Media Release
IN2OZ: Creative Australia

4 April 2008

Australian Band to Rock Audiences Across Java in April

Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer welcomed the arrival of up and coming Australian rock band, Young and Restless, in Indonesia today.

“I am very excited this talented example of contemporary music from Australia will be performing for young people in Indonesia,” the Ambassador said.

Young and Restless won the prestigious Australian Triple J Unearthed Competition in 2007 and was selected from thousands of entrants from across Australia to play at the national Homebake Music Festival in Sydney.

Young and Restless was also awarded the Qantas Spirit of Youth Award in 2007, which recognises outstanding new talent in the arts and music industry in Australia.

The members of the five-piece band met in Australia’s capital city, Canberra, but now live in Melbourne, with lead singer Karina Nugroho born in Indonesia and raised in Australia.

The group’s travel to Indonesia is sponsored by the Australia International Cultural Council, an Australian Government Initiative managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The group’s first ever Indonesian tour is organised in cooperation with Aquarius Records.

In 2008, the Council is funding IN2OZ: Creative Australia, a cutting edge program of Australian music, literature, visual arts, cultural heritage, science and education. IN2OZ was launched in Jakarta in March and will run throughout the year.
Indonesian music fans will be able to enjoy the energetic action and compelling sounds of Young & Restless from 16-20 April in various venues around Jakarta, as well as in concerts in Surabaya, Sidoarjo, Malang, Jember, Salatiga, Yogyakarta, Tasikmalaya and Cimahi.

For details of the tour schedule and for the chance to win a free copy of Young and Restless’ debut CD join our mailing list at: www.dfat.gov.au/in2oz.

Further information:
Fiona Hoggart, First Secretary (Cultural) Tel. (021) 2550 5265, cell. 0811 936 302