Coming to Cambodia in mid-March is the Slam City Asia Festival 2024, featuring a host of local and international Metal bands. Mia Priest and Chihiro Amatsu talk to LengPleng about what, who and why.
LengPleng: How did Slam City Asia come to be, and what are its aims?
Mia: Slam City was formed by Chihiro, the owner of Atlantis Metal Bar, and Paolo of 7th Street Tattoo, to put on Metal music festivals in Siem Reap. They did the first two-day festival in March last year, both days being in Siem Reap. I joined them later that year, adding my Get in the Penh experience to the mix – this year we have concerts in both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh to cater to a wider audience.
Chihiro: The aim is to expand the metal music scene in Cambodia. I hope to make the festival bigger year by year, bring some big bands in the future. Most already play in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, so I want to make good connections between these countries and get those metal bands to come play in Cambodia as well.
LengPleng: What is your vision for metal in Cambodia and South East Asia more broadly?
Mia: Metal will always be for a small niche crowd a.k.a. the underground, especially here in Cambodia, where the heaviest music the general populace are able to tolerate are bands like Guns’n’Roses, Bon Jovi and Steelheart. It’s getting harder and harder to get people to come to the shows, with the demographic changing to a crowd that’s more into acoustic cover bands and electronic dance music. The younger generation of metal musicians tend to give up Metal after a while and go on to play in more mainstream genres for the money and popularity. Venues that cater to Metal and Rock are being shut down due to noise complaints. Foreigners who used to come to the shows or have bands here have either health problems, died, left or are concentrating on their careers and families. To be honest, the future doesn’t look too bright for Metal in Cambodia, but that’s what we are trying to do with Slam City Asia, shine a light and create awareness that Metal is still alive here in the Kingdom of Wonder, and that we will always be here while other trends come and go.
Chihiro: I want to introduce Cambodian metal bands all over the world and get the opportunities to tour worldwide with big metal bands, I think that may inspire young khmer generation interested in music industry and start to form bands and make their original metal / rock / punk music.
LengPleng: Are there any visiting acts that you are particularly excited about seeing?
Mia: All the bands, from Cambodia and overseas!
Chihiro: I am happy to see all bands and hope they make good metal friendships with each other.
LengPleng: Where to next for Slam City Asia?
Mia: You’ll find out next year!
Chihiro: Everywhere
Details can also be found here at Metal website Unite Asia
Cut Lon of Ho Chi Minh City – returning to Cambodia for Slam City Asia Festival 2024
Mia Priest of Nightmare AD, Get In The Penh and Slam City Asia
Doch Chkae, who will be playing the Phnom Penh leg of Slam City Asia Festival 2024
