Jakarta — On Saturday night, September 6, 2025, the sky above Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium thundered. Not just from the heavy rain that poured since the afternoon, but from the roar of thousands of voices — Baladewa, united in the electrifying energy of the Dewa 19 All Stars 2.0 concert, a performance that will go down in Indonesian music history.
Despite the downpour, the atmosphere at GBK was ablaze. No one budged. The audience stayed, united by the unmatched energy coming from the stage. That night, music became a sacred ritual, and GBK was its cathedral.
A Blazing Start
The concert kicked off precisely at 7:10 PM with a powerful opening by Virzha, performing “Perempuan Paling Cantik di Negeriku Indonesia.” His strong vocals and charisma instantly ignited the crowd.
Ello followed with equally captivating renditions of “Cukup Siti Nurbaya” and “Aku di Sini Untukmu,” accompanied by Ahmad Dhani on the keytar. Dhani then took center stage with the sultry and passionate “Sedang Ingin Bercinta,” setting the night on fire.
But the peak of the hype came when Dino Jelusić, a powerhouse rock vocalist from Croatia, stepped onto the stage. He didn’t just perform “Pangeran Cinta,” but stunned the audience with an English version of “Arjuna.”
With his powerful voice and magnetic stage presence, Jelusić brought a fresh, international edge to the classic hit. The crowd erupted in applause, cheering in amazement.
Virzha and the Rain That Healed
After Jelusić’s explosive act, Virzha returned with a heartfelt message. He expressed how emotional it was to finally perform, following months of delays to the Dewa 19 concert.
“Finally, I’m here. This next song is for those who’ve liked someone… but weren’t liked back. Or worse… had a wedding planned that ended up canceled,” he said before performing the heartbreak anthem, “Pupus.”
He followed with a soulful rendition of “Dewi,” pouring raw emotion into every lyric. “With a vibe like this, Dewa doesn’t want to go home,” he added, greeted with screams of agreement from the crowd.
Ari Lasso and the Tears That Fell
Then came a deeply emotional moment as Ari Lasso walked onstage. He opened with “Cinta Kan Membawamu Kembali,” then moved into “Satu” — a song filled with personal meaning.
“This is a song from Ahmad Dhani… that I performed after recovering from cancer,” Ari shared, his voice trembling. The audience fell silent, moved by the sincerity of his words.
He also paid tribute to the late Erwin Prasetya, original bassist and songwriter of “Kirana,” dedicating the performance to him with love and respect.
By 8:45 PM, as the rain returned, Ari launched into “Roman Picisan.” He asked the crowd to turn on their phone flashlights, transforming GBK into a sea of lights.
“To everyone who turned theirs on — may fortune come your way, may you get married soon. And if you’re already married… well, maybe marry again,” he joked. Dhani chimed in, “The ones down front haven’t turned theirs on yet!”
A Global Stage in Jakarta
The night wasn’t only about Dewa 19. Rock legends from across the globe also lit up the stage. Eric Martin, Billy Sheehan, and Ron Bumblefoot from Mr. Big brought 80s rock nostalgia with “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy” and “Green Tinted Sixties Mind.”
“Where’s Ari Lasso? He told me he’s a huge Mr. Big fan,” Eric joked before launching into their timeless ballad “To Be With You.”
Then came Gary Cherone of Extreme, delivering “More Than Words” alongside Dino Jelusić on acoustic guitar.
“You know this song, right? Sing along with me,” Gary said — and the crowd did, in full voice.
But one of the night’s most legendary moments came when Steve Vai took the stage with Cherone. They played “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Jump,” followed by Steve Vai’s emotional instrumental “For the Love of God,” leading into an epic freestyle battle with Nuno Bettencourt and Billy Sheehan.
“This is incredible! Steve and Gary on one stage — it’s never happened anywhere else in the world. Only in Jakarta!” declared Ahmad Dhani proudly.
An Ending to Remember
As the finale approached, all the musicians gathered on stage to perform Queen’s anthem “We Are the Champions.” Thousands of voices joined in, creating a powerful moment of unity and celebration.
Then came the final blow — Dewa 19 closed the night with “Separuh Nafas,” shaking the entire stadium. It was a dramatic, emotional climax — a perfect ending to a historic night.
This wasn’t just a concert. It was a celebration, a remembrance, and a tribute to the legacy of music that unites generations. A night where time stood still — and the music spoke loudest.
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