Leng Pleng - Live Music and DJ Gig Guide of Cambodia: Weekly Wrap - Commencing Thursday the 19th January 2017

Weekly Wrap - Commencing Thursday the 19th January 2017

Another super weekend of gigs is coming up on the Cambodian music scene. As always, check out the Leng Pleng Gig Guide below for more information about what’s happening around the traps. Don’t forget, if you are a performer or venue with a gig to promote, all you need to do is mail the information to gigs@lengpleng.com … and we’ll do the rest!

How many of these can you play? Pic: Jake Wachtel Facebook

Two very interesting shows with early kick-off times will take place on Friday in Phnom Penh. Jake Wachtel is a dedicated world traveller and a musician with an unusual goal: to learn to play every musical instrument ever made! While we would guess that the focus of this lofty aim is on the journey rather than the destination, Jake has attained competence on more than one-hundred different instruments during his travels around the world. The tide of life has now washed him back to the shores of Cambodia for a gig at Showbox on Friday, where he will be playing a diverse range of songs (in a diverse range of languages) on an instrument that fits quite well in a suitcase: a ukulele. Meanwhile, over at Farm-to-Table, Marianna Hensley will be making a rare live outing for a session of classic jazz tunes. One of Phnom Penh’s ‘best kept musical secrets’ is a talented singer with a clear, pure and stunning voice. Accompanied by subtle ‘old school’ jazz guitar work by Richard Pearl, Marianna Hensley’s performance will be something to savour.

Michael fronting the Hypnotic Fist Technique. Pic: Alchemy Facebook

Later on Friday, the Hypnotic Fist Technique team will be heading up to the riverside for their first gig of the new year and their very first performance at Oscar’s On The Corner. This incendiary mix of a cool, funky and happening band and the undisputed best late-night rock venue in Phnom Penh is bound to produce a memorable gig. Add in the return of their regular drummer James and a bunch of new songs to play… explosive! In the words of Hypnotic MC Michael Bridgett:

‘Break right out of that all new rut you've been digging with some brand new hip hop and R&B tunes designed to make you think you ass has a mind of its own!’

Well said, Michael!

Building up from street level: Huge benefit party at Boeung Kak
Lakeside this Saturday. Pic: Develop Boeung Kak Facebook.

Saturday night in Phnom Penh offers the chance to hear several hours of great music, party with hundreds of people in a cool location and all the while contribute to a very worthy cause. Phnom Penh Underground will be celebrating three years of organising and promoting music events within the city’s underground club scene, with profits from the event going to the Develop Boeung Kak organisation. Mainman Lhoyd ‘DJ Sequence’ told Leng Pleng a little more about the big night:

“Our birthday party is is a massive event for us - firstly because it's a chance to get all of the fantastic DJ talent in the city together and secondly, and I think more importantly, it's a chance to give something back to a country that has given us so much.

We really hope that everyone can come and support us on Saturday - every cent of profit goes towards supporting children who haven't been blessed with the innate benefits that we automatically get as foreigners. Develop Boeung Kak, our nominated charity for the night, works at a grassroots level to try and help the children of Boeung Kak via a fantastic Free School.

So come and dance, drink, have a fantastic time in a unique setting and help out some people who really deserve your help!”

- DJ Sequence, Phnom Penh Underground

Pic: https://saveboeungkak.wordpress.com/

The former lakeside at Boeung Kak has been the site of many memorable music parties. This Saturday’s DJ event - featuring Phnom Penh favourites Alan Ritchie, DJ Bree and DJ Donabelle alongside DJ Sequence himself and many, many more - looks set to be another awesome night.

Krom have recently released a striking new music video for their track ‘Lil Suzie’ - ‘Krom’s signature song about the tragedy of Meta-amphetamine abuse’. Version ‘B’ of ‘Lil Suzie’ switches out bandleader Chris Minko’s vocals for a English-language lead vocal take by Sophea Chamroeun. The excellent film by director Long Chean features Chris Minko’s daughter, Anya Minko, in the lead role as ‘Lil Suzie’.