Weekly Gig Guide - Commencing Thursday 20th February 2014

"I want to show Cambodia to the world. I really want to be a Cambodian star - but a Cambodian star that can show Cambodian style to people outside Cambodia. I've been around my own country and I have found a lot of beautiful things and that's why I want to be a famous singer. I want to share these beautiful things with the world. Cambodian instruments like the Chapei, for example. Life is not long.Before I die I hope I can do something for my country." - Jimmy Kiss.

Read the first full English-language interview with Jimmy Kiss here.

You can catch Jimmy on Friday, along with Dub Addiction, MC Kaztet Dee and Wat A Gwaan as they provide support for The Reggae Rajahs - 'India's first Reggae Soundsystem'. Like their Cambodian counterparts, and the multitude of 'Sound Systems' originating in Japan, the Rajahs show that you can be a long way from Jamaica and still be right in the beating heart of reggae music. Dance to their sounds, selections, and toasts at Slur Bar (cover charge of $5 includes a drink) with an after-party DJ set at Pontoon ($8 on the door or $4 if you have a valid ticket from Slur Bar). Lots of videos, sound files, and more information on the Reggae Rajahs website. You can also catch the band in Siem Reap on Thursday at The Laundry Bar.

Raising the tempo but keeping the fun factor at Code Red this Friday are The Cuban Brothers - another really cool international act arriving in Phnom Penh. The Cubans are from Scotland but their crazy and cool stage show has less to do with the freezing streets of Edinburgh and more to do with a 1970's Miami discotheque. Check out their website or the video below showing the Brothers in action at Hyde Park, London. Tickets at Code Red are $10 including entry to another gig on Saturday. There is a pre-club event at Doors Phnom Penh on Friday night when some free passes will be given away.

Something strange is going on this weekend... has George Clinton's P-Funk Mothership left it's orbit and taken up a position in the skies above Cambodia? I can hardly keep up with the number of funky brothers roaming the streets of Phnom Penh this weekend. Marsyas lay down raw and live grooves of excellent quality at Equinox on Friday, whilst, on the same evening, French visitors The Submarine Brass Band will be over at Sharky Bar. Sharky's told Leng Pleng that these guys are 'a seven-piece brass band with two drummers... stable mates of The Octopus Brass Band that played Sharky's a few years ago.' You can also catch this intriguing and genre-hopping ensemble at Equinox on Thursday night.

Punk-rock legend Didier Wampas will be making a splash in The Kingdom of Wonder over the next few days, hitting The X-Bar in Siem Reap on Friday with his band Sugar & Tiger. 'The Iggy Pop of France' then travels to the capital on Saturday for a show at Sharky Bar. Didier has been active as a solo artist and with his band Les Wampas since the mid-1980's. He is known for the political edge to his lyrics and the high energy level of his gigs – including a great deal of crowd involvement. Sharky's have added the fantastic punk-rockers Bob Passion and The Schkoots into the mix and also Stonewall– 'A French metal band direct from Bangkok'. Cover charge of $3 from 7pm. More information on Didier Wampas on his website

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The unlikely marriage of 'English Indie Rock n Roll with Congolese Soukous music' tours Phnom Penh this weekend as People People play a number of gigs before their lead singer and songwriter Louis Stephens returns to the United Kingdom. Antonio Rotello of Italy and Lewis Pragasam of Malaysia make up the trio. Louis reports that the band sounds like Ladysmith Black Mambazo jamming with The Artic Monkeys. Have a listen to their Soundcloud page to find out for yourself. People People will be playing The Village on Friday, Oscars 51 on Saturday, and a rooftop sunset gig at Dusk Till Dawn on Sunday before heading to The Groove on Monday evening.

Phew! After all this funking around Jack will be ready for a traditional and cultural Khmer experience on Tuesday when the musicians, performers and dancers of Cambodian Living Arts will be playing a special show at Doors Phnom Penh. This troupe normally only plays within the walls of the National Museum. Cover charge $3 or free for Cambodian Event Network members.

As Jack steels himself for an exceptionally busy weekend of gig-hopping, just time to mention that the excellent Radio Free Equinox has changed its address to http://www.radionomy.com/en/radio/radiofreeequinox/index, where you can listen to a large library of concerts recorded live at the venue. 
 

Finally, check out the cool video below featuring The Reggae Rajahs:

 

Stay safe out there and see you around the traps,

 - JACK DIAMOND

Latest Gigs

Thursday  20-Feb-2014

• 9:00 PM ~ Diego Dimarques trio at The Groove
• 9:00 PM ~ Reggae Rajahs Live at The Laundry Music Bar in Siem Reap
• 9:00 PM ~ Michelle Flemming at Pappa Pippo in Sihanouk Ville
• 9:00 PM ~ X-Pat Sound System at Meta House
• 9:00 PM ~ Submarine Brass at Equinox
• 10:00 PM ~ DJ Flo at The RiverHouse Asian Bistro

