Dermot Kennedy in Jakarta: a powerful songwriting voice in a festival setting
Dermot Kennedy arrives at Jakarta International Expo as part of the second day of LaLaLa Festival 2026, at a time when his live story is once again closely following new music. In recent years, the Irish singer-songwriter has built an audience that responds equally to intimate ballads and songs that turn into communal singalongs in a large venue. In Jakarta, therefore, a classic standalone concert with a long evening program is not expected, but rather a festival performance within the broader line-up on August 23.
For planning the day, it is important to distinguish between the time listed for the event and the schedule of an individual artist. The event is tied to the afternoon festival program, while the latest published timetable places Dermot Kennedy on the Karma Stage at 18:30 local time. This is important information for visitors coming primarily because of him, as the program takes place simultaneously across four stages on the same day.
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Why this performance matters in the current phase of his career
Kennedy comes to Jakarta only a few months after the release of his third studio album, "The Weight of the Woods", released on April 3, 2026. The album contains 14 songs and was made with producer Gabe Simon, while the songs that helped introduce it to the public include "Honest", "Refuge" and "Funeral". The new material retains his recognizable emotional directness, while tying it even more strongly to the Irish landscape, a sense of home and the pressure that comes with a major career.
The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart in April. This made Kennedy the first Irish solo artist whose first three studio albums all reached number one in the United Kingdom. Both 2019's "Without Fear" and 2022's "Sonder" had previously topped that chart. For the audience in Jakarta, this means that the concert is not taking place during a transitional period without new material, but in the middle of a clearly defined era in which "The Weight of the Woods" is at the center of his live repertoire.
His popularity is not tied only to the current album. "Power Over Me", "Outnumbered", "Better Days", "After Rain" and "An Evening I Will Not Forget" remain important parts of his catalog. Kennedy's style combines singer-songwriter structure, folk and pop, with a vocal delivery that moves from almost conversational intimacy to full, rough-edged intensity.
What previous performances say about the live repertoire
The exact set list for Jakarta has not been published and should not be assumed in advance. Still, performances from the current touring phase provide a good framework for understanding what Kennedy is currently bringing to the stage.
At the Summer Sonic performance in Tokyo on August 14, newer songs "Honest", "Refuge", "Endless", "Turnstile" and "Funeral" were recorded alongside older favorites "Power Over Me", "After Rain", "Outnumbered" and "An Evening I Will Not Forget". In Seoul on August 18, "Blue Eyes", "Lost", "Happiness", "Let Me In" and "Better Days" also appeared.
That does not mean Jakarta will receive the same running order or the same number of songs. Festival sets depend on the available time, production and stage schedule. However, the Asian performances so far show that Kennedy is currently not separating the new phase from his older catalog. Instead, he combines songs from "The Weight of the Woods" with titles that made him internationally recognizable.
- Fans of the new album can expect the current era to be an important part of the performance, although the final set list has not been confirmed.
- Longtime fans have good reason to follow the repertoire because key songs from earlier years continue to appear at recent performances.
- Audience members who know Kennedy only through his biggest hits will have the opportunity to hear how his newer, more organic material works live.
- Visitors who enjoy contemporary singer-songwriter music, folk-pop and emotionally focused vocal performances will probably find the easiest point of connection with his set.
Karma Stage and the rhythm of the second festival day
LaLaLa Festival 2026 distributes its program across four stages: LaLaLa Stage, Karma Stage, Bloom Stage and Talking Stage. According to the latest schedule, Dermot Kennedy is on the Karma Stage at 18:30. On the same stage, Matthew Ifield performs before him at 16:45, Lee Seung Yoon follows him at 20:15, and the 22:00 evening slot belongs to Two Door Cinema Club.
On the LaLaLa Stage that same day, BE:FIRST, FLO, HONNE and Steve Lacy perform. HONNE is marking ten years of its career, while Two Door Cinema Club is celebrating 15 years of the album "Tourist History". Kennedy's set therefore enters a program that combines indie, pop, R&B and alternative music.
Jakarta International Expo is not a single classic concert hall with fixed seating, but a large complex of indoor and outdoor spaces. JIExpo covers around 44 hectares, with approximately 50,000 square meters of indoor halls and more than 50,000 square meters of outdoor space. At a festival with four stages, the experience therefore cannot be reduced to one acoustic environment or one perspective.
The exact configuration of the Karma Stage, its capacity and sound-system details have not been published in the sources providing the current timetable, so it would not be reasonable to speculate about them. What can be expected from Kennedy's performance style is a strong focus on vocals, song dynamics and direct communication with the audience. Reviews of his "The Weight of the Woods" tour in Europe emphasize precisely the transitions between large communal choruses and quieter, more stripped-back parts of the set.
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Jakarta as the conclusion of a short Asian leg
The Jakarta date carries additional significance because it comes at the end of a very tightly packed series of Asian performances. Kennedy was in Tokyo on August 14, Osaka on August 15, Seoul on August 18, and Manila follows on August 21. Jakarta is scheduled for August 23, after which his tour moves to North America in early September.
