By Jacqueline David
KUCHING: The Rock In The Jungle (RiTJ) 2.0 festival will be back on Aug 29–30 at the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) here.
A 12,000 crowd is being expected from throughout Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei and Indonesia to throng the festival.
Indonesian rock bands, Gigi and Kotak will kick-off Day One (Aug 29) with high energy performances, along with local Nice Stupid Playground, and Japan’s legendary heavy metal band, Loudness will headline Day Two, along with locals, Fearless, and Breathe in Ocean will round out the six-band roster.
RiTJ 2.0 event administrator, Nur Linda Bara Abdullah, described the festival as more than just a concert.
“It’s a full-on experience set in the lush rainforest of Borneo. The festival blends the raw power of rock with the natural beauty of Sarawak, creating a vibe that’s both electric and earthy,” she said during the launching of Rock in the Jungle concert at Star-on-Stage yesterday.
The event is organised by Authentic Ideas & Events, and supported by the Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Ministry.
RiTJ spokesperson, Zaini Zainuddin said the target audience for this year’s edition is 12,000 people across both days.
“The timing is intentional, we are riding the wave of excitement from the recent Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) to build momentum for this event,” he said.
Organizers are actively promoting the event across borders to create a truly regional celebration of rock music.
Last year’s RiTJ Festival made quite a splash in Sarawak’s music scene.
Held on Dec 28–29, at the Sarawak Cultural Village, it featured a nostalgic and high-energy lineup that blended legendary rock acts with the natural beauty of Borneo’s rainforest setting.
Last year’s rock bands included Sweet Charity, XPDC, Jemson, Criss X, JS Boys, Wings, Edane, Candy, Senseless, and BNB Band.
“This year, we want to entertain the younger crowd, that’s why we brought in bands like Nide Stupid Playground (NSP), I bet some of you grew up with them and they have a strong Sarawakian fanbase,” he said.
He also said that Loudness, Japan’s legendary heavy metal band, didn’t just accept the invitation, they had already expressed interest in performing at the festival last year.
“That’s a huge win for RITJ. Their enthusiasm made it easy for organisers to bring them on board for this year’s edition. They’re not just popular in Asia, fans from Jakarta to the United States have been clamouring for them to perform.
“So having them headline Day Two of RiTJ 2.0 is a major point of pride for Sarawak and a testament to how far the festival has come,” he said.
He also said that it has always been the organiser’s dream that rock has its own platform in Sarawak, and hoping that this event could be a yearly event for rock band music industry.
Tickets are now available online at http://tickets.pergh.asia, priced at RM169 nett per person for a one-day pass, and RM300 nett per person for a two-day pass, with early bird promotions valid until Aug 5.
Ticketing options also include special children’s rates especially for parents who wish to bring their children along, as it’s a family friendly concert, RM88 nett for ages 3-12 and free for under 3, with a potential for a university student’s discount to be announced soon.
For further details, contact Sunil Mohd Faizan, Festival Director (012-8530863); Jacqueline David, PR Agency Afaz Prestige (016-8546251) and Nur Linda Bara Abdullah, Event Administrator (018-9810889).
