One of the brightest media who focuses in live music, Sounds From The Corner recently updated their YouTube channel with the latest live session featuring the most hardworking pop punk band known as Pee Wee Gaskins. This annual session by the digital media certainly unveiled the talent that each member has, along with their musical performances or could be said as part of their backstage performances. For those who do not know about the Jakarta based band, it is created by Dochi who previously played certain role through several independent bands in Indonesia. He is the band creator and also main vision of Pee Wee Gaskins. As for the video itself, it was created before their special eighth anniversary gig at Bumi Serpong Damai Junction and featured several hit songs such as “Teriak Serentak”, “Sassy Girl”, “Jumping Jupiter”, “Berbagi Cerita”, and “Serotonin”. For those who of you who are willing to know more about Pee Wee Gaskins and their history in local music of Indonesia, feel free to visit their website here.
I think everyone should agree that in a gig, the word "backstage" often translated as something exclusive, secluded, or even sacred. Physically, backstage divides two worlds between audience and performer, but some people interpret this backstage thing as a separator between two worlds, such as the normal one and the glamorous-opulent-world of celebrities, rockstars where people drink jell-o shots, roll up joints made of dollar bills, A-circles taking selfies worth thousand likes on Instagram and so forth. I have been to gigs as audience, performer, band manager, and journalist. Realistically, most backstages are bunch of tents or rooms where you find stacks of damp Hoka-hoka Bentos and awkward Liaison Officers trying to fuck with your onstage time.
The reason I mention this, the "absence of backstage" was the first thing I realised when I arrived at BSD Junction for Pee Wee Gaskins 8th anniversary gig. Searching for the backstage and waiting room, I texted Dochi, he replied, "look for the boys near the entrance" and they were there, sitting in circle in the middle of people. Maybe I am the one who is appallingly uninformed but I thought since Dorks are super reactive towards the band members, the band is "hiding" somewhere until they are onstage. What happened was all members of Pee Wee Gaskins were hanging out with friends and fans in the same place. "Oh, it is their anniversary, why not," I naively thought. I was wrong, because they are always like that.
Sounds From The Corner is an Indonesia based project. A collective project that extends the honesty of real music performances for your hungry eyes and ears. It is a mixture of raw ideas born in the middle of local music scenes, delivering nifty and well produced music videos visually and audibly. This is their way to give back, inspire, and pay respect. To understand what makes Sounds From The Corner such a prominent instrument for exposure and publicity, consider four facts, such as viewers have decent access to the videos, it is a live music performance – far from lip-synced senseless shows, all of the bands are curated with heart, and quality is their currency. It is made to support and appreciate all of good music out there, to connect all of the dots into the right place. They are trying to exhibit great local music to the next level of appreciation, both locally and hopefully internationally. It is created by passionate people such as Dimas Wisnuwardono and Teguh Wicaksono.