click here for an audio-visual look at the gig highlights

***for full gig listings jump to the bottom***

Greetings:

Tonight Thursday in Phnom Penh sees the restarting of the Noisy Chili open mic hosted by Initial G (see the article below), also Clay George at Lost Bar & Grill and The Extraordinary Chambers with guest Gaby Courroux at Oscar’s on the Corner.  In Siem Reap Ryan Founier is at Arin’s.

On Friday night in Phnom Penh Clay George is at Craft, Adam Marsland is at Noisy Chili, Miss Sarawan is at Botanico, Arome Khmer is at Au Marche and Baird Smith is at Little Susie.  A little louder, Soselo Summer is at Hometown Hangout, and a little later, Shake 79 is at Oscar’s on the Corner.  In Siem Reap Jam-Cha are at Mezze Bar (formerly Republic Bistro). 

On Saturday Halloween starts up with Alli G playing Hallowfest at Factory (he’s also there on Sunday).  In the afternoon Visa Runners play at a party at  Nangkol Village, and a bit later this month’s Originals Showcase at The Deck features Jack Dodd, Scott Bywater and Maozi.   Into the evening Frankie Teardrop Dead are at Craft, Ice is at Botanico, The Stuffs are at Can Can, Adam Marsland is at Tropico, Arome Khmer are at Bat Muk Yu, The Broken Cymbal are at Back Street Bar, Vince Solomons is at Little Susie and Visa Runners are at Hometown Hangout.  A special Halloween show at Cloud features a ten year anniversary celebration for the original line-up of Nightmare A.D. (see the article below) with Reign in Slumber and After God.  Later on Checkered Past are at Oscar’s on the Corner.   On the coast, Summer Lee Carlson & Mute Speaker are at Kep Natural and Graham Cain at The Bay in Kampot.

Come Sunday, Adam Marsland is at Villa Grange, Mimi & the Merrymakers do back-to-back Halloween shows at Farm To Table and Phnom Penh Choral Ensemble sings Broadway at Hyatt Regeny BallroomBrooke Palmer is chilling at The Vine, Sunday Sundowners open mic at Tacos Kokopelli is guest hosted by Liam Jones, Joe Wrigley is at Bar Oz, and The Fallen Apples are at Back Street Bar.  In Siem Reap, Sokunthea & Friends are at BR Gourmet.

The LengPleng Interviews

Gone Tribal – Ten Years of Nightmare A.D.

Phnom Penh thrusts forward a good half dozen bands a year, but not many that last beyond a few years, especially in recent times. One band in particular has defied that trend, and done it with remarkably little turnover in membership, is metal band Nightmare AD, formed and consistently playing and recording since 2014. This Saturday they play a special Halloween show at Cloud, featuring their original line-up, including drummer Todd Bazley who is here for a very short visit. LengPleng sat down with founder, writer, vocalist and guitarist Mia Priest this week to talk ten years of metal in Cambodia.

It’s harder to find musicians who are familiar with more extreme styles of music, at least here in Cambodia. Metal itself is a tribe, a complete culture on its own. When someone joins the band, it is imperative that they do listen to subgenres of Metal and Punk, like Thrash, Death and Black Metal to Crust and Hardcore. The second most important thing is their attitude, whether they are willing to learn and committed to making this kind of music. You have to be part of our tribe to be part of the band – I could get great musicians but if they don’t vibe with us, there’s really no point as it compromises the feel of the music.”

Read the whole article here 

Opening Up Open Mics: Changes Are Afoot in Phnom Penh

This week sees the restarting of the Noisy Chili Thursday night open mic to be hosted by Initial G, with the timely installation of extra gear on stage – amps, drums and more.  A quite different approach is being taken at Bat Muk Yu Beer Garden on Bassac Street (corner of Sts 21 & 308).  Beginning this week, Monday Night Live will be hosted by Adam Marsland.  LengPleng sat down with Adam to find out what’s in store.

“There will be a different musical theme every week.  After my opening set, a pre-planned group of musical guests will sing songs within that theme.  It’s similar to events that I did in Los Angeles, and it’s also similar to stuff that’s been done by other people here in Phnom Penh like the 1973 and forthcoming 1974 tributes, and it seems like a good thing to revive.  My hope is that Monday nights become a gathering place – the audience will hear something a little more organised and curated than your standard open mic, but still with the communal vibe of people getting together, and bringing new people into the fold.”

