Alexis Bistro Ampang

Marcela Pinilla @ alexis ampang 5 & 6 August
Colombian born singer, Marcela joined her first touring band, Larrayan in the late nineties. Soon after she began steady work in the Colombian music scene doing studio session work with artists such as Shakira & Dr Sanchez as well as other high profiled Colombian Acts.
Currently she is finishing up her ablum with the Jazz Latino band where she is the lead singer.
On July 5 & 6, come catch Marcela in action at alexis ampang with her unique style as she belts out bossanova, swing & boleros.

Farid Ali @ alexis bistro ampang 12 & 13 August
Farid Ali aka Mr. Gambus is a gifted musician and innovator. A jazz guitarist who has devoted himself with the Oud or what is known in Malaysia as the gambus.For the past few years Farid has taken the gambus to a global audience such as concerts and festivals in Finland, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and this August to a tour of South Africa, and the highlight was when he performed with Bobby McFerrin in Singapore last year. Since then, he has not looked back and has recorded his debut CD entitled “Turning Point”.

Jose Thomas & GrooveUnction @ alexis bistro ampang 19 & 20 August
Jose Thomas & GrooveUnction returns to deliver their unique brand of power packed groove. Formed 4 years ago, the band comprises of the best and hottest players in town. With Eric Li on piano, Roshan on bass, John Thomas on drums, Alonzo on percussion, Kevin Choo on saxophone and Jose Thomas on guitar. They will be playing some of their original material as well as interpretations of tunes from Mike Stern, Dave Weckl, John Scofield, Pat Metheny and many more.

TragiComedy & Nitrus@ alexis ampang 26 & 27 August
TragiComedy and Nitrus will be doing a two night unplugged acoustic showcase.

TragiComedy will be playing songs from their recently released album, “Songs That Won’t Sell” which includes their first single and radio hit “Never Lonely” and second single “Great New Life”.

Nitrus on the other hand will be playing songs from their soon to be released album which includes hits such as “Colder” and “Rasa” Their list of songs will include both English and Malay songs that are in the genre of pop/rock. They have an extensive repertoire that includes cover and originals as well.

Venue:
Alexis Bistro Ampang
Great Eastern Mall
303 Jalan Ampang
kuala lumpur
Admission is free.
Timing: 10.30pm
For more information, please call 4260-2288
Email: info@alexis.com.my

Inferno Drum n Bass night at Nouvo

Inferno Drum n bass sessons is back!
This time, located at Sangria @ Nouvo club,KL-Malaysia.

First session begin on 6th August..
Come and check out the nu-breed dnb soljahhh...

*Anowl*Cryme*Faizal*Jasmine*Nujita
Date: 6th August 2005
Venue: Sangria @ Nouvo Club, Jalan P.Ramlee.
Time: 9pm onwards.
Admission: 9pm - 11pm free entry (1st 100 junglist walk in free)

Info : www.loopscollective.com

Happy Guys at Liquid

Happy Guys at Liquid
Jick Dammer and Kelvina Siah


It’s about high time that the narrow minded, presumptuous and insecure out there got a glimpse of what fun it is to let your hair down, party your ass off and dance like nobody’s watching without getting out the judge’s robes. Look, if you don’t like the fact that gay people exist in Kuala Lumpur, go stick a Rambutan up your …left nostril, the fact is that gay people add color to life, and nowhere is this more evident than at Liquid on a Saturday night.

Frankly, I've never been one to club outside the golden triangle of KL. Save for the occasional visits to outdoor raves freezing my tits off, I've hardly ventured outside my comfort zone. As it is, I was full of anticipation to witness firsthand, guys and girls smooching and making out at all corners of this club, only this time round, it wouldn't be with the opposite sex. Yummy. And definitely kinky!

Let me get this straight (no pun intended), Liquid is not a gay club, it just happens to be hip, happening and hot enough to attract a predominantly gay crowd on a Saturday night. The rest of the week is a mixed crowd, so please people, if someone with the same plumbing at you pays you a compliment, take it as a compliment. Those who do have so much more fun.

Like most clubs, the dance floor at the top deck of Liquid didn't quite warm up till the witching hour. However, the second deck which housed a stage and overlooked Petaling Street in all its glory was abuzz with patrons dressed in comfortable street fashion. By that, I meant everyone looked comfortable whilst they lounged in the interior downing drinks. No over the top fashion, no unsightly panty lines, no ridiculously padded bras, and no guys in shining lycra pants so tight, they had to keep adjusting their balls every 5 minutes!

Let’s take a walk through the club shall we? Each step oozes sensuality and sensuality is neither gender nor sexual preference biased. The first level of Liquid is all cool house-jazzy music to warm you up. There’s a dance floor and stage, oh yes, but only the hardcore titty shakers will get down there - they’re the really cool ones. A lounge setting and a patio make for great tropical relief and also a happy hunting ground for all of us gay guys out there. Sooooooooooo much fun!

The bogs are a dream as they are aesthetically pleasing although the lighting is dim possibly to just get people in the mood. The bar area is wide and open and you can get your fave poison or a piece of delicious cake from Just Heavenly down there. So, for a gay guy, you’ve got dessert, alcohol and the chance for romance…….. yum, what more can one ask for?



