Malaysian Indie Scene - the Year That Was
Posted on 01 Jan 2008 · by KhaiLee · ( 0 )
From Uzair Sawal http://uzairsawal.blogspot.com/
Today is the first week of a new year. Many things that happened made us either happy or sad for the past 365 days. Let us take a retrospective look at our local independent scene throughout 2007.
This year has been a great year for local independent bands regardless what their genre is. Second Combat made their European tour and Love Me Butch made their South East Asia tour. Seven Collar T-Shirt made a remarkable performance through their Sonique Cinematique. They Will Kill Us All performed to the rave scene as the winner of AMP’s Big Break. One Buck Short opened for international acts like Fallout Boy and Good Charlotte. Pop-punk band Y2K represented Malaysia in the Global Battle of the Bands in London, Oh Chentaku recently toured Singapore and many more lah. Do I have to mention the uprising bands such as Meet Uncle Hussain and Hujan? They got their fan base growing
everyday. Our calendar was really packed because organisers seem to be passionate to organise gigs. Few notable gigs includes the Crossborders series that brought regional bands to our shore by One Armed Production, the sold out tickets MYHC Fest that gathered the big names in our hardcore scene, Louder Than Love organised by Laguna Records where the profits were used to fight poverty.
The independent film community is getting their share of success too.
Tan Chui Mui bagged several international awards with her “Love
Conquers All”. Liew Seng Tat keeps the winning streak running with his “Flower in the Pocket”, but there were no coverage in any local media since our Angkasawan was on a mission to make our country proud. Fahmi Reza gave a tight bitch slap onto Shuhaimi Baba’s “Hati Malaya” with his thought provoking documentary “10 Tahun Sebelum Merdeka”.
Television stations has been nice to the community too with NTV7
providing a platform for them with “Festival” and Astro Kirana for
that Short Film Contest. BMW too organised a short film competition, my short film were short listed among 29 others but I did not make to the final. One of the finalist from BMW Shorties, Kubhaer T Jethwani gets his share in the television with his Nike sponsored documentary “Togel”.
There are huge loads of art related activities being conducted too
this year. The recent Rantai Art Event, charity event Kurasa
Something, The Super Sunday thing at Mont Kiara, numerous exhibitions at The Annexe Gallery and several stage plays. KLue and British Council did their part too in the poetry slam and spoken word scene with their Words & Tunes and Wayang Kata respectively. If there were an award for Venue of the Year, The Annexe Central Market deserves it.
Where else can you find a punk rock gig, a theatre audition, an
exhibition and book launching all in one building?
Of course, 2007 sees few bad things that happened to our local
independent scene too. Amir Muhammad’s film banned again despite it only shows bunch of old men talking. A creative presentation called Wayang Kadbod by Anak Seni Kampung Berembang being restricted from performing in public. A fashion show cum bazaar “Merdeka Beb Merdeka” forced to stop halfway by the management. Sad stories aside, now let us wish and work harder for a better scene.
I am wishing everybody a happy new year and Godspeed Malaysia.
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