Srey Thy, from the Cambodian Space Project

Music Scene

Granted, Phnom Penh is no New York. But I hate to hear (or read) someone complaining about how uninteresting and bland the music scene is. Something is definitely happening, here is an attempt to analyze what this something is. It seems to me that two factors are converging.

1- Production companies are trying to make our capital into popular destination for touring international bands between HCMV and Bangkok (recent examples are Ratatat and I Heart Hiroshima at the FCC). It's hard to guess what the outcome of this effort will be, but I heard artists were looking forward to the Cambodian Experience, as exotic for them as they are for us :-)

2- There are more and more quality local bands making gigs around town. Two websites of choice to watch that local scene grow: Phnom Penh Gigs and Leng Pleng. Its newest emanation is the Cambodian Space Project, a cross-culture rock band featuring Australian guitarist Julien Poulson and Cambodian singer Srey Thy. You'll have several occasions to discover them in the next weeks: stay tuned on Lady Penh.

Support your local music scene: go out with your friends and make new ones!