Open mic to open mic: 15 - 22 September 2010

Way back in the middle of last week .... began the Setsara-based Phnom Penh Acoustic Sessions.  The popular Thai restaurant on Golden Street next to Equinox is catching the open-mic virus (I haven't made it to any of the others yet) and the opening night on Wednesday 15th created a great vibe from the beginning.  The proceedings were hosted, and indeed opened, by CSP leader-and-founder Julien Poulson who played a great half hour set, followed by TJ, and myself, and Expresso Thmei, and after that everything gets a bit hazy ... The Swedish Ambassador and Grizzly Adam and Bong Thom all chimed in with some accompanying guitar, bongos and harmonica, and there were different pairings and groupings throughout.  There was very quickly really nice feel and the audience were neither deafened nor deafening - the balance was good.  A special portion of the evening was Srey Thy singing accompanied only by herself on a hand-drum, which brought all the tuk-tuk drivers creeping out from the shadows to listen. 

Thursday night I had the pleasure of taking part in a theatre performance at Chenla Theatre put on by the Kok Thlok Association of Artists, whose shadow artwork currently graces the walls of Equinox.   This musical moral fable about life in contemporary Phnom Penh was part of the Lakhaon festival of Khmer theatre supported by Centre Culturel Francaise.  I joined the house band on drums for an extended nightclub scene, surrounded by musicians far superior to myself, and with whom it was a joy to work.  Look out for anything with Kok Thlok involved - you will not be disappointed.

Then Friday night the Cambodian Space Project crammed into the Alley Cat for their re-opening event, featuring some welcome renovations and a new Dallas mural, as a warm up for our official welcome home show at Equinox on Saturday night, which was an all-exploding, all-freewheeling take-no-prisoners carnival that featured drumkit damage, string breakage, vocal submersion, impromptu jamming, not enough dancing but lots of sweaty, enthusiastic punters, and a long series of encores.  Sweet exhaustion.

And now we're back to Wednesday 22nd, the second of the Setsara Acoustic Sessions, with the same cast but more - some solo from Bong Thom, the welcome appearance of Melanie, my first listens to Claire, and Scott from the Teaner Terners, and the night sealed with Julien pulling out Rocking in the free world with Melanie and Ken.   Can't wait for the next one.  And also I'm off to check out the Paddy Rice open mic tonight.

See you about. 

A lowkey blog about the weekend that I felt particularly crook but somehow kept going: 25 - 27 February

The Hellhounds worldwide tour of Sharky's continued on Thursday night despite the absence of Bong Thom, and with the addition of last week's special guest Johnny Pilgrim. We ran a stripped back setlist, pushing the wildness quotient up a bit but really missing the mandolin. And I wasn't so well, which didn't help. Still, the blues went down pretty well, as ever. And Mythical Dude got through a whole set -- hell, nearly the whole night -- without breaking a string, but stumbled at the last hurdle.  Which brings me to a fundamental question:  if Jimmy Hellhound ever broke a string, would the world cease to be?


On Friday afternoon the Cambodian Space Project took itself on the road to Sihanoukville, to participate in Khmarnival, an AIDS education outreach event involving some fabulous dance, pantomime, circus acts and clowning by young former street kids. Pretty inspiring stuff. We came onto the stage after dark, following two mixed bands of the young and enthusiastic -- and what a stage. It was huge, like playing a stadium. Everyone was wandering around wondering what to do with all the space. Way up the back, miles away, and miles high on a drum riser, I felt like Ringo. A great view, but it was so dark I could barely see the crowd. We played until bedtime. And then stayed up for a cleansing beverage or two.

Saturday night we were all back in Phnom Penh, and a stripped down and perhaps more relaxed CSP played at The Alley Cat's last Saturday of the month buffet and prize drawing. Elsewhere in town the Lazy Jazz Drunks and Lost Highway played Sharky's, and then the LJD took a stab at an after midnight gig at Candy Bar. No reports in yet on those adventures.