Read the whole article here

Passing Chords: a few things you might not know about

Carling Vail.  Originally from Portsmouth, UK, Carling lived in London for a long time, and Manchester for four years, before moving to Cambodia.  She has played synth, vocals and percussion with Frankie Teardrop Dead for the last 12-13 years.  Frankie Teardrop Dead will play at Craft in Phnom Penh on Saturday evening.

A musical pet hate:

I probably have a few but the first one that came to mind is when musicians use excessive auto-tuning. Obviously it can enhance a performance, or even a song like Do You Believe by Cher, but I feel it can detract from the authenticity of an artist’s voice and emotional expression.  AI in music is another issue but don’t get me started on that!

A private musical indulgence:

I love northern soul/funk/disco and listen to that type of music on a regular basis, to me it’s the best music to dance to. The musicians are always amazing and at the top of their game and the production always sounds expensive and has a richness that a lot of other music doesn’t have. Another private indulgence is 90s dance music, brings back great memories and are great catchy with great beats and voices.

The year I first came to Cambodia:

I first came to Cambodia in 2016 looking for the best quiet tropical beaches.  I started in Vietnam but was quickly made aware of the fact I should try Cambodia, that’s where a learnt about the rich musical history and bands like Cambodian Space Project.  When I got back to London I reached out to Jason Shaw who had been playing with them at the time, and we decided that it would be possible to bring our band the following year to play some shows and try do a Cambodian tour.  We came with the band the next few years until COVID hit!

An early music memory:

My mum used to be a proper hippy and was involved with the illegal rave scene in the late 80s/early 90s, so that kind of early house music is very nostalgic for me.  I remember being very young and dancing with all the other drugged out hippies in fields!  She also loved reggae and bands like Massive Attack and Morcheeba but also the album Tapestry by Carole King.

The last thing you had to eat:

I just had some mango! The fruit here is amazing. The tropical fruit you get in UK is nothing like here, a poor watered down version!

A country you want to visit:

I am a very food orientated person so I would love to go to Japan, Mexico and India to try the authentic food from those countries.  I am also really into flora and fauna so Africa would definitely be on my list to see the animals, and the USA to see the giant sequoia trees.

What languages do you have:

I only speak English but I have been learning French since I was five and have a good understanding of the language.  Speaking in French is a whole other story.

Your primary instrument and when you started playing it:

At school we played the piano and flute but my music teacher wanted us to play songs from musicals so was never really interested. I started playing percussion when I joined the band and loved it.  Most people think playing the tambourine or shakers is easy, and compared to a lot of instruments it is, but to keep rhythm for an extended period of time is harder than it looks.

Something people might be surprised to know about you:

I used to be a fashion stylist and assistant when I lived in London in the early years and have always loved it.  When I was three or four years old I refused to let my mum dress me, and would wear the craziest patterns and outfits.  My mum would be embarrassed to walk down the road with me!  I am still like that now but it’s so hot here I can’t wear exactly what I would like to wear so I tend to look a bit more normal!

You have a time machine and a magic ticket to one gig or festival in the past. What do you choose?:

There are a couple that spring to mind, the obvious one would be Studio 54, the glamour, the fashion, the music!  It was primarily disco DJs disco but they had live performances from Grace Jones!  Another one that springs to mind is the Hacienda in Manchester, it was known for its role in the acid house and rave scenes in the late 80s and early 90s, and was a melting pot of musical styles with bands like New Order and The Smiths.

A question from the last participant – if your music was an animal, what would it be?:

I found this question quite hard! But maybe a chameleon, a chameleon is vibrant, adaptable, and can change its appearance to match its surroundings, reflecting the eclectic and immersive nature of our sound. Plus, it has a bit of a mystical vibe that fits well with psychedelic elements!

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Steve Porte Photo of the Week

Vale Iain Donnelly, aka Airfix Twin.  Today we have republished an article with Iain from 2019.

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See you around the traps.
your correspondent,

 

 

Guillermo Wheremount
LengPleng.com
gigs@lengpleng.com (mailto:gigs@lengpleng.com

Weekly Gig Guide – week commencing Thursday 24 October 2024

** residency/weekly

For DJs and clubs, we recommend Phnom Penh Underground

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

*Note that Wednesday events are often not announced until early in the week – check back here for updates*

Coming soon: