International Examiner, the Seattle-based pan-Asian Pacific American publication, penned a feature on Indonesian disco that cited Prof. Nazry Bahrawi’s observations. The article was anchored in a live concert on March 28, 2026, at the Clock-Out Lounge in Seattle’s Beacon Hill helmed by several musicians from Southeast Asia and its diasporas, including the Washington DC-based DJ Sir Satrio, or Disconesia, who had brought Indonesian disco grooves to the dance floor during his set.
Lending his views on the cultural history of disco music in Indonesia, Dr. Nazry speculates that the genre is popular among Indonesian Americans because it serves as “a nostalgic reminder of their country of origin while also anchoring them in their new abodes of choice”.
Other bands that performed that evening was Grrrl Gang, an Indonesian punk band, inspired by Olympia’s Riot Grrrl as well as hi hi hi, a Seattle-based Southeast Asian American indie rock band, whose bassist Jon Chu is currently a UW PhD student. The article had also featured quotes from Mr. Chu. It was written by historian and filmmaker Adrian Alarilla, a UW alumni.
Read the article here: https://iexaminer.org/disconesia-shares-indonesian-disco-treasures-with-seattle-with-their-echoes-of-the-past-and-power-to-heal-scars/