THEY are often likened to Malaysia's Green Day, but they are very much their own men.
Klang-born indie rock quartet Bunkface will be marking a milestone in their 18-year history by performing at the prestigious Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) in Kuala Lumpur City Centre for the National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations.
The group comprising lead singer Sam Baharom, lead guitarist Pa'an, bass guitarist Youk and drummer Biak, promises an electrifying performance at 8.30pm on Sept 28, serenading fans with 20 of their songs in 90 minutes.
PROGRESS
In a recent interview at DFP, Sam said their set list is "still in progress", but they are all looking forward to their big day in DFP.
"This concert marks our first big show after a decade, and the first major one in DFP," he said.
"It is an honour to sing in DFP for Malaysia Day for the first time, even though it's 12 days after Malaysia Day celebrations."
Pa'an said there will be "a lot less hype" in the formal concert hall, and that means they will be doing "a lot less jumping" than usual.
"It's not quite a suit-and-tie event, but it'll be a more subdued and formal Bunkface that greets the audience, so we won't be having our trade mark leaps in the air, that's for sure," he said.
Youk said: "Playing in DFP is a whole new experience for us, and we love doing things more acoustically.
"In our 1½-hour concert, we'll be showcasing both new and old songs, including the less known but pretty awesome ones."
PATRIOTIC
Sam said that Bunkface, which has previously performed patriotic songs for National Day, such as 'Kita Punya Malaysia' and 'Malaysia Madani', is honoured to be associated with the celebrations again.
"We may be a rock band, but we are first and foremost a patriotic Malaysian rock band. Many of our songs are about the importance of national unity, multi-racialism and acceptance of each other as a Malaysian family."
Sam added that the concert will expose audiences to several interesting stories about how the band came up with some of their best known songs.
"There is a story behind each song, some are happy, some are a little touching, but all are heartwarming in varying degrees," he said.
JOURNEY
Pa'an added: "And we will also share stories about our journey as a band, how we got together, what makes us tick, and what our dreams in life are."
Youk said he and his band mates have been rehearsing hard since the beginning of last month and are "excitedly waiting" for their big day.
"We all hope that our fans will turn up in full force. Let's all rock DFP for a Happy Malaysia Day 2024!"
INSPIRING
Founded in 2006, Bunkface has made a tremendous impact in the music industry with its fresh sound, inspiring lyrics and outstanding performances.
From humble hometown gigs to international stages, the group has gained attention from fans in the underground music scene and public alike.
From the members' initial Myspace medium, which garnered 100,000 followers, the group was selected as a finalist for a reality television programme before releasing its first single 'Silly Lilly' in 2006, which became a chart-topper.
NEW HEIGHTS
Their debut EP, 'Lesson Of The Season', was released a year later and a Malay track 'Situasi' followed in 2008, which brought the band to new heights.
Then 2010 saw the release of their first studio album entitled 'Phobia Phoney'.
To date, Bunkface has produced five studio albums, including 'Bunk Not Dead' (2012), 'Malam Ini Kita Punya' (2014), a 10-year anniversary album 'Bunkface X' (2016) and 'Pop' (2018).
Solidifying its stature, the group was nominated at the MTV European Music Awards, besides winning awards at 'Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian' and the Shout Awards, and becoming a finalist at 'Anugerah Juara Lagu'.
One of the highlights in the band's career is when 'Kita Punya Malaysia' became the official song for the country's 61st and 62nd National Day celebrations.
UNITED KINGDOM
Pa'an, Youk, Biak and Sam have demonstrated the band's musicianship not only to local audiences, but also in Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Maldives and the United Kingdom.
The upcoming concert at DFP is not the group's first time performing in the venue — it performed once in a mini showcase for the host's Seni Festival back in 2014.
Nonetheless, this concert is the band's full-fledged 90-minute showcase with hits from yesteryears and their upcoming album.
Tickets: RM158 to 488.
For meet & greet, additional RM150 for 50 ticket holders only.
Call 03-23317007.