As Kuala Lumpur grows into one of the world's busiest metropolis cities accounting for a population growth of over 50% in the past 15 years and as Malaysia is reaching out to the world, with this we see not only a population expansion but also an increase in KLites' predilection towards diversity, and that includes ,of course, the various music events around the city.
We are not going to provide you a list just yet, however we would like to offer you an insight into what music means to the capital city of Malaysia.
As the population increased to around 5 million in KL and Klang Valley due to the economic development, so has the number of expats and tourists from all over the world. Musical influences have obtained a large spectrum status and the larger the spectrum the more creative the events happening around Kuala Lumpur. The cultural and ethnic diversity has created trends- some temporary, some for the long run.
A night out in Kuala Lumpur may take you from an opera show right in the heart of the city to a dimly lit Jazz bar in Bukit Bintang area to the biggest dance club in the country. There are pop events, live music bands, club nights, pub crawls, themed parties, music workshops, you name it . People listen to anything, from top 40 to traditional music to non mainstream house and techno, however, one thing is certain: everyone has developed a great taste for a good night out. Kuala Lumpur's club music culture is nothing new to the 40-50 years old generation. Clubs such as Movement and Backroom have made an impact on people's music knowledge and expanded their taste.
In the latest years, as global music trend has been revolutionized by Electronic Dance Music as a whole , KL however has seen an inclination toward the more non- mainstream trend , especially in the past couple of years. As the entertainment market continues to grow, so is the amount of venues that cater for the avid fans of electronic music, be it commercial or non mainstream.
Since Malaysia has obtained its independence from the British in 1957, their influence maintained somehow in the music area. House music and Techno became popular in the more recent years and with the developments in technology we are experiencing a great array of artists and young music enthusiasts taking on to the path of creativity, whether be singing, music production or DJing. As Metro KL hosts just one third of the total city population, its neighboring areas- Bangsar, Damansara, Mont Kiara are also experiencing a rapid development in the music events in both number and quality. Some of the most popular areas for partying and spending a good night out are Changkat Bukit Bintang, Bangsar Area and the newly built project: TREC that accounts- by the time will be completed- for no less than 80 or more entertainment outlets.
Sadly, hosting festivals has become a dream for the Kuala Lumpur as the changes in legislation do not make it easy for the event organizers to hold such large gatherings. However the positive consequence of this fact has led to a boom in the development and rebirth of a solid club culture. It took patience and dedication , passion and enthusiasm to reinvent the wheel as far as the club events are concerned and whilst we all miss a good festival, we compensate through the quality of the club events.
We are glad to provide the information you need in order to grow together with KL's club culture and more importantly, to know where and how you'll have some memorable nights out. We say “nights out”-regardless of the day events that happen in Kuala Lumpur, because Kuala Lumpur is a very pretty city by night. We aim to give you another reason to go out by providing you the content you need and keep you informed at all times about events, album releases, artists, good music and good fun.
Daniela Horeanga is Managing Director of Art Xtreme Media and produces the weekly Sweatbox after party at Elysium Bar + Terrace in the heart of Kuala Lumpur every Saturday!
The City List - Discover the best nightlife in Kuala Lumpur ®
