It was as bit of a weekend for mixing it up and making it up. What with half the expat musical population out of town it was a matter of dragging together what we could. Friday night at Lotus Blanc featured two bands, in addition to the traditional Khmer music that played downstairs. The night kicked off with a stripped down jazz-heavy Los Poporks performing as a quartet, including Mr Dom on cornet. Very tasty. They then took off up to Chinese House to back harmonica player Doc Spann - any reports? Then followed the Cambodian Space Project featuring a special appearance from Davis Zunk on drums - he was there at the beginning of the CSP, and it was great to have his funky Nawlins thing rumbling away underneath. We were lucky to have a strongly Khmer audience, who got the dancing going, and kept it up enthusiastically.
Saturday night gave us one of those special happy events that happen from time to time just through wishing them up. A farewell party with some music at Equinox collided a birthday party at the same location, beginning with Phnom Penh newcomer TJ taking us through some propulsive Americana, followed by a set by Expresso Thmei, and then some unrehearsed but keen tunes sung and strummed by farewellee Adam with Mr Pink on the drums and TJ on harp. A few calls during the week had drawn together a collection of musicians from the for a jam, a band that during the afternoon was dubbed Los Cambodian Space Pirates (but was probably more accurately the Mekong Space Poporks) laying down some very cool grooves, a bit of funk here, a bit of fusion there, some blues and a couple of vocals. The only train wreck of the night was my overconfident leading of the band through The Long Division, which they had never heard, after a request from the floor. Still, we overcame that and played on until the inevitable noise reduction requests. A most successful experiment and a great crowd to watch it.
The Cambodian Space Project - sans accordion this time - was the pre-game entertainment for the World Cup final on Sunday night at La Croisette. We may or may not have delighted a group of Korean businessmen with our 60s Khmer pop, along with a collection of tourists, expats, interns and regular fans. The 10 pm start caused a bit of a hiccup, what with it being past bedtime for the Khmer band members, but before long we were bounding along at our usual gait playing songs about looking or not looking, talking or not talking, monkeys, whiskey and dancing. And another late, late night.
See you near a stage somewhere.
p.s. what was Doc Spann like? Anyone?
Showing posts with label La Croissette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label La Croissette. Show all posts
Monday, July 12, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
As the northern summer starts to bite into the local scene ... 23 - 26 June 2010
Ladies and Gentlemen, a new contender for best expat band in Cambodia ... but first a quick chroniciling of the week's CSP adventures.
Wednesday night at La Croisette, either side of 2 simultaneous football matches, the Cambodian Space Project did its thing, starting with a duo hampered by broken strings and including a flight across town for supplies, growing into a 5-piece Khmer rock'n'roll machine, that by 11.45, after a blistering second set, finally pulled to a close. Special thanks to those who attended the first, wandered off for the football, but then returned for the second. Such as new big fan Andy.
It was a quieter, more sedate Thursday night - Expresso Thmei at the opening of The 252, a new upmarket guesthouse on Street 252, where we played in front of a large swimming pool (which proved too tempting for one invitee) and a rather different than usual audience. And no broken strings. And also Andy.
On Friday afternoon, the PSE school at Stung Meanchey had an end of year musical celebration that featured some great (and also some admittedly not so great, but heartwarmings) singing and dancing by kids of all ages. The Cambodian Space Project was invited to headline, and it was one of the best experiences we have had, with 2,500 children dancing and singing along. An absolutely exhilarating time, electric energy, and a chance to do those rockstar things that you are always a little embarassed to do in front of a grownup crowd. The kids were both inspired and inspiring, and as my mate Ken said, a great view of the future of the nation.
And now - Saturday night. Los Poporks. Equinox. Fab.
