December 17, 2025 | 05:01 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Less than 30 minutes after the gates of Joyland Sessions opened at the GBK City Park in Central Jakarta on Saturday afternoon, November 29, 2025, long lines had already formed at the merchandise tent. Fitriani, 37, a private sector employee from East Jakarta, arrived early with her husband and child to secure a special-edition picnic mat. "I want to buy the picnic mat," she told Tempo.
Joyland Sessions was held as a replacement for Joyland Festival—the annual music festival organized by Plainsong Live. In 2025, however, Joyland Festival did not take place. Plainsong, which began selling tickets for Joyland Festival in mid-2025, was forced to change course amid a series of challenges. "I couldn't secure artists who could at least guarantee my income targets," said Ferry Dermawan, one of Plainsong Live's founders.
Plainsong ultimately replaced it with Joyland Sessions, a smaller and more intimate music event that retained the signature Joyland atmosphere that had long endeared the festival to its audience. Ferry said uncertainty over sponsorship was another major factor behind the decision to scale down the format. To honor commitments to ticket buyers, management opted for a smaller event centered on a single main stage.
The change proved effective. Over the two days of Joyland Sessions, Plainsong recorded around 11,000 ticket movements. The streamlined format made the event feel more comfortable for many attendees. Fitriani, who had attended Joyland Festival twice before, said the smaller venue made it easier for her to bring her child. International visitors also showed up, including Jason, a 30-year-old from Manila, who even joined a paid exclusive tour to explore the festival grounds and meet one of the headlining performers.
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