Looking
at the Leng Pleng Gig Guide this
week, it would appear that
the 26th
June is a
very popular night for great
gigs in Phnom Penh (I
thought that Fête de la Musique was last week??).
Like a selfish kid at a
party, this Friday night has grabbed all the sweeties and refuses to
share them with the other
nights – even
though it can't possibly eat them all. So
we are faced with the choice of frantically running around several
venues in one night, or otherwise missing out on some excellent
shows.
As always, Leng
Pleng will point out
some of the highlights. The choice is yours. Personally,
I am far too lazy to buzz
around Phnom Penh like a
live music gadfly and prefer to take in one gig at a time. From
the point of view of the performers, it is quite disconcerting to
see a
group of punters getting down to the music for
one moment (or one drink), only
to flit off to another venue a few songs later (often bopping
and smiling as they head out the door... do they really love riding
in tuk-tuks so much? Stay a while longer!).
Friday
Madness
'Selfish
Friday' has been kind enough to allow a few good gigs to
take place on Saturday in
Phnom Penh but there does not seem to be a whole lot going on during
the rest of the week. Would
it be too much to ask for venues to plan ahead and communicate
more so as to avoid live gig
log-jams like this? (Errr...
yes, it would be too much to
ask - this
is Phnom Penh, where many gigs are organised just a few days in
advance).
![]() |
Electrick Universe at Nightmarket,
Phnom Penh. pic – supplied
|
The Cambodian Spice
Project: Live
in Chili is the début
release by resident Meta
House
band Electrick
Universe.
Tim King,
James Speck
and DJ Nicomatic
have met up
at the venue every month for
the last two years
to perform improvised,
experimental sets of music.
Electrick Universe
combine live
electric guitar and phrase synthesizer with recorded beats and sounds
emanating from DJ turntables. The
trio's eclectic grooves
are extremely danceable in a
fruity and funky way. The
band also regularly invite
other musicians to jam with them.
This Friday's album release
party will feature German
saxophone
player
Moritz Holst
and other special guests.
The music captured
on Live in Chili
features recordings of
previous Meta House sessions, mastered by Dub
Addiction’s
Professor Kinski.
Electrick Universe
have pledged to add an extra
pinch of spice to the proceedings by giving away CD copies of the
album to the first 26 guests at the party. We
also heard a rumour that professional dancers have been hired to ramp
up the energy levels of this performance even further!
Dub-a-licious
Video:
'Lab Orer' and Dub Addiction rock
Sharky Bar
in a roots-reggae style
Papa Dub are another great Phnom Penh band who combine live instruments
and pre-recorded sounds to produce a rich fabric of funky goodness.
Seb Adnot and KCM
Nayabinghi are, as
one
would expect from two key
members of Dub Addiction,
hugely influenced
by the hypnotic Jamaican
sounds of dub reggae. Papa
Dub will combine
looped electronic grooves
and video projection with
live percussion and bass guitar at
Sharky Bar on
Friday. The venue has
promised
that the
senses of sight, sound, and smell
will be stimulated at the show. We are very curious to find out about
the 'smell'
aspect of that statement
(?).
One
might also add 'getting your insides pleasingly
rattled by humongous
sub-bass
frequencies'
to the list of stimulations on offer – as Seb
Adnot
will reportedly be bringing along his own giant sub-woofers,
especially for this gig! The
Papa Dub show
is
further proof that Sharky
Bar management
are making good on their promise to diversify
their
music
policy away from the
familiar Westerner
expat
rock'n'roll bands.
Check out their new weekly Showcase
night
on Wednesdays to hear some
great local
bands playing
Cambodian-language music.
Check
out the gig listings below for full information on all the great
shows happening in Phnom Penh this Friday, including
Kheltica
performing with their new singer Andrea
at the Alley
Bar
and the excellent Pavel 'zargz' Ramirez giving an intimate solo show
at The Alley Cat
Cafe.
Stuff not
happening on Friday
![]() |
Izabelle Gagnon – pic: Izabelle Gagnon Facebook |
Izabelle Gagnon
is a Canadian singer, dancer, choreographer, voice-over artist, DJ,
MC, actress and model (busy girl!) based in Thailand. Following a
successful stint in Phnom Penh last year, Izabelle is returning to
Cambodia this week for a flying visit and a few selected
singing appearances. She will team up with maestro Phil
Javelle for a show at Le
Museum on
Saturday night. Expect
a touch of glamour and sparkle from Izabelle as
she performs
a selection
of pop and r'n'b tunes.
Moi Tiet! is
the 'Scott Bywater
Experience' – the fully-loaded, fully-rocking and
fully-retooled band playing 100%
Bywater originals. Scott had
to split the group in 2013 when he departed for France, but this
year found time to get the
band back together for a
limited run of Cambodian
summer shows.
Songs like 'The
Long Division (I got the
Beatles, she got the Stones)', 'Flying Into Pochentong', and 'The
Love Bank' benefit hugely
from the muscular
instrumental backing of Andre
Swart (bass),
Chuck Villar
(guitar),
Jedil Robelo
(drums) and Leonard
Reyes (guitar).
The prolific Scott
Bywater (vocals, harmonica,
guitar) also promises to perform a number of newly-minted songs
alongside familiar classics.
Grab a rare chance to see Moi Tiet! perform
at Sharky Bar
this Saturday.
![]() |
Moi
Tiet! - pic: Moi Tiet Facebook
|
As Leng Pleng readers
may already know by now, Slur Bar has
re-opened under new management. Full details of their live music
schedule are yet to emerge, but Slur Bar
have announced the return of their popular Monday night open
mic session, from this coming Monday. The night will be hosted
by ace blues guitarist Jeffro
Sills.
![]() |
They closed. Then they re-opened. pic:
Slur Bar Facebook
|
Whatever you're up to over the next few days, stay safe out there and... see you around the traps!
JOE WRIGLEY
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