Concert Recap: Reality Club Present Indonesian Indie to Brooklyn
Friday night’s show in Brooklyn has been a long time coming for Reality Club. The Indonesian indie quartet was previously due in the U.S. for their first North American tour back in 2020 but were postponed due to COVID. This month saw them finally embark on that tour, hitting cities across the U.S. and Canada and closing it out with one packed night at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg.
The “Reality Club” Club
Made up of four members – vocalist and pianist Fathia Izzati, vocalist and guitarist Faiz Novascotia Saripudin, bassist Nugi Wicaksono, and drummer Era Patigo Rizky – the band is touring in support of their most recent release, 2023’s Reality Club Presents… Fans were treated to a dynamic set including the entirety of Reality Club Presents… alongside hits from 2019’s What Do You Really Know? and debut album Never Get Better.
Deftly swinging between highs and lows, Reality Club (accompanied by touring guitarist Gerry Roithart) turned the Music Hall of Williamsburg into their own club for the night. Whipping into a red-light bathed frenzy for rock-heavy “My Arrowhead Man” and “All Along All Things Were Wrong,” they were still able to pivot into the mid-tempo. Swaying in the dotted reflections of the venue’s disco ball, they crooned “I Wish I Was Your Joke,” with ease.
The middle of the set slowed in tempo and feel, introducing some of Reality Club’s more somber heartbreak songs like “You Let Her Go Again” and “A Sorrowful Reunion.” The latter, explained guitarist Faiz Novascotia Saripudin, is about seeing the person you thought you would be with forever after a long time separated. It’s not all power ballads, as they brought energy back up quickly with the slick guitar based “The Ultimate Rush” and dance-worthy, indie pop “Telenovia.”
Goddess Rockstars
Their artful skill at moving between genres within their set is clearly part of their draw as a group, as fans danced gleefully during upbeat songs and gently rocked and joined hands to the softer tracks. But it’s not the only part.
Fans turned out for the community Reality Club offers. While many in the crowd were Indonesian themselves, a fair number were not, having discovered the band through streaming platform algorithms. Yet the band welcomed everyone with open arms, with bassist Nugi Wicaksono sagely dubbing everyone in attendance into their exclusive fan club of “goddess rockstars.” “It’s very easy to join,” he joked, “all you have to do to be a goddess rockstar is come to a Reality Club show. So now you’re all goddess rockstars!”
It’s a bit of banter between band and fans, but it’s also a representation of how Reality Club treats their fans: there’s no barrier to enjoying their music. There’s no fan club fees or gatekeeping – if you’re there to see them, you’re in the club.
And it’s a fun club to be a part of. The previously mentioned disco ball spun overhead, while members encouraged fans to join in the hand choreo for the bubbly “Am I Bothering You?” Singer Fathia Izzati even handed the mic into the audience a few times, allowing a lucky fan named Simon to sing a few verses for her. There was dancing, singing, a brief moment of Saripudin sitting on the edge of the stage to sing to fans, and maybe even a few tears. Reality Club may have had their initial tour delayed, but they’ve built a community of fans more than willing to wait for them.
On The Rise
Reality Club are rising stars in the scene, bagging themselves two AMI (Anugerah Musik Indonesia) awards last year for Best Alternative Album and Best Alternative Group. Their U.S. tour was preceded by an Asia tour with stops in Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines, as well as a planned stint at SXSW (which they pulled out from in support of Palestine and in protest of SXSW’s partnership with the U.S. Army).
Sonically, they slot right into the current alt rock scene. Saripudin’s voice holds the same deep, smooth tone as the likes of Alex Turner, while Izzati’s bright charisma and vocal prowess put her squarely in the company of other rock frontwomen like Hayley Willaims and Karen O. Their discography is an impressive quality for its size, with each of their three albums being strong, distinctive pieces of work.
Though there is no news currently of what is next for the band, based on their performance and albums, one can only assume it’s only up from here for Reality Club.
For updates on the band, follow Reality Club on Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify.
Want more concert reviews? Check out our recap of Palestinian rapper Odetari’s NYC show here!