It looks like a quiet weekend coming up, and perhaps my health can last for more than a day at a time. Preparing for a big finish for the CSP's current trajectory: Siem Reap on 11 - 13 March, Maxines on 20th, and 3 dates in Hong Kong to go out with a bang … before coming back for more in August.

See you about.

Christmas in Cambodia: 24 - 26 December

The Cambodian Space Project flew its bamboo Starex rocket down to Kampot for a few days of recording at New Leaf Studio, located in the grounds of Bodhi Villa.  Between bouts of eating, drinking and dodging dodgy backpackers, we put down some pretty cool material that will be unveiled in the near future.  Then we all piled back into the rocket and sped up the highway to make an appointment to play at the Christmas Eve party for Little Hearts Orphanage - more info here.  The Phnom Penh traffic pushed back the starting time a little, but we made a great noise and the kids loved it. I then fled back across the water to play fill-in drums for Russian Dave and Friends at a very quiet Chinese House.

On the evening of Christmas Day the CSP played La Croissette, with an expanded band featuring Jimmy Hellhound on sax and Ratta on congas.  A fine Christmas crowd was treated to the first full length CSP appearance, and despite some technical issues early on with the vocals we got a great reception; including the motodops watching through the doors.  Srey Thy put in a marvellous performance, charming the crowd and drawing in passersby - including an Indian couple from Dubai just in town for the day.  The photos below are courtesy of audience member and music fan Bruno Laurant.

 

 

On Saturday the CSP played on the Alley Cat's Boxing Day Cruise, now as a quartet with Davis Zunk returning to Ho Chi Minh City.  Afloat on the Tonle Sap and the Mekong, threading between the fishermen pulling in nets and the long thin working boats as the afternoon stretched into a soft tropical evening, we played a few sets mixing up the Khmer pop with some Neil Young covers and jams, and a short solo set of my choons.  A most enjoyable Boxing Day. 

UPDATE:   Now check out our video of I'm 16 shot on the boat.

Cambodian Space Project attacks the stratosphere! - 17 December

The Cambodian Space Project took to the stage at META House for a further sneak preview on Thursday night, following a screening of Julien's documentary Mekong Delta Blues.  Building upon the spontaneous energy of the Alley Cat gig, this was a tighter and punchier performance, with Phnom Penh alumnus Davis taking bass duties, and with the addition of Rattat on digeridoo and percussion.  The combo gave just a taste of its feast of 60s style Cambodian rock, with the beautiful Srey Thy charming the crowd and the band pulling out that extra helping of funk that had been hiding away during rehearsals.  After a break caused by a grumpy neighbour, the band returned for an extended jam for those few brave souls who were still around.

Look out for the Cambodian Space Project over the next few weeks!  Including a river cruise on Boxing Day - tickets from the Alley Cat. 

Midweek madness - 9 December

The Alley Cat celebrated its fourth birthday last night with a buffet, free margeritas, and some music performed by wunderkind Julien Poulson on guitar and the delightful vocals of the beautiful Srey Thy, grappling like troupers against troublesome equipment and distortion issues.  The Swedish Ambassador and I did our Sly & Robbie/rhythm-section-for-hire thing, which I usually avoid on a school night, but in the spirit of the season, and the fact that we were asked and could be completely spontaneous about it, went along for the ride.  Unfortunately Guitar Steve was unable to round out the instrumental quartet due to the normal Cambodian electrics problems. 

Julien and Srey Thy kicked off with some old style Khmer songs, which flowed into a series of varied tunes that included a lot of material I didn't recognise, and some Neil Young, that got a few keen punters onto their feet to dance.  Other highlights included an impromptu run through of about two fifths of Oh, Pretty Woman, and Srey Thy pleasing the crowd with I'm Sixteen.  Look out for more from Srey Thy and Julien in the new year - and also Julien's documentary Mekong Delta Blues which is playing at Meta House on Thursday 17th. 

UPDATE:  See mythicaldude for pics:  http://mythicaldude.typepad.com/mythicaldude/2009/12/alley-cat-4th-anniversary-bash.html

Plenty of action this weekend, but for me as a punter only.  See you on the other side.