Leng Pleng - Live Music and DJ Gig Guide of Cambodia: Weekly Wrap

World Music Day is coming up on Tuesday the 21^st June and Cambodia is definitely a part of the celebrations – with several interesting and unusual gigs happening around the Kingdom this week. Check out the Leng Pleng Gig Guide listings below for our weekly schedule and read on to discover some of the highlights.

Miss Sarawan and DJ Oro will be at the Institut français du Cambodge in Phnom Penh tonight (Thursday) for a special 'Golden Era' concert. The Miss Sarawan Acoustic trio will be mixing up Cambodian rock'n'roll classics of the 1960's and 1970's with original songs. Following the band's set, DJ Oro will be breaking out his collection of extremely rare vinyl dating from the heyday of Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea and Pan Ron. This is a chance to hear some of the original surviving records of the era – many of which were buried in the ground or hidden in containers of gasoline to avoid detection and destruction by the soldiers of the Khmer Rouge. Oum 'Oro' Oudom maintains the Cambodian Vintage Music Archive - check out the video above, and subscribe to the YouTube Channel to learn more.

Rhiannon Johnson sings at The Governor's House on Thursday

Rhiannon Johnson will be bringing her sultry, soulful tones to the Governor's House in Phnom Penh tonight for an evening of elegant jazz and blues. Rhiannon will be backed up by a stellar trio comprising of Lewis Pragasam (drums), Metta Legita (keyboards) and Thomas Schelloeh (saxophone). If you are in a romantic mood tonight, this gig would be a great place to take a date. One song from Rhiannon and her band, and the object of your desire will be jumping into your arms!

Batbangers are back in town this week with a brace of gigs. Showbox will be pogo-ing to the sounds of original Khmer rock'n'roll on Friday night while The Plantation hotel will host the boys on Tuesday. In honour of World Music Day, or Fête de la Musique, the venue will also be staging a performance by Kong Boran – son of Chapei Master Kong Nay. Kong Boran is continuing the performance art of the Chapei Dong Weng – which combines storytelling and comedy with melodies played on the traditional long-necked guitar.

The Kampot Playboys rocking out at Laundry Bar in Siem Reap. Pic via Facebook user Arto Ortiz

Up in Siem Reap, Laundry Bar will be having a three-day music party this weekend. Each night has a loose musical theme: rock and pop on Friday, reggae and ska on Saturday, acoustic jazz on Sunday. Several Siem Reap based bands such as Cambojam and Angkor Strums will be in attendance and DJs such as Kaztet Dee and Izabella will be on hand to push the revelry into the early hours. Laundry Bar is a favourite expat hangout for good reason: the gigs there are always great fun. With the band squeezed in right next to the audience, and the open-walled entrance facing nearby Pub Street, a healthy crowd of dancers, drinkers and onlookers has usually formed at Laundry before the end of the first song!

Many Leng Pleng readers will have witnessed the high-energy scenes at Oscar's On The Corner recently – when Nightmare A.D. played a launch show for their new EP, supported by Doch Ckae and Sangvar Day. In case you missed it, here is a video the band posted of their set! Nightmare A.D. mainman Mike Priest let us know that freshly-pressed CDs will be shortly be available, along with band t-shirts, at Links music studio, while the digital version will soon be online at Bandcamp.