By Lloyd Green
Lost at what to do at night in Kuala Lumpur? Never fear, we have all your answers.
Open Mic Nights Live Music
KL’s live music scene has it all, and now with the emergence of conceptualised musician-friendly venues, the depth of KL’s talent pool is booming. For a chilled-out evening, check out the open mic sessions at Merdekarya and Gaslight Cafe Music. These laid back music shacks hosts regular open mics before that evening’s featured performer. At Gaslight, it’s strictly folk, country, jazz, blues and soul with antique records from the 60s and 70s available for purchase. Merdekarya has an ‘originals only’ policy, attracting anything from dark, singer songwriter ballads to fusion punk, hip-hop acts. Live Fact is a DIY, self-sustaining space for gigs, band rehearsals, meetings and has already played host to a number of Indie gigs, including a two-day showcase of Swedish bands. No Black Tie has been a stalwart of the KL live music scene for over 14 years and is the birthplace of many Malaysian independent artists. Besides jazz performances, it features bands that play lively Brazilian beats as well as blues and roots.
Photo by http://www.livehouse.my/homepage-2/rooms/lol-live-house/
Stand-Up Comedy
Up for a few laughs? Check out Kuala Lumpur’s comedy scene with stand up events and open mic nights throughout the week. Enjoy the feel of international, big city comedy at the LOL Room @ Live House. Combining chic design with a group of comedians that know how to deliver, this venue packs a punch with early evening comedy shows followed by live music giving you the ultimate live entertainment experience. Crackhouse Comedy holds title as KL’s first dedicated comedy venue and hosts nightly shows featuring the best local, regional and international comics. Expect every joke under the sun, with with improv nights on Thursday’s and raw, unfiltered open mics on Wednesday’s where both veteran comedians and newbies can test their material. PJ Live Arts has played host to a number of local and international shows, with their weekly Tuesday night One Mic Stand show always a hit. It’s also Malaysia’s first open mic platform for stand-up comedy in Malay.
Food Night Markets
Jalan Alor off Changkat is foodie-central with Chinese seafood restaurants and hawker stalls selling an array of local delicacies and international cuisines until the wee hours of the morning. Petaling Street in Chinatown is also famous for food with its night market chock-full of shops and stalls selling goods and street food. If you prefer a bit of adventure check out the hawker-style food in Klang, Petaling Jaya, Ampang and Cheras. It’s just as good as the tourist hotspots and is where most of the locals eat. Also keep an eye out for local night markets known as Pasar Malam. They offer amazing delicacies and fresh produce and are more authentic than the ones in the city. The Monday Pasar Malam next to Setiawangsa LRT station is a hive of activity with stall owners spruiking their fresh produce from early evening until late. Another popular location is the Fiesta Nite Market in Mont Kiara. The market takes place every Thursday in the main courtyard of Mont Kiara and offers visitors a variety of local and international food as well as clothes, jewelry, accessories, bags, toys, books and hand made soaps.
Photo by Calvin Chan / Shutterstock.com
Something Different
Multipurpose venues hosting social activities like trampoline parks, paintball and dodgeball are becoming increasingly popular and are great for late night reunions, work functions and family gatherings. Locations such as Jump Street in Petaling Jaya and Xtion Paintball Park in Bukit Jalil can cater for all kinds of activities including trampoline dodgeball. There are even regular dodgeball competitions and social leagues organised by the Malaysian Association of Dodgeball held throughout the city. Simply join a club or league and remember your five D’s: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge. There are also various styles of dance classes on offer around the city, particularly those that double as workouts like Salsa, Zumba and Burlesque. Havana Estudio is regarded as the first salsa dance school in KL and hosts a range of other dance classes in addition to its marquee calorie-burning salsa lessons.
Photo by https://www.jumpstreetasia.com/events-programs/programs/dodgeball
If all that fails, you can always grab a ticket to the movies.
