Back in the 70s, the Alleycats was probably one of the most popular Malaysian rock bands. Even today, the younger generation are familiar with their name and music. The incredibly cool band consisting of a group of Penangite musicians are not only popular in their home state but around the country and region as well. Their ability to play both Malay and English songs allow them to appeal to Malaysians from all walks of life.

Today, they are still popular due to the fact that they never really stopped performing. There have been some changes in the members of the band over the years, but their essence, engaging music and performances have never gone out of style. This Saturday, they will perform at Rockaway, Malaysia’s biggest rock festival.

I had the pleasure of having a brief chat with vocalist Dato’ David Arumugam, who has been with the band from the start. Despite being busy doing sound checks for the big event tomorrow, he was more than happy to talk to me. The jovial man said, “We are excited to be a part of this. When the organisers first approached us to do this event, we were quite surprised as these big rock events are usually catered to a younger crowd. We’re honoured that they chose us and we look forward to putting on a good show for them.”

He explained that over recent years, as many of the members have become “wiser, not older”, they have slowed down a bit and now only do private functions and concerts like Rockaway. The rock band veteran, when asked what he has planned for the performance, said, “I can’t exactly tell you right now as we always sense the vibe from the audience, and go from there.”

However, he did say they will be playing most of their old songs as their new album is not out yet.

Catch the awesome Alleycats at Rockaway Fest 2017, on Saturday Nov 18 at Extreme Park, Bukit Jalil.
You can buy tickets from galactix.asia.