Saturday, 28th January 2006: Unclogged Chinese New Year’s Eve CANCELLED!
Yup! It’s cancelled. I went to NBT at 5pm with some band members who were supposed to be playing tonight. Some musicians and friends were already there inside NBT to do soundcheck. A few minutes later, NBT owner, Evelyn, took me up to her office and showed me a letter from DBKL. The official letter bearing the council’s logo asked NBT to stop operating, and if NBT keeps on going & doing gigs like normal (from today onwards), DBKL would go there, consficate all the equipment, seal the place up and slap some charges. And so that’s it. The show is cancelled and NBT is closed (at least until the matters sorted out).
Some people asked me whether it’s about the current “black metal” hoo-haa. Well, I saw the letter and it didn’t mention anything about “black metal”. it’s more about licensing and permit issues. But it does smell rather fishy since it’s like a few hours before Unclogged supposed to start. Why now? Why not last week? or next week? Hmm, jeng-jeng-jeng and all that suspenseful conspiracy theory themes are ringing.
Whatever it is, we have lost another venue, hopefully temporarily.
So here, me & Evelyn would like to apologise to all the bands and the people who were planning to celebrate a good CNY Eve out at Unclogged tonight. We are very, very sorry.
Cheers,
Joe
BTW; GONG HEI FATT CHOI MAN XI YU YI! GONG XI FA CAI WAN SHI RU YI!
featuring:
Etc.
– Singapore’s indie-rock stealth-weaponry, blessed with the sharp wordsmithery of one Ben Harrison, former scribe for BigO magazine (not that he’ll admit to it these day!) and also ex of many much-missed Lion City 90s combos (including The Padres). Etc. also features bassist Vinita Ramani (Self Portrait), guitarist Adrian Bestium (Rocket Scientist) and drummer Lennat but at the moment we are not sure if this line-up would appear as it is. Rumour has it that Couple’s Aidil may play drums!
websites: etc@MySpace / etc. online / download some of the songs here
Lucy in the Loo
– When FreeLove sings “Indie Rock Darling”, the first thing that comes to my mind is either Kim Deal or Kim Gordon, but when it comes to the Malaysian side of the jangle, it must be Lucy in the Loo. Most excellent indie-rock with more bubbles and pop than the usual. Singer/guitarist Hana has an amazing voice and the band have enough of that “unschooled, geeky amateur” feel that I’ve always craved for in a pop combo.
visit: lucyintheloo.com / lucy@MySpace
Bitterweet
– Finally a local band that has recently perfected the true sharp “Mod” sound with their super hit “Come On”. Worshippers of all things UK mop-tops, this bunch rocks. Last I saw them they were kinda soppy, but since then there’s enough zest and zing to get creaky old fans of The Lambrettas, Secret Affair and The Chords twisting.
visit: Bittersweet@MySpace and have a listen to the barnstorming Come On!
The Fridays
– One of the many promising young bands on MySpace which have really snagged my ears. An almost perfect balance of great indie melodies, with some jangle and bits of punkish barre chords for a bit of dirt. Also blessed with confident singing and songwriting (a rare quality amongst new local bands). note: this is all based on the last three songs they put up on the MySpace site (Art School Cool, Slingshot etc), BUT now they have changed the songs there!
visit: Fridays#MySpace
Civil Disorder
– Fronted by a 16-year old, and features a drummer that is 15, Civil Disorder is a true teenage combo many of us wished we’ve had the guts (and money) to form when we were at school. Just like The Fridays, I’ve never seen them play before but I was taken on the strength of their tunes, especially Spirit of The Night which is a raging old-school punk rock with the exactly the same sound as the long gone ART (Against Racism of Today, who were featured on A Circle of Friends comp back in 1993). Bits of 1977 riffage meeting early American recklessness. There are some deficiencies of course, but I do hope the band’s practicing furiously as we speak!
visit: CivilDisorder@MySpace
Reflex Reactions
– Featuring Yandsen (ex-Moxuan, current Dung saxaphonista & many other “abang”-garde projects) and Kok Siew-Wai, (who recently did a talk on the subject of Experimental Art in Upstate New York), Reflex is an improv duo, and according to them it will be an audio/musical “conversation” bouncing between the two of them. Apparently it’s about “listening and reacting”. Hmmm. I just hope there will be some skronk in there somewhere.
no site, but you can check: Experimental Musicians and Artists Co-operative Malaysia (EMACM)
ADDITION!