Friday  21-Feb-2014

• 6:00 PM ~ Sonny Krishnan and Pervaz Gulzar at Le Jardin
• 8:00 PM ~ Submarine Brass at Sharky Bar
• 8:30 PM ~ People People!! at The Village
• 9:00 PM ~ DJ Tonle Dub and DJ Mercy at Meta House
• 9:00 PM ~ Ritchy Boisson , Luis Arambarri and Leon at The Groove
• 9:00 PM ~ Doors + Code Red at The Doors
• 9:00 PM ~ Michelle Flemming at Footprints in Sihanouk Ville
• 9:00 PM ~ Dub Addiction , Wat A Gwaan The and Reggae Rajahs * at The Slur Bar
• 9:00 PM ~ Marsyas at Equinox
• 9:00 PM ~ Didier Wampas * and Sugar & Tiger * at The X-Bar in Siem Reap
• 9:00 PM ~ DJ Stroke and DJ Maily at Naga World
• 10:00 PM ~ DJ Lefty at The RiverHouse Asian Bistro
• 10:00 PM ~ DJ Donabelle at Nova Penthouse
• 11:00 PM ~ DJ Mocity at Pontoon
• 11:00 PM ~ DJ DSK * , Alan Ritchie and The Cuban Brothers * at Code Red
• 11:00 PM ~ DJ Per at The Pontoon Pulse

Saturday  22-Feb-2014

• 8:00 PM ~ Team Riot at The RiverHouse Lounge
• 8:30 PM ~ Kok Thlok at FCC-Phnom Penh
• 8:30 PM ~ Kok Thlok at FCC - The Mansion
• 8:30 PM ~ Jaworski 7 at The Aquarium Bar
• 9:00 PM ~ Stonewall * , Bob Passion & the Schkoots and Didier Wampas * at Sharky Bar
• 9:00 PM ~ Rom Bak Battle at The Slur Bar
• 9:00 PM ~ MC Gobshite , Tiny Toones and DJ DSK * at Code Red
• 9:00 PM ~ DJ Achaya and DJ Wah-Wah at The Kep Lodge in Kep
• 9:00 PM ~ People People!! at Oscars 51
• 9:00 PM ~ Euan Gray , Barry Speirs and Ritchy Boisson at The Groove
• 9:00 PM ~ Michelle Flemming at The Otres Market in Sihanoukville
• 9:00 PM ~ Jahzad at Equinox
• 10:00 PM ~ The Kimchi Collective at Dusk till Dawn
• 10:00 PM ~ DJ Funkelastiks and DJ Alan Ritchie at The RiverHouse Asian Bistro
• 10:00 PM ~ DJ Tinc at Nova Penthouse
• 10:00 PM ~ Swagger at Meta House
• 11:00 PM ~ DJ Tech 12 and MC Hydro Phonics at Pontoon

Sunday  23-Feb-2014

• 5:30 PM ~ People People!! at Dusk till Dawn
• 10:00 PM ~ DJ Wez-T and DJ Simon C Vent at The RiverHouse Asian Bistro

Monday  24-Feb-2014

• 9:00 PM ~ People People!! at The Groove
• 9:00 PM ~ Michelle Flemming at Santino's Rock Star Resort in Sihanouk Ville
• 9:30 PM ~ Joshua Chiang at The Slur Bar
• 10:00 PM ~ DJ Tam at The RiverHouse Asian Bistro

Tuesday  25-Feb-2014

• 7:00 PM ~ Joe Wrigley and Miss Sarawan at Wat Opot Music Program in Kampong Speu
• 8:00 PM ~ Anton Isselhardt and Steve Retallick at Meta House
• 8:00 PM ~ Pop Music Quiz Night at Equinox
• 8:00 PM ~ Cambodia Living Arts at The Doors
• 10:00 PM ~ DJ Susu at The RiverHouse Asian Bistro

Wednesday  26-Feb-2014

• 9:00 PM ~ RJ Marshall at Equinox
• 9:00 PM ~ No Bad Habits at The Slur Bar
• 9:00 PM ~ The Cambodian Space Project at The Barn in Sihanouk Ville

Coming Up

• The Fumes at Equinox
  
• Vibratone at Equinox
  
• The Grass Snake Union at Equinox
  
• Jahzad at Equinox
  
• Dub Addiction at Equinox
  
• Pop Music Quiz Night at Equinox
  
• Bands of Cambodia Music Video Night at Equinox
  
• The Adobo Conspiracy at Equinox, Equinox and The Slur Bar
  
• Big Folk at Doors
  
• RJ Marshall at Equinox
  
• Submarine Brass at Equinox
  
• The Cambodian Space Project at Equinox
  
• SunBodia at Phnom Penh Passenger Port
  
• The Cambodian Space Project and The Foreign Passports at Oscars 51
  
• DJ Tech 12 and MC Hydro Phonics at Pontoon
  
• DJ Nicomatic and DJ Wah-Wah at Meta House
  
• DJ Tim Coates and DJ Mikus at The RiverHouse Lounge
  
• DJ Ewone * at Pontoon
  
• DJ Illest at Pontoon, Pontoon
  
• DJ R-Wan at Pontoon
  
• DJ Feraliskinky at Pontoon, Pontoon
  
• DJ Luke Coolhand and DJ Chantal at The Pontoon Pulse
  
• DJ Proff at A Boat on the Mekong River
  
• Mapro at The Pontoon Pulse
  
• The Tuk Tuk Sessions at Equinox
  
• MWAUKA & The Gang at The Village