Axe the last question – the dance floor at Liquid Disco is what else you can ask for. It gets a little crowded but with a sneak preview of their diva show (that’s drag queen for all you ignoramuses out there) and the pulsating beat of their DJ’s musical ministrations, you just have soo much more fun.

As instructed by my editor, I allowed myself to be picked up at the bar by -*gasp*- a straight guy! Raj, who also happens to operate a night joint, justified his visit by claiming ‘market survey’. A while later, we found our way into a group of equally fun loving yuppies who were still standing and spreading the love later at night when the club was ready to say good night.

Gay men simply release their inhibitions on a dance floor, and trust me darlings, this is definitely a global phenomenon from San Francisco to Milan to Bangkok. When it heats up, the shirts come off and hot, muscley men bump and grind to the beat of Kylie, rivulets of sweat running down their washboard abs…………ahh, don’t you just love KL?

I didn’t manage to glimpse anyone even remotely having an indecent conversation. I was so looking forward to some gay and lesbian smooching. As far out as it sounds, I was also looking forward to some groups acting crazy (think Tom Cruise’s account of the occult in Eyes Wide Shut). Instead, all I experienced was some innocent flirting set in an ambient atmosphere for conversations to take place without screaming our heads off.

For those straight people in the crowd who’ve lost most of their inhibitions by now, honey, don’t get intimidated okay? If anything, hit the gym, you could use the extra pounds OFF! For a gay guy however, this is the ultimate test of your resolve, can you stand mano-a-mano with the rest without your shirt on? If you can’t don’t worry darlings, that’s why God created the gym, plastic surgery and heaps of insecurities in all of us.

While hip-hop and break beats are all the rage now, Liquid spared a fair amount of time spinning other genres. From the 80s disco tunes to dance-friendly house and electronic vinyls, it was an excellent night as there was a tune to fit everyone’s mood and taste. The more discerning crowd would say there wasn’t any theme, but think of it this way – which club plays everything and anything under the sky, doing their best to cater to every single heart beating at the dance floor? If not for Liquid, I would still be living under the ‘house’ and ‘hip-hop’ canopy, sticking my nose up for all those great ‘old skool songs’.

If anything, Liquid is a fun place to be at. Don’t matter if you’re gay or straight darlings, the night life is all about having fun and enjoying yourself. So, let your inhibitions go, party like there’s no tomorrow and if anybody at Liquid smiles at you smile back, if you’re straight, remember that you’ve been singled out by the discerning gay eye. If you’re gay, honey, this could be the start to a new romance……………………

All said, Liquid is definitely the place to be if all you want is an unpretentious, friendly and fun night with strangers who dig the same stuff as you do. At Pinch, we’re always up (pun intended!) to do features

DJ Nicky C at Blondes on Fridays

Poseidon's Album Launch at Paul's Place, 12th August

Poseidon's conceptual mini album "Dawn of the Downed" launch
will be held @ Paul's Place
on 12th August 2005 6pm onwards!!!

Meet them there and get copies of our album!
Please vote for Poseidon's song, Intrigued Seizure@Hitz.Fm website!
Free giveaways to the lucky crowd!
Courtesy of eruption sound studios for theirbacklines.
Supported by ROTTW and HITZ.TV

More information on the Poseidon's album
please visit, http://www.earthshakers.cjb.net

Bands will be performing are :
1. Fuseleage
2. Frequency Cannon
3. Vespertine
4. Inverted Coma
5. Stonebay
6. Beat the System
7. Warve
8. Neuphoria (Penang)
9. Tessla (Karnatic Rock)
10. Infiltrated
11. VYneyard
12. Cosmic Funk Express
13. Borange (New comer!)

Support the Malaysian Music Industry!

Paul's PlaceJalan 8/137B, Resource Industrial Centre
(Opposite Pearl International Hotel) 58200 Kuala Lumpur

Anthony Pappa Review at Zouk

The night began as usual with people gathered in front of Zouk awaiting entry… or at least the means of entry. The resident DJ spins his trance as the crowd, decked out in fashionable raving gear, work up the courage to flood the dance floor, or simply waiting for the mood to kick in.

The resident DJ then steps down, making way for the headlining Aussie, Anthony Pappa. He breaks down the previous set to a simple rambling bass. He then steps up the droning bass into darker breakbeat with R2D2 similarity sound effects splattering in the background. After introducing the family of sounds that is to continue through his set, he breaks it down once more and builds it back up to a funky string release backed by trance. At this point, most people were dancing in their hearts and worked the dance floor with the additional stimulation from lasers, lights as well as individual LED dancers witch was an amazing sight to behold.

More breakdowns and releases follow until one of the finest peaks of the session; atmospheric sound-scope carried further by high-pitched clicks and beeps intricately arranged. Thus creating a robotechy but melodious beats. The courage Anthony Pappa had to create the contrast between atmospheric scopes and static was refreshing. He continues further with some dark acid. What Anthony Pappa brought forth was the bravery to mix in clicks and beeps as well as his ability to reenergizes the audience with his breakdowns and releases. All his skills were backed by a generally dark ambience. Fantastic!

Contributed by Afu.
Smoove Pinch Copyright 2005.