Hishamuddin Rais
– If you’ve missed the last Unclogged, then you’ve missed one of the best Malaysian debuts ever! Merry prankster Hisham had us all in stitches when he suddenly turned up on stage and tore a lot local myths to shreds! Well, he’s back and “with new materials” too!
+ a few more
– And some friends to join in as guests.
RM12, 8.30pm
NoBlackTie, 17 Jalan Mesui, Off jalan Nagasari, KUALA LUMPUR – ph. 03 – 2142 3737
[ Jalan Mesui is situated behind Istana Hotel, which is situated on Jalan Raja Chulan ]
To those who haven’t been to NBT before, it’s at the back of the Istana Hotel is a nice mamak restaurant called Baidushah, the road in front of that restaurant is Jalan Nagasari.
If you’re coming from the area where the Arab Malaysian Building are facing The Weld on Jalan Raja Chulan, head straight towards Istana Hotel (on the right). Just before the hotel there’s a small junction (also on the right side). Take that turn and go down the hilly bit, now you are on Jalan Nagasari, from here you can see Baidushah on the left, go pass the restaurant and take the first right turn into Jalan Mesui. Halfway through that street, you’ll find NBT in the middle of the two-storey blocks on the left side.
MAP:
seram sejuk + naik goose bumps + sakit perut + takleh duduk diam = stage jitters. and im not even about to go onstage yet. *bites fingernails.
‘a few more’ tu yang tak sabar tu. Unclogged mesti ada surprise show. kali ni hang bawak Maya Karin Joe suh nyanyi.
i would suggest the mindless show. awesome punk rock band from shah alam, feat members of disgruntled. they have just put out a split cd-r with dead chretiens from canada and they blew me away!
sounds interesting. is there anyway we can check the tunes? contact number etc? and would they play acoustic black metal?! No. seriously, I would like to get in touch with ’em. kalau boleh…
joe, malam ini punya show dekat no black tie yang ada MOCCA tu siapa buat erk? mung pung mari gok ke?
aku dok tahu starang baroh syukree! aku pun dapat tahu when i was there on sunday. hell, Mocca pun aku dok tahu starang baroh jugok! dok pernoh dengor pun!
they have myspace acc. check: http://www.myspace.com/themindlesshow. they did (as disgruntled) a few acoustic set before (one of ’em during suara hati poetry zine launch by komuniti jln kempas shah alam) and ehehe, black metal akustik would be rad. tak blh imagine tgk bbdk dress in black, warpaint, rambut panjang, bau kemenyan, head banging, scream / merisik? like syaitan doing a cover from cradle of filth tp all acoustic. must be awesome and pak mufti kita must be pening as they associate black metal with loud, loud music. nah…in buletin utama smlm tunjuk zine with an article “what is grunge”. grunge black metal? ahahaha…
beres.. couple apa jugok malang ning! jumpe mung di nung!
thanks dean. the proper MySpace address is here and also Pissart Records
There’s one song on their MySpace page, reminds me of some mid-90s indon hc bands, short, fast, Minor Threat-ish. Good shit! Not sure of I should start a riot of slamming bodies in the tiny and cramped NoBlackTie though. I think they should play at the upcoming RAMBO visit. That’ll be a blast!
The Etc line-up for Unclogged is going to be an attempt at better Bilateral Ties @ No Black Tie. Aidil from Couple has kindly volunteered to play drums, and here’s hoping another Malaysian starman (from Ipoh) will handle some bass — a line-up that has never played together. In fact, Ben Etc has never even met the mystery bass player, but when he does he wants their autograph now he’s discovered their scene status… honoured these guys should volunteer.
Hope this new blood will detract from incoming reports of Etc being a little ‘Otai’.
Hey Ben, that cover of Zircon Lounge’s Guide These Hands really made my day. Dang! It must have been more than 15 years since I heard that for the first time!
