Raising the Frequency - Seth Vadar Emerick’s Life on Gili T

From quiz nights at the Irish to live performances with The Frequency and charity events across Lombok, Seth Vadar Emerick has become a familiar face in the Gili Trawangan community over the past 14 years.

How long have you been residing in Gili Trawangan?

I’ve been living in Gili Trawangan for 14 years now.

Why did you choose Gili T over the other two Gilis?

I’m not sure I’d say I chose Gili T. It feels more like Gili T chose me. I came here, something clicked, and somehow 14 years later, I’m still here.

Did you arrive here to work, or did you stumble upon Gili while travelling and decide to stay? I definitely stumbled into it. Maybe “stumbled” is even putting it lightly. I came here on holiday, and at the time, the holiday was mostly about having fun and probably drinking far too much. But somewhere along the way, Gili became home.

As one of the owners of the oldest bars on the island, Tir Na Nog, has the Irish bar’s vision changed over the years?

Yeah, massively. But I think that has always been part of the vision. From the beginning, the idea was never to stay the same forever. The Irish bar has lasted as long as it has because it adapts. The island changes, the people coming here change, and we’ve always tried to evolve with that while still keeping the heart of the place intact.

Obviously, we know that you hold some of the best parties on Gili T. Other than your infamous Wednesday nights, what other entertainment does the Irish bar offer?

There’s always something going on at the Irish bar. We have the pub crawl three nights a week, which is a great way for people to meet each other. We’re also one of the best places on the island for live music. We’ve got draft beer, nightly specials, the Monday pub quiz, and of course, Wednesday nights are still a big part of what we do. It’s not just one thing — it’s the overall atmosphere.

I love the Celtic Cooler. What is your favourite cocktail on the Irish menu that you’d recommend to a newbie?

I’d probably recommend the Celtic Cooler as well, so you’re already on the right track. I’d also say the Irish Espresso Martini is a good one. And honestly, I still think people should try a Vodka Joss at the Irish bar, because a lot of people don’t know that Vodka Joss was actually invented here! So it’s a bit of island history, really — as long as it’s made properly.

If someone is on a solo trip to Gili T, would it be wise to join the pub crawl?

Absolutely. I’d say it’s probably one of the best ways on the island to meet people. Gili is already a social place, but the pub crawl makes it really easy, especially if you’ve just arrived and don’t know anyone yet.

You’re rather entrepreneurial and always coming up with new ideas to fill gaps in the market. Why did you decide to build an app for food deliveries and activities across the island? Is it just for food deliveries, or has it grown since then?

It started as a food delivery app, but it’s grown quite a lot since then. Now you can book different things through it as well, including fast boats, events, and activities. The idea was really to make things easier for people on the island — both tourists and businesses. Gili has always had its own way of operating, but there was definitely a gap there, and we’ve put a lot of time and energy into building something useful.

Finally, we know that you also have a band that frequently tours around the Gilis, Lombok, and further afield. How did the creation of The Frequency come about?

Musicians tend to find other musicians, and it really started with my friendship with Yadi. Through that friendship, we connected with more musicians, and over time, it naturally became what it is now. We’ve all been working together in different ways for almost 10 years. The chemistry is there, and now we’re working on a new project that I honestly think could be our best work yet.

So, who are the other band members?

There’s Pak Yadi on guitar, Coco on drums, and Mr Kent on bass. They’re all from Lombok — not exactly the same village, but around the same area. They’re all incredibly talented musicians. I feel very lucky to work with them.

Is there a cool story behind the name The Frequency?

I don’t know if it’s a cool story, but there is meaning behind it. The name comes from the idea behind the music. With The Frequency — and really with all the music projects I’m involved in — the intention is to lift people up a bit. To raise the energy, raise the mood, raise the frequency of the people listening. I used to explain the project by saying, “We want to raise everybody’s frequency,” and eventually, that just became the band name.

What is next in store for The Frequency?

We’re working on an album right now. I can’t say too much about it yet, but we’re exploring a sound that feels very new to us. It might even become its own genre in a way. That’s the goal anyway — to create something fresh, something that doesn’t sound like everything else. So we’ll see where it goes, but we’re really excited about it.