I haven't seen these guys since they opened for the CSP back in January, but they've morphed into something really special. They played as a ten-piece - with two guitars, bass, drums, percussion, three singers, two trumpets, a flute, a keyboard, an occasional harmonica ... rambling across open fields of African beats, some deep soupy funk, some double-time French jazz, dipping into reggae and then jazz fusion ... and as a highpoint in the middle of the second set, a scandalous segue from the swinging-like-a-(expletive deleted) Take Five into a massive Whole Lotta Love without breaking stride. Just outstanding. The crowd stayed thick and bouncing through to the end, including two encores. The sad part is I understand they're breaking down into something smaller for the European summer - just when they had proved themselves necessary! Don't miss these guys the next time you have a chance.
Also, on a non-musical note, make a point to check out Cambodian painter Dina Chhan's new exhibition (also, unrelatedly, at Equinox).
See you around the traps.
Wednesday night at La Croisette, either side of 2 simultaneous football matches, the Cambodian Space Project did its thing, starting with a duo hampered by broken strings and including a flight across town for supplies, growing into a 5-piece Khmer rock'n'roll machine, that by 11.45, after a blistering second set, finally pulled to a close. Special thanks to those who attended the first, wandered off for the football, but then returned for the second. Such as new big fan Andy.
It was a quieter, more sedate Thursday night - Expresso Thmei at the opening of The 252, a new upmarket guesthouse on Street 252, where we played in front of a large swimming pool (which proved too tempting for one invitee) and a rather different than usual audience. And no broken strings. And also Andy.
On Friday afternoon, the PSE school at Stung Meanchey had an end of year musical celebration that featured some great (and also some admittedly not so great, but heartwarmings) singing and dancing by kids of all ages. The Cambodian Space Project was invited to headline, and it was one of the best experiences we have had, with 2,500 children dancing and singing along. An absolutely exhilarating time, electric energy, and a chance to do those rockstar things that you are always a little embarassed to do in front of a grownup crowd. The kids were both inspired and inspiring, and as my mate Ken said, a great view of the future of the nation.
And now - Saturday night. Los Poporks. Equinox. Fab.
I haven't seen these guys since they opened for the CSP back in January, but they've morphed into something really special. They played as a ten-piece - with two guitars, bass, drums, percussion, three singers, two trumpets, a flute, a keyboard, an occasional harmonica ... rambling across open fields of African beats, some deep soupy funk, some double-time French jazz, dipping into reggae and then jazz fusion ... and as a highpoint in the middle of the second set, a scandalous segue from the swinging-like-a-(expletive deleted) Take Five into a massive Whole Lotta Love without breaking stride. Just outstanding. The crowd stayed thick and bouncing through to the end, including two encores. The sad part is I understand they're breaking down into something smaller for the European summer - just when they had proved themselves necessary! Don't miss these guys the next time you have a chance.
Also, on a non-musical note, make a point to check out Cambodian painter Dina Chhan's new exhibition (also, unrelatedly, at Equinox).
See you around the traps.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Too much I didn't see: 22 - 24 April
The Cambodian Space Project commenced its progression towards the soft, smooth dinner music that it's always deep down wanted to be this weekend, with a performance at one of our favourite places, La Croissette. Technical issues were somewhat minimised, we welcomed the return of the clarinet of Bun Hong, and we played without either drums or bass. The results were ... mixed. While most of the tunes worked perfectly well, there were a couple that we found ourselves lost in the middle of, with no way out ... a moment or two of ankle-deep sludge in the second set. Not to leave on a downer, we revved it up again and played one last tight after-midnight set. Upward and onward!
Friday night myself and The Lovely Irene played a private party, and I rediscovered how much people like Simon & Garfunkel. And Saturday night I was at the theatre. Elsewhere, Bum'n'Draze (Fbook photos) and then Lost Highway (Fbook photos) played at Sharky, the Bayon Blues Ensemble (Fbook photos) debuted at the Velkommen Inn, and the KlapYaHandz hiphop event was held at the night market. Others will have to chronicle such events.
