Leng Pleng - Live Music and DJ Gig Guide of Cambodia: Weekly Wrap - Commencing Thursday the 4th February 2016

Road to Mandalay are set to rock Showbox on Friday

Power-trio Road to Mandalay will play an early gig at Showbox on Friday night. The band, fronted by the formidable Tracy Farrell (vocals, bass) describe their sound as 'heavy and alternative rock music... with influences ranging from Blondie, Foo Fighters, Fugazi, and many others'. Both Tracy and guitarist Adam Schumacher are from the United States, while drummer Antti Siitonen has a musical background in Finland. Road to Mandalay play original songs and have already recorded a four song demo – listen on the band's Soundcloud page.

Native New Yorker Richard Pearl will bring his Blueberry Moonboys trio to Duplex later on Friday. As you will see from the 'Banjomobile' Youtube clip below, Pearl is a consummate entertainer from the 'old school' American show tradition of vaudeville and revue. His dynamic banjo-playing will be backed at Duplex with fiddle, guitar and bass. Expect a very energetic American-flavoured program of swing, country and rock'n'roll music.

Video : Rich Pearl banjomobile

You never really know who is going to show up next on the Phnom Penh music scene. Last week, a group of students from France arrived in town and started booking shows for their eleven-piece brass band! Soundtrek Project, based at the École Centrale Paris, are currently on the Cambodian leg of a solidarity project tour which will also take them to West Africa and Mauritius. You may have already seen the Soundtrek guys rocking out at schools and venues around The Kingdom – they should be quite easy to spot! Their two-hour show comprises renditions of 'jazz, swing, metal, latino, French songs, Eastern-European songs, rock… [and more]' Check them out at Cloud in Phnom Penh this Saturday.

Bold as brass: The Soundtrek Project – pic: Soundtrek Facebook

Euan Gray will be putting aside his tenor sax on Saturday night and picking up the guitar for a special show with Seb Adnot (upright bass) and Toma Willen (drums) at the Bassac Lanes group of bars – off street 308 in Phnom Penh. The venue has recently been ramping up the frequency of its live music events – which invariably feature local residents and their children pogo-ing together with the expat crowd. Euan Gray will also play the Black Pearl in Phnom Penh on Friday night – alongside Scott Bywater and Phil Javelle.

Thomas Schellöh is a master of the alto saxophone from Germany. Together with his singing partner Susi Brinkert, he forms Susi & The Eidelweiss – an audacious musical duo with vast experience on the 'Oktoberfest' event scene. Not ones to fade into the background, Susi and Thomas are inclined to take the audience by the scruff of the proverbial neck and lead them dancing in a conga line around the venue. Susi & The Eidelweiss will be performing at Sharky Bar this Saturday. The 'Carnival' music program will comprise of 'songs typical for Cologne, the whole city is celebrating Carnival this weekend! Mixed with international pop and rock music...'

Less than two weeks to go before psychedelic travellers Dengue Fever touch down in The Kingdom, here is a cool lyric video for the excellent track 'Cardboard Castles' from their latest album, The Deepest Lake. Watch this space for more information about the upcoming Dengue Fever shows at the FCC.