Miri Country Music Fest 2017 – More Than Just Cowboys

Recently we were invited to the fourth annual Miri Country Music Festival (MCMF) which took place at Sarawak in Malaysia. It turned out to be lots of fun and here’s how our experience went…

Miri Country Music Festival 2017!

Tip

Don’t forget to bring along a raincoat/umbrella! You’re in a tropical country, the weather is as unpredictable as life. Or, you can just heck that and dance your troubles away in the rain!.

Interactive workshops by the bands

Sharing session by The Casual Ceilidh Band based in Brunei

There were a total of 6 workshops held by the bands over 2 days. The workshops ranged from tips on composing your own song to a fun line dance session. What we liked about the workshops was that they were mostly an intimate and close up session with the artiste(s).

Yup that’s me, flaunting my newly acquired line dancing skills!

During the 45 minute sharing session, the artistes will also share with us how they first got started in the music industry and their journey thus far. This personal touch definitely enhanced our experience when watching them perform later at night.

Delicious local delights and beautiful ethic crafts

Delicious piping hot Penang char kway teow anyone?

For those that have never been to this part of the world, you MUST try the local cuisine here. The food that you can get here is a nice sample of the cuisine that Malaysia has to offer! Penang char kway teow, homemade lapis (cake), bbq chicken wings, satay, just to name a few!

Yummy homemade local delights :p

You can also pick up some unique local souvenirs like these handmade bags and support the local economy!

Interesting activities for the children

Huge favourite among the kids!

This event is great for families too! If you’ve got children, bring them along and have a great family bonding time here at MCMF. The bouncy castle is one of the kids’ favourite, followed by the dancing cartoon mascots that appear periodically throughout the night.

Dare take up the Rodeo challenge? 😉

Performances by international and local bands

Heartfelt performance by Smith and the Saints

There were a total of 8 bands performing at MCMF, 3 international bands and the rest were local. One of our favourites was definitely Shane Smith and the Saints who flew in all the way from Texas! Their performance was highly entertaining and energetic, and the crowd responded by dancing wildly at the front of the stage. Their songs were slightly more mainstream, kind of a mix between country and pop music.

Tip: Bring your own comfy chair for maximum comfort while you relax and enjoy the performances!

Amazingly talented local artiste, Russel Curtis from KL

James Thomson and the Strange Pilgrims, all the way from Australia!

James Thomson, singer and songwriter from Australia, was also invited to play at MCMF. His songs were full of soul and most were composed by himself. Very talented young chap!

“You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching, Love like you’ll never be hurt, Sing like there’s nobody listening, And live like it’s heaven on earth.”