Split Tongue, Peach, Ragepoint @ Moutou, Kuala Lumpur, 05/03/2023

 Split Tongue, Peach (Indonesia), Ragepoint @ Moutou, Kuala Lumpur, 05/03/2023

Moutou in KL was alive with energy once again, as a collective of veteran punk rock scene promoters put on their first show. The night kicked off with Ragepoint, a young Malaysian band that played straight up hardcore with a bit of mosh. They set the tone for the evening and got the crowd in the zone. 

Next up was Peach from Indonesia, who were clearly overwhelmed by the size and reaction of the crowd, given they were also young, and the fact that it was their second show on their first tour outside of their native land. Despite their nerves, they delivered a solid set of mellow hardcore that had the audience moshing along in appreciation.

The crowd was pumped for the main act, Split Tongue from Shah Alam (pictured). These Malaysian hardcore punk veterans recently had a recent record out on Hardcore Victim Records from Australia, and it was a release show for that record 'Living in Sin City'. They did not disappoint, delivering a wild and energetic performance that left the crowd baying for more. They have certainly emerged as one of the premier hardcore punk bands in Malaysia, since the pandemic.

Unfortunately, Prospexx from Tuas played last, but I was too tired and it was too late to stick around. I really wanted to see what their post electronic punk vibe had to offer.  However, the buzz from the first three acts was enough to leave a lasting impression on me.

One thing that struck me during the evening was a conversation I had with a friend who was recently campaigning in the Malaysian General Election for one of the 'centre-left' parties. He expressed his disappointment with the closed-mindedness and rejection from some of his friends in the punk scene. However, I tried to reassure him that we can be agents of change on the inside too [drawing from my experiences as a punk and a member of the British Labour Party], and ignore the haters who sit from their pseudo-benevolent vantage points. It's especially important to come together and unite, despite our differences, because there are few alternative people in Malaysia. We need to support each other and work towards a common goal of creating a more inclusive and accepting society, and music can be a powerful tool in achieving that.

Overall, it was a night filled with great music, energy, and camaraderie. It was heartening to see young and old alike come together to enjoy a night of punk rock and to once again feel the power of music to bring people together. Even my 66-year-old mother enjoyed the vibe and left with a newfound appreciation for the punks in Malaysia!