Southeastern Pop

The last thing I was looking for when I came to Southeast Asia was music.

That changed on a sweaty night in Bangkok when I and a thousand others witnessed pop-punk Canadians Simple Plan tear through a set. Although most of the audience was under twenty one, the energy was undeniable. It was an energy that is mainly lost back in the US, especially for bigger acts.

From then on, I’ve been kind of obsessed with live shows in Asia. I go whenever I can, usually catching well known acts as they pass through KL and Singapore.

While neither city is New York or L.A., a respectable amount of currently popular artists make one city or the other a stopping point during their Asian swings. Recent visits include Coldplay, Kanye West, and Muse. While some performances are not up to par in terms of energy (some felt let down by West’s April show in KL), most at least contain some interest. Often, the energy of the audience is quite infectious.

Local acts and regional stars are worth seeing as well. Watching controversial Indonesian dangdut star Inul Daratista move her hips ways that would make Shakira blush was quite an experience, especially since KL is a relatively conservative city.

And then there are rappers Too Phat. Almost laughably tame by US hip hop standards, the group has a rabid following around the region. While they’ve taken heat for mentioning taboos like sexuality (including a verse that mentions lesbian affects in a country where homosexuality is illegal), the duo’s shows are basically innocent hip hop. They celebrate the culture, however consumer driven it has become, in a way that has been lost to America’s hip hop scene for years.

Southeast Asia’s music scene has an energy that is quite infectious. It’s well worth the price of a ticket to experience it for yourself.