The festival audience therefore gets a more concentrated version of an artist who only a few weeks earlier performed at a stadium in Dublin and in major European arenas. In Jakarta, the key will be the selection of songs within the festival time slot.
No special guest, opening act or duet connected exclusively with Kennedy's set in Jakarta has been confirmed. The other artists on August 23 are part of the festival program, not separately announced support for his performance. Likewise, there is no basis for announcing special effects, an extended encore or a specific duration of his set in advance.
Who will find the concert particularly interesting
Longtime fans will most clearly recognize the way Kennedy combines songs from different phases of his career. "Without Fear" built his reputation as a writer of powerful, emotional songs, "Sonder" brought it closer to a larger pop space, while "The Weight of the Woods" once again emphasizes organic production, Irish references and a sense of closeness to storytelling.
For the broader festival audience, his songs do not require detailed knowledge of the discography to work live. "Outnumbered" and "Power Over Me" have clear choruses, while "Refuge" and "Funeral" bring a different kind of intensity. The performance can be a good first encounter with Kennedy for audiences who enjoy contemporary folk-pop and acoustic pop.
Audience members looking for a nonstop dance set may find more of those moments with other artists on the same day. Kennedy's strength is different: building tension, lyrics, voice and the feeling that a large festival crowd can, for a few minutes, turn into a space where one story is being heard.
How to get to Jakarta International Expo
JIExpo is located in the Kemayoran area of Jakarta and is connected to the city's main transport routes. For visitors arriving from other countries or other parts of Indonesia, it is useful to plan the journey with a large time buffer. Jakarta has heavy traffic, and a festival day further increases the number of vehicles around the complex.
JIExpo states an approximate driving time of 25-40 minutes from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport via the city expressway to the PRJ Kemayoran exit, and 35-50 minutes from Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport. On the day of the festival, the actual travel time may be longer.
For public transport, JIExpo lists TransJakarta connections to the JIExpo Kemayoran and Landas Pacu Timur stops. Rail options include Rajawali and Kemayoran stations. From Rajawali station, JIExpo states approximately a five-minute walk, while from Kemayoran station it is around a 15-minute walk. These options are especially useful for visitors who want to reduce their dependence on road traffic before the evening performances begin.
The complex has west, east and north parking areas, as well as parking in the Gedung Pusat Niaga area. Access is via Gate 6A, Gates 1 and 2, Gate 3 and Gate 9. On the day of the festival, visitors should follow the signs and instructions associated with their specific ticket.
What to check before entering
LaLaLa Festival is open to all age groups, and visitors under the age of 12 are recommended to be accompanied by an adult. Children over five years old need their own ticket. Organizers also state that professional DSLR and SLR cameras and cameras with detachable long lenses are not permitted, while smaller mirrorless, pocket, disposable analog and Polaroid cameras are allowed.
The festival begins in the afternoon, so light, breathable clothing and comfortable footwear are recommended. This is not only a matter of the time spent in front of the stage: JIExpo is a large complex, and moving between stages can mean considerably more walking than at a concert in a single hall.
Entry rules include one-time use of the QR code and no re-entry after leaving the festival grounds. Visitors should therefore check before entering that they have everything they need for several hours in the complex. Timetables may change, so it is worth checking the schedule again on the day of the event, especially if Dermot Kennedy is the main reason for attending.
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How to plan the day around Kennedy's performance
If the focus is exclusively on Dermot Kennedy, the simplest plan is to arrive early enough for entry, locate the Karma Stage and leave extra time for crowds between zones. His currently published 18:30 slot comes early enough that, after his set, there is still room to see other artists on the second day of the festival.
If the day is planned as a complete festival visit, the schedule makes it possible to combine several genres. BE:FIRST is on the LaLaLa Stage at 18:10, which overlaps with Kennedy's slot and requires a choice of priority. After Kennedy, Lee Seung Yoon follows on the Karma Stage at 20:15, while HONNE starts on the LaLaLa Stage at 21:15. Two Door Cinema Club is on the Karma Stage at 22:00, and Steve Lacy is on the LaLaLa Stage at 23:00.
These overlaps clearly show why it is useful to prepare a personal schedule in advance. LaLaLa Festival is not an event where it is realistic to see every performance from beginning to end. For Kennedy fans, the most important thing is to keep the period around his Karma Stage slot free and allow for the time needed to move through JIExpo.
Sources:
- LaLaLa Festival - festival date and location, line-up for August 23, information about Dermot Kennedy and visitor rules.
- Dermot Kennedy - current tour schedule and context of the Asian leg in August 2026.
- Dermot Kennedy Store - information about the album "The Weight of the Woods", its release date, producer and track list.
- Official Charts - the result of the album "The Weight of the Woods" and the record of three consecutive studio albums reaching number one.
- IDN Times - current LaLaLa Festival 2026 schedule and Dermot Kennedy's slot on the Karma Stage.
- Jakarta International Expo - size of the complex, transport links, rail and bus options, parking areas and facilities.
- setlist.fm - records from recent performances in Tokyo, Seoul and other tour concerts, used only as context for previously performed repertoire.