NONGKRONG: AN INDONESIAN FOOD AND MUSIC FESTIVAL IN MELBOURNE

Text and images courtesy of Nongkrong

An All-Star Lineup oOf Australian-Indonesian Artists and Chefs : 29 January – 3 February 2024

Nongkrong Festival proudly presents a series of immersive events to celebrate the rich tapestry of Indonesia and diaspora culture. Brought to life by Indonesian-Australian siblings Moira and Darryl Tirtha alongside a team of Indonesian creatives, Nongkrong will take over a number of inner-Naarm dining establishments (Florian, Cam’s Kiosk, Julie Restaurant, Hope Street Radio) over the week to host pop-up food events, culminating in a day party at Collingwood Yards with an all-Indonesian music line-up curated by Sophie McAlister.

The week kicks o on Monday 29/01 with a sambal workshop with Rosheen Kaul. At Florian on Wednesday 31/1, Nongkrong will collaborate with Anne Hasegawa to bring Tare Kacang, a walk-in, izakaya warung mashup pop-up serving sate and yakitori. On Thursday 1/02, Ayu Saraswati and Dora Mazzeo bring WARUNG DORAYU to Cam’s Kiosk to accompany a panel discussing ‘Who gets to cook Indonesian food?’.

To close the festival, Aldwin Hidayat and Dennis Yong will bring a long lunch of experimental Indonesian plates to Hope Street Radio on Saturday 3/02 before a day party at Collingwood Yards Courtyard kicks o with diverse and distinct Indonesian sounds.

Presented by Zipblind

Komang (Rosie Clynes) will perform live at the Saturday day party, blending groove and neo-soul with Balinese spirit. Her influences, ranging from trip-hop, electronica, and 2000s R&B to sindhenan (Javanese court singing), gamelan, and Indonesian folk-pop, will shape the performance. Following her, Rino (Rino Darusman) will present his brand of electronic music that conveys deep human emotions, providing a visceral experience through vast melodic textures.

From mid-afternoon, DJ’s will take over the space. Flying in from Bandung, Indonesia, Munir will fuse Indonesian vibes with futuristic beats, crafting an irresistible, dance-worthy atmosphere for the golden hour. Taking us into the night, Sophie McAlister will showcase her immaculate taste, equally comfortable in the realms of house and disco as she is in the sounds of jungle, bass, and techno. Sonic storyteller Bayu will close o this musical odyssey.

Shopie | Munir | Bayu | Komang | Rino

While dancing, dancers will be kept hydrated with Indonesian-inspired cocktails and non-alcohol beverages. You can trust you’ll be well-fed during the festival as the team pulls together a community bain-marie full of Indonesian dishes from Melbourne’s best Indonesian restaurants and the Indonesian diaspora. The festival will also include a market stall with merch and other products from Indonesian makers.