BTW, I found the Class Acts comp LP late last year, snuggled dustily between some Boney M and Leo Sayer records at a junk store. Didn’t have the chance to play it yet but the guy sold it to me for RM5, along LPs by The Jam, Boomtown Rats, Elvis Costello, Yazoo, Run DMC & Giorgio Moroder!
Looking at the Class Acts comp LP now, I think it must be THE first ever proper recording featuring an “alternative” band in the region (apart from The Pee Bees! that is!). What do you think? It was released 1985 by WEA, with 2 songs by Zircon Lounge. The other bands look like some crap club bands though (Gingerbread, Heritage, Speedway and Tokyo Square). Have to find a working turntable to be sure.
To those reading, Zircon Lounge featured Chris Ho AKA X Ho AKA The Godfather of Singaporean Weirdness!
hey don’t knock heritage. wierd you mention them as i was just humming their song from that album. they were first band to do sets of all-originals night after night in some pub. and they were very supportive of our first stumbles… inviting us up to play songs we cldn’t play. though they loved jethro tull and other fiddly stuff, they were all up for inviting us up on stage for “versions” of “stepping stone”, the clash, stones stuff and improvs helmed by the guy who became the singer Edgar’s Fault. better still, their drummer wld insist on playing if we cldn’t find no-one else.
as for tokyo sq? is that on the site? we recently covered it in a post ramones / can way at same gig as the zircon and oddfellows cover.
tarian naga ada?
Ada tapi kat Penang la.. aku main gendang!
Alaa Joe.. tak aci la.. time aku nak balik kampung time tu mung nak buak gig!
alah Kia, kau nak balik kg buat apa?! Famili kau dah rejek & buang kau jauh2 dah sebab CNY tahun lepas kau lari gi thailand pastu bawak bebudak mat saleh lepak rumah buat sepah, habiskan bir etc, etc… kalau kau balik penang gak nanti se-kg kuar bantai ko nya! muahahahahah
Tapi aku rindu nak makan babi salai penang woo.. babi penang ada mmmmph!!! Ko nak tak?! Nanti aku ‘tapau’.. ngeh ngeh ngeh..
Guess I should’ve checked here first before heading to NBT, where I was greeted by eerie silence and a small sign. This bullshit’s getting tiring though—first the POLIS attack Paul’s Place, and now, DBKL is going for No Black Tie. Which is especially annoying, considering we just welcomed Evelyn and her place back. I mean, the walls are still spotless, the furniture missing cigarette burns, and I haven’t even gotten drunk there yet.
Oh well. There I was, thinking I would be having a beer and listening to some jokes about Chinese New Year by Hishamuddin Rais tonight.
sorry brian. i sms-ed everyone on my wee phone. you should gimme your no. so it won’t happen again.
pretty sad night but here’s hoping for a very happy new year to you, family & friends.
cheers,
joe
BTW: i spent the night yakking away with Azmyl Yunor at home with three bottles of samsu as company and “Radio Malaya” comp as the soundtrack. You shoulda called me, we were quite desperate for company!
no lah, joe. not your fault at all. just pissed that DBKL is giving the place so much grief. first, paul’s place, now this. no more music venues.
anyway thanks for the reply. enjoy your holidays. take care.
Ni smua Kia punya pasal – nak makan babi salai penang la, babi masak kicap la, bla, bla terus sewey satu KL langsung gig kansel…. Lepas ni kau kena bagi aku 1 kotak limau utk tebus kesalahan! hahahah – happy CNY a-very 1!
dammit. i was there already with khabir =(
sekarang organise gig, main gig dan pergi gig adalah satu RESISTANSI!
Tu la pasal.. dah sampai kampung.. babi semua dah habis.. tinggal anak2 babi je.. RESISTANSI?? Syukree, main futsal resistansi tak?! Keje kat CC resistansi tak?! Ngeh ngeh ngeh..
bodo nieh…dbkl!!kita perlu ceraikan intitusi agama dengan state sekarang!!!!!!!!..or maybe abolish them both
sedey…dah sampai dengar2 cancelled tapi nasib baik ade gig supplement kat modesto
joe mana flyers gig free tu?