in post-show sweat to see Nathan wearing a cheeky grin. Turns out Rosie had met some guys from Borneo while drawing in her art book who had brought Lucy with them to Indonesia. They had already introduced her to Rosie and Nathan so Yanni, Kyle and I met her too. Devil’s Crossroad performed a career defining set where Nathan was lifted into the audience to play guitar while crowd surfing.

"Moonlight reflected from murky water as trucks tore past on the adjacent highway."

Afterwards Yanni, Kyle and I hung out with one the members of Pronks at their house. A bluesy stoner outfit similar to the now defunct Graveyard. We listened to music and ‘developed a hunger’ while discussing what it’s like to live in our respective homelands. We went back to the venue after and hung out with the owner, learning that Houtenhand was one of the only places in East Java that was LGBTQI friendly.

Woles café in Tuban had a seated audience. It was comical and interesting at the same time. Devil’s Crossroad powered through their set with Nathan pausing to bring out a birthday cake for Rosie, There was a particularly powerful energy at this show so we gave it our all when Cobra played.

We were staying in a dilapidated building with mattresses on the floor next door to the venue. Yanni had ensured we could spend time with Lucy again, so Herman, Upii, Yanni, Kyle and I went to the seaside while the others stayed back. It wasn’t your typical beach; there was a stone ledge looking out over a dock, and moonlight reflected from murky water as trucks tore past on the adjacent highway. Locals from the show were waiting for us when we arrived. Kyle brought the practice amp so he and Yanni had a jam session with them while I chatted with Herman.

Returning before sunrise, we napped before an early start. That morning we took Rosie to the airport so she could get home in time for work. Saying out goodbyes we then drove to Pasuruan for our final show of the tour.

The show was held at Orgi Studios, and it was well attended. The band room was a heated death pit that reminded of a roman bath house. We had become semi accustomed to the temperature but this was hands down the hottest show of the tour. I didn’t stop sweating for the entire duration of the set.

We warmed the crowd into a frenzy by the time Devil’s Crossroad hit the stage. I’m surprised no one cracked their skull open. At one point I was standing on the elevated ledge when a pair of arms wrap themselves around my shoulders and neck, as a Javanese dude swings off of me like a fucking monkey.

Later we got shisha at a nearby café and before heading to our accommodation. We spent the following day at a freshwater lake with amazing clear water, and a tree roughly twelve metres tall that you could climb and jump out of. It was the perfect way to wind down and relax after the tour, swimming, drinking coffee and eating noodles. As day turned to night we visited an exciting new space that would open in the coming months; a café/live music venue/artist space that will become a thriving hub for culture.

It’s exciting knowing we can play there when we return. Stefan and I flew out at 5am, while Yanni, Kyle and Nathan flew at 8pm that evening. We parted ways knowing we will tour with Herman again in the future.