Friday night myself and The Lovely Irene played a private party, and I rediscovered how much people like Simon & Garfunkel. And Saturday night I was at the theatre. Elsewhere, Bum'n'Draze (Fbook photos) and then Lost Highway (Fbook photos) played at Sharky, the Bayon Blues Ensemble (Fbook photos) debuted at the Velkommen Inn, and the KlapYaHandz hiphop event was held at the night market. Others will have to chronicle such events.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Rooftops of Phnom Penh; raised, appraised and launched from: 4 - 7 February
The first in the Hellhounds' Spitting, Drooling and Snarling February Thursdays Tour of Sharky's kicked off the weekend with bonus new tunes, an involved audience and even some dancing over by the pool table. The new commitment to harmony vocal sounds is really starting to pay off, particularly with Mythical Dude's encouragement that we include Dead Flowers in the list - it sounded like we'd been playing it for years, rather than never before.
Friday night the Cambodian Space Project played al fresco on the rooftop at Studio 182, an evening characterised by the appearance of a small army of sound-technical personnel who dashed around underfoot plugging and unplugging things as the night draped itself around us. An extended soundcheck grew gradually into a sound ... not entirely sure it was a dramatic improvement - but my ears are not always to be trusted. A large, dancey crowd enjoyed a set and a half of crazy psychedelic Khmer space rock before the neighbours complained and we had to bring the party to a close. We started it up again on Saturday night under the headline Whisky Cambodia at La Croissette. Again, I was fortunate enough to be able to sit out a few numbers and enjoy the band from the front, with Bong Sak thumping the skins for us: somehow we were in the very rare state of having the same lineup on successive gigs.
But this lineup is about to change again, as the Cambodian Space Project is temporarily losing one of its khosmonauts: The Lovely Irene is preparing to sail on the evening tide, undertaking a project to further economic links between Cambodia and Western Europe, also to spy and search out trade secrets with other Space Projects to assist with improving the Khmer design, which is currently largely restricted to attaching a rocket to a tuktuk. The irreplaceable elegant lefthanded hat-wearing charm that brought such a bloom to the front line of the band will be missed by all of us. We wish her well, bid her safe passage and fair winds, with the unspoken trust that the fairest of these winds will be those that float her back to us. To mark her departure, crowds were assembled, two boats were lashed together, and the Cambodian Space Project clambered aboard to send her off in style on a Sunday cruise of the Tone Le Sap. A fiercely good time was had. Now, the next project is how to organise playing on a boat roof .... a launch pad for a most spectacular liftoff.
Friday night the Cambodian Space Project played al fresco on the rooftop at Studio 182, an evening characterised by the appearance of a small army of sound-technical personnel who dashed around underfoot plugging and unplugging things as the night draped itself around us. An extended soundcheck grew gradually into a sound ... not entirely sure it was a dramatic improvement - but my ears are not always to be trusted. A large, dancey crowd enjoyed a set and a half of crazy psychedelic Khmer space rock before the neighbours complained and we had to bring the party to a close. We started it up again on Saturday night under the headline Whisky Cambodia at La Croissette. Again, I was fortunate enough to be able to sit out a few numbers and enjoy the band from the front, with Bong Sak thumping the skins for us: somehow we were in the very rare state of having the same lineup on successive gigs.
But this lineup is about to change again, as the Cambodian Space Project is temporarily losing one of its khosmonauts: The Lovely Irene is preparing to sail on the evening tide, undertaking a project to further economic links between Cambodia and Western Europe, also to spy and search out trade secrets with other Space Projects to assist with improving the Khmer design, which is currently largely restricted to attaching a rocket to a tuktuk. The irreplaceable elegant lefthanded hat-wearing charm that brought such a bloom to the front line of the band will be missed by all of us. We wish her well, bid her safe passage and fair winds, with the unspoken trust that the fairest of these winds will be those that float her back to us. To mark her departure, crowds were assembled, two boats were lashed together, and the Cambodian Space Project clambered aboard to send her off in style on a Sunday cruise of the Tone Le Sap. A fiercely good time was had. Now, the next project is how to organise playing on a boat roof .... a launch pad for a most spectacular liftoff.
Monday, December 28, 2009
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.
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