Summer’s just around the corner, which means it’s festival season! We’re stoked to announce that we will be performing live at the 12th Annual Summer Meltdown Festival on Saturday, August 10th. So pack your camping gear and head up to the Whitehorse Mountain Amphitheater just outside Darrington, Washington to rock with us between a majestic mountain and a raging river. If you need any info regarding this year’s festival, check out the official website. See you there!

Last Thursday we joined our braddahs from The Black Seeds (New Zealand) on stage at The Crocodile to a packed house. A packed house of 500+ that was by far the loudest audience since we rocked Showbox at the Market with Katchafire (also from New Zealand!) back in July 2010. Check out this video of “Love You Better” shot by the homie Charlie Mostow and request it on the radio in Hawai’i!

93.1 Da Pa’ina (Honolulu) 808-296-9393 REQUEST ONLINE
Native FM (Hilo/Kona) 808-969-6888
Q103 (Maui) 808-877-0103
Island 98.9 (Kauai) 808-246-4444

At the end of March we were invited by Highline High School in Burien to perform an intimate show for a select group of their students. After the show we talked story with the diverse group for an hour about all sorts of topics, ranging from “how did you (such an unusual group of guys) all meet and start a band together?” to “who in the band got into the most trouble in high school?” to “what made you choose reggae?”

It was a dynamic, progressive, and enlightening conversation, with a predominant message to the students of never being afraid to embrace the struggle and commit to a strong work ethic to pursue their dreams. When Owuor told them that if they keep their minds and actions focused on their passion and realize that failure is all part of the path to success “one day you’ll all be bosses,” there was a huge uproar of applause from the students. They got the message.

Note to educators: Kore Ionz are committed to working in the schools and building community today’s youth leaders. Hit us at booking@koreionz.com if you’re interested in bringing us out to your school!

ASAP is an Indonesian rock band signed to Michelin Records with classic rock, progressive rock, and metal influences. They are some of the most talented musicians I’ve ever met and also some of the most humble. They will be coming to Seattle in July to record two singles which members of the Kore Ionz team will help to produce. Known for perpetuating the angklung, a traditional bamboo instrument from West Java, their music is powerful and uplifting.

Hanging out with ASAP at the Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta.

Nasi padang spot near Michelin Studios. You sit down, they bring you a small plate of EVERYTHING they make, and they charge you only for what you eat. Lots of chili, lots of coconut milk, and lots of offal!

On the very last night, Pak Michelin took us to Score! for one last celebration. Just minutes after I sit down, the cover band on the gigantic stage calls me (by name) onto the stage to do a couple songs. After singing “No Woman No Cry,” and “Redemption Song,” I get off the stage and a man named Umar Lubis comes over to say hi. I find out later he’s a pretty famous movie star in Indonesia. What a trip. Can’t wait to see you again Jakarta. Now for 25 straight hours of travel back to Seattle…

Performing “Belltown” at the third annual Kediri Reggae Jamboree.

Den Basito, my new friend, and a hero of the youth in his village just outside of Kediri. A great leader in the Kediri reggae community who welcomed me onto the stage at the festival. Taught me a lot about the culture and the language. Will definitely be keeping in touch with him.

Talking story with the bassist of the band that backed me at the festival. On the far right is Pak Michelin, the owner of Michelin Records that brought me out to Indonesia. If you’re wondering, “Pak” is a prefix used before someone’s name that means “Mister.” So my name in Indonesia is Pak Pak.

Ducks on motorcycles. On the way back to Surabaya airport.

Performing with Uncle Reggae on the second night at Wapres, which is known to be a stepping stone for future Indonesian stars. Some very popular bands here have debuted on this humble stage. Very strong and supportive music community here in Jakarta. It’s not uncommon to see big stars sitting in with young bands to help motivate them.

T-shirt exchange after the show with Uncle Reggae.

Signing promotional CDs outside Wapres on the way to the next venue. These braddahs gave me three CDs by Indonesia’s legendary reggae singer Tony Q.

Performing at the second show of the night at Eastern Promise, an expat pub in Kemang. On the way to the show, Uncle Reggae and his band were traveling on motorcycles, weaving in and out of traffic, which was gridlocked all the way through the backroads. Our van was not moving at all, so tour manager Agus jumps out of the van and onto the back of Uncle Reggae’s motorcycle to get to the venue faster to set up. Take notes, American tour managers!

Downtown Jakarta lit up at night from Michelin’s (the producer and man with the biggest heart in Indonesia who flew me out here) wife’s apartment. Earlier in the day she prepared the best oxtail dish I have ever tasted.

First night in Jakarta and Michelin sets up a show at the Eclectic with Uncle Reggae. They rehearsed “Love You Better” and “First Avenue” prior to my arrival, and with no rehearsal we rocked the stage. So humbling to perform with Jakarta’s finest, right off the plane.

Reggae is alive in Jakarta! Post-show celebration and cultural exchange with Uncle Reggae.

Can’t go to Indonesia without having some sate and ayam goreng!

So Estelle and I get off a 13 hour flight from San Francisco to Taipei and head straight to the food court for a bowl of steaming hot wonton noodle soup and chicken balls. On the way, we stopped to take a photo with a dragon to send to the boys, and as I’m editing the photo on my iPhone trailing the Estelle tour manager auto-pilot, someone passes by in the airport crowd. Someone all too familiar. Was it really him? Nope. No way. Not all the way in Taipei. Need. Food.

After we head back to the gate to catch this final plane to Jakarta, we plug into the free Wi-Fi real quick. I start to mix a song by the Youngstown band for the Arts Corps fundraiser, and just as I’m settling into the vocal editing process, he walks by and we make eye contact. OMG it was him! Braddah Eric from ThisThat in West Seattle! In Taipei! With his sister Holly! On their way to visit his girlfriend’s family in Cambodia! And the craziest thing I just realized as I write this is I pass ThisThat’s shop on Delridge right off the West Seattle bridge on my way to Youngstown every week!

As Owuor always said, “Whenever we travel far from home, the world gets a little smaller.” True dat braddah. On to Jakarta…

In just a few hours Pak will travel all the way across the Pacific Ocean to represent the Kore Ionz ‘ohana in Indonesia. After two straight days of travel, he’ll land in Jakarta, the capital and home of over 9 million people, and will be meeting with a producer there to work on building a bridge between Asia, North America, and of course, Hawai’i. Wish him a safe and productive cultural exchange and look out for his travel blog right here at koreionz.com!