A Sarawak band performing at a metal gig in Bau circa 2017.
BAU is known for its mining activities in the old days, apart from an open-mine-cast lake and two famous limestone caves.
It’s known as “Gold Town” due to its gold-mining history. The lake is called Tasik Biru (Blue Lake), one of the district’s landmarks, while the caves are Wind Cave and Fairy Cave.
Historical and touristic attributes aside, contemporary Bau is embracing a new musical experience and fast becoming attuned to the genre known as underground metal.
How could a district, normally quiet with many Dayak villages, have a growing following for metal music?
This may not be a surprise to followers of the Kuching underground metal music scene. Over the years, many Kuching metal bands have had at least one member from Bau.
However, with the Gold Town on the outskirts of Kuching city, about an hour’s drive away, music fans in Bau can also have ready access to information on the local and foreign music scene.
Bau’s underground metal scene is said to have started picking up in 2016 when the first-ever gig was held at a restaurant and pub in Kampung Sibuluh.
According to one of the organisers, Alex ‘Dugol’ Michael, the idea came about during an overland trip to Sibu.
On the way to attend a gig there, he met an old friend who had been active in metal music scene in Kuching, Samarahan, Betong and his own area (Kampung Sibuluh).
“I met my old friend, Manang Bakak, in the bus. My cousin Alvin and I have always been interested in organising a metal event in our district, so we asked for his help.
“Manang Bakak and I have known each other from our high school years and through the music we love — which is metal,” Dugol said.
Dugol’s cousin, Alvin Ranged, another organiser, revealed it was through Manang Bakak’s help that they managed to organise Bau’s first-ever underground metal gig in 2016.
The event helped put the district on the local underground metal music map. From that year, the genre has caught on — and is still developing in Bau today.
Both Alvin and Dugol hoped the event, organised by their committee, known as Geng Nuok Alak, would always be synonymous with the district’s metal music scene.
Most of the members and supporters are from the villages of Serasot, Skibang, Stass and Serikin in Bau.
Landmark metal concert
Indonesian underground metal giants Siksakubur performing in Bau circa 2017.
Slightly over three months after Geng Nuok Alak’s inaugural event, the organisers brought a landmark metal concert to Bau, featuring Indonesian metal giants, Siksakubur.
Alvin said the event was made possible also with Manang Bakak’s help, adding that he and Dugol still couldn’t believe to this day they were able to bring such a big band to play in their hometown.
“My friend Manang Bakak, somehow, managed to get Siksakubur to play in Bau. We were all very excited to see them live on stage.
“If they were to play in Kuching city, it would be no surprise but to see them play in Bau was amazing. We were just happy to be able to stage the event,” Dugol recalled.
Since Manang Bakak’s name has frequently been mentioned by Geng Nuok Alak members, I tried to contact him for comments but wasn’t successful.
According to Dugol and Alvin, their old friend is an “elusive” person and also dubbed a wizard of the local underground metal scene.
Both declined to reveal Manang Bakak’s real name, prompting me to believe Manang Bakak is a character they made up but many local underground metal music followers claim to know him.
Despite the popularity of underground metal in Bau, the Geng Nuok Alak committee are disappointed not many metal bands are based in the district.
Metal events in Bau always seem to feature bands from outside. While this is never a problem for the organisers, they, however, hope to see more Bau-based bands making the scene soon.
More Bau reps
Dugol (right) with the other Geng Nuok Alak committee members circa 2017. Alvin is at second left.
Clement Dorem, a Geng Nuok Alak member, believed there were few metal bands in Bau because most musicians in the district preferred working in Kuching city.
He hoped Bau musicians would consider representing the district in future as Kuching already has its own musicians to represent the city.
Clement looked forward to seeing a thriving metal music scene in Bau. For him, this would serve Geng Nuok Alak’s purpose of organising underground metal gigs in Bau every year.
“My fervent wish is for my hometown to have its own metal music scene, made up not only of listeners and fans but also bands.
“I guess with all our activities, we’re heading in the right direction. As a metal fan myself, I’m optimistic about the future of the metal genre in Bau,” he added.
Besides being active in Bau, Geng Nuok Alak is committed to promoting metal music despite the genre being portrayed in a negative light by some quarters.
A scene outside a venue of a metal gig in Bau.
While Geng Nuok Alak sees this as a challenge, it believes the public now realise metal music fans are merely people playing, listening to and following a certain type of music as a hobby.
Although underground metal in Malaysia is sometimes frowned upon, Dugol vows to not give up promoting the music he loves in his native Bau.
“We’re just listening to and playing music and it shouldn’t be more than that. Any other activities that are against the law is not the fault of this music. We hope people will understand metal music enthusiasts are law-abiding despite the negative messages of some of the metal sub-genres,” he stressed.
For a music scene that is new, not many areas in the state could match Bau in recent years.
As long as underground metal music enthusiasts from Bau remain motivated, it is not impossible for the district to become a top underground metal music scene in the country.
Metal music fans in a photo call after an underground metal gig in Bau.