Weekly Gig Guide - Week Commencing Thursday 21st November 2013

Halfway through the trailer for the documentary film ‘Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten’, grainy footage of Angkorian temples and golden sunsets are accompanied by the lone voice of Ros Sereysothea. It is a particularly haunting and melancholy theme, carefully placed to follow a harrowing section where an emotional interviewee asks “Why did the Khmer Rouge kill so many musicians after they won the war? They should have spared the musicians’ lives”. Sereysothea sings the opening vocal melody of ‘Ott Bai Auy Sluhp’ or ‘I Won’t Eat Rice Until I Die’, a song telling the story of a heartbroken girl waiting for her lover to return.

A drum roll marks the end of the melancholy introduction and the music begins with a splash. Now the images on the screen are of dancing, Rock’n’Roll bands, speeding motorbikes and a giant clock spinning backwards. The track being played is an effective reworking of the original song, with studio processing and extra instrumentation added to increase the impact of the sound.

“We are the protector of her songs, I hope she looks at me all the time, even during rehearsal or on the stage she will be happy to look at me and she wants me to sing her song and protect her song forever.” – Mealea Lay (‘Miss Sarawan’).

For many singers, musicians and music-lovers, the clock is still spinning backwards to the pre-1975 era of ‘The Golden Voice’ Ros Sereysothea and the ‘Cambodian Elvis’ Sinn Sisamouth. This week Jack is pleased to learn that John Pirozzi’s eagerly-awaited film (ten years in the making) has been completed and is being scheduled for a 2014 release. This welcome news comes at a healthy time for ‘Khmer Rock’. A new generation of artists such as The Underdogs and Miss Sarawan are bringing the music to expat audiences in Cambodia and beyond.

www.kenedgar.com

‘Looking backwards’ is important in Cambodia. There is a lot more to the Khmer Rock story than just music. These crazy, psychedelic, rocking, cross-pollinated, beautiful sounds can never be separated from the cultural and historical context in which they were produced, nor the cataclysmic circumstances in which the music was brought to an end. Many better-qualified writers than I have essayed this subject - if you would like to read more I would suggest starting here, with a Cambodia Daily interview of John Pirozzi back in 2009.

Coming back firmly to the present day, we can look forward to a number of Khmer-Rock inspired gigs over the next week. The seven-strong Underdogs team will be on duty this Friday evening at Equinox, breathing a lot of youthful vigour and enthusiasm into their ever-increasing set of 1960’s and 1970’s classics. A big night is in store on Saturday at The Village, which should be absolutely packed for a performance from Laura Mam and band. The Cambodian-American starlet is a YouTube phenomenon, receiving huge online attention for her original Khmer-language pop songs and Khmer-Rock covers. Tickets available from the venue.

www.kenedgar.com

Miss Sarawan treats the repertoire more simply, stripping things down to the bare bones of acoustic guitar and voice – but what a voice! Two chances to hear her this week - she gives a short performance at Meta House on Friday, followed by a full gig at Slur Bar on Monday.

Over on St.154, the guys at Cabaret Restaurant have been fulfilling their promise of having live acts a few times a week, and this can only be a good thing for the Phnom Penh music scene. The venue is a beautiful setting, an upscale European restaurant and bar laid out over a large leafy courtyard. This Saturday, Cabaret will provide the last chance to catch the world-class Martin Jacobsen Trio before they depart Cambodia. No cover charge.

One word to the wise before Jack signs off – If you were planning to see Grass Snake Union at Equinox tonight, be advised the gig is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We hope to catch those guys again as soon as possible. In the meantime, whet your appetite for a huge cinematic release next year with the video below, a trailer for John Pirozzi’s Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten. Thanks to www.kenedgarphotography.com for the great photographs of Miss Sarawan and The Underdogs.

Stay safe and see you around the traps,

JACK DIAMOND

Latest Gigs

Thursday  21-Nov-2013

• 6:30 PM ~ The Bossa Nova Lovers at Cabaret Restaurant
• 7:30 PM ~ Leon Kondo Trio at Cabaret Restaurant
• 9:00 PM ~ Ritchy & Phil at The Groove
• 9:00 PM ~ DJ JO at Meta House

Friday  22-Nov-2013

• 6:30 PM ~ Alan Breen at The Latin Quarter
• 7:00 PM ~ Frisco Tony and Miss Sarawan at Meta House
• 7:30 PM ~ Thank God its Friday at Cabaret Restaurant
• 8:30 PM ~ Ringtail at The Village
• 9:00 PM ~ DJ Phatt Controller , DJ Polaak and Salmon All Star at The Show Box
• 9:00 PM ~ The Underdogs at Equinox
• 9:00 PM ~ Ritchy & Phil at The Groove
• 9:00 PM ~ Cambodian Bass Project II at The 3Mangos Guesthouse
• 9:00 PM ~ RNA + Friends at Paddy Rice
• 9:30 PM ~ Lost Highway at The Slur Bar
• 9:30 PM ~ GTS Sextet at The Doors
• 10:00 PM ~ Kasey Taylor at Pontoon
• 10:00 PM ~ Dr. Wah Wah , DJ Nights and DJ Nicomatic at Meta House

Saturday  23-Nov-2013

• 7:30 PM ~ DJ Dinesh at The Lotus Gallery in Battambang
• 7:30 PM ~ Laura Mam at The Village
• 7:30 PM ~ Martin Jacobsen Trio at Cabaret Restaurant
• 8:00 PM ~ Latino Party at Kukuluku Beach Club in Kep
• 9:00 PM ~ The Koolers at The Slur Bar
• 9:00 PM ~ DJ Tonle Dub , DJ Mercy and DJ Chris Quixote at Meta House
• 9:00 PM ~ Sangvar Day The and Adobo Conspiracy at Equinox
• 9:00 PM ~ Diego Dimarques at The Groove
• 9:30 PM ~ Vibratone at The Doors

Sunday  24-Nov-2013

• 4:00 PM ~ Ringtail at The 3Mangos Guesthouse
• 5:00 PM ~ Mina Agossi and Laurent Couson at Raffles Le Royal

Monday  25-Nov-2013

• 8:00 PM ~ Sweet Caipirinha at The Village
• 8:30 PM ~ Miss Sarawan at The Slur Bar

Tuesday  26-Nov-2013

• 9:00 PM ~ Joey Paz at The Village

Wednesday  27-Nov-2013

• 8:30 PM ~ The Adobo Conspiracy at The Slur Bar
• 8:30 PM ~ MWAUKA at The Village

Coming Up

• Kok Thlok at The Show Box
• Gabi Faja and AI Iawasaki at The Doors
• The Klezbodians at The Doors
• Jaworski 7 at Equinox
• The Cambodian Space Project at Equinox
• The Fumes at Equinox
• RNA + Friends at The Village
• DJ Gang and MWAUKA at Paddy Rice
• Hydrophonics and DJ Tech 12 at Pontoon
• DJ Flo Trallala, DJ Wez-T and DJ B-Fox at Meta House
• Dina Chhan and Invisible Agent at Meta House
• Antonio Pineda, James Speck, Tim King and DJ Nicomatic at Meta House