Above: Kocken (right) and friends jamming on a Friday night.
Live music seems to be what TwentyEight@Bangsar is all about these days.
Located along Bangsar’s Jalan Telawi 5, the bar has become quite the place to be for live indie shows, acoustic jams and open mics.
It provides locals and expatriates with the atmosphere of a homely neighbourhood bar, similar to those in an Irish village or Australian town.
While the bar has been a fixture in Bangsar for many years, TwentyEight@Bangsar set up anew next door to its previous premises in partnership with Australian expatriate and musician Mark Kocken.
Music and indie vibes at TwentyEight@Bangsar.
With a fresh look and feel, this watering hole has become famous for the quality of the Guinness on tap and its selection of wines and cocktails.
Local and Western meals add to the draw factor but the main pull is its status as a music lovers’ bar.
“Our mission is to provide a platform for independent musicians to play and perform as well as for any customers who wish to get up in front of the microphone,” said Kocken on the bar’s focus on live music.
Manhattan and a Chilean Merlot (right).
“Not only do we provide a high quality of service and live music, the bar has a selection of musical instruments, from guitars to percussion, that can be played by anyone in the bar at any time.
“We also have a signature wall where you can sign and leave a comment.”
There is music all week here.
Open Mic Malaysia, hosted by Shaneil Devaser, has taken up part residence here for well over a year.
Kocken himself is pretty handy on guitar, vocals and harmonica when he takes up the mic.
Chilean Merlot
Open Mic Nights on Mondays feature locals and visiting international musicians ever ready to showcase their talents.
Tuesday Jam Nights with Malaysia’s “first lady of indie music” Markiza welcomes musicians to come and jam with her.
On Wednesday Ladies Nights, women can indulge in free cocktails from 5.30pm until 11pm and dance to the retro stylings of DJ Twobah.
Thursday nights present the music of Devaser accompanied by musicians from across KL.
On Saturdays, the ever popular Nabil Nazmi will keep you rocking all night with music from the 1960s to 2000s.
All requests for songs are taken and should you want to sing yourself, then Nabil and Kocken are all too willing to accompany you.
If you are looking for something different, there’s the weekly Friday Night Quiz – a personal favourite here, as it’s presented by none other than the doyen of KL Quizmasters, Ram.
With awesome beverage prizes to be won throughout the night, these Fridays have Kocken and various friends taking up the mic after the quiz.
There’s plenty to keep foodies happy across the week, and there’s enough of a variety to satisfy the palate and thirst.
The snacks and mains are done fusion-style with local influences.
Main dishes run from western chops, burgers, pizzas and fish and chips, to Asian noodles and kampung fried rice. Vegetarian options of pizza and pasta are also available.
The Sunday Roast buffet offers weekly selections from beef, lamb and chicken, with all the trimmings.
Drinks-wise, there’s a basic beer menu on tap and a selection of soju varieties.
Their wine menu looks pretty fair, with Australian and Italian Chardonnay, German Riesling and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for whites.
Their reds of Spanish Merlot and Franch Cotes du Rhone are just the tip of what’s available.
Cocktails run mostly on the classic side, with about a dozen familiar ones available. You can travel across the world, savouring cocktails from Singapore Sling to the Manhattan.
The shots menu looks impressive enough; guests can enjoy anything from B52 to Irish shots. The spirits menu has a good selection of whiskeys, especially of the malt variety.
In addition to live music, TwentyEight@Bangsar has access to many sporting channel around the world.
There are also weekly drink promotions and all-day happy hours on draught beers.
TWENTYEIGHT@BANGSAR,
28, Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 017-298 0912)
Business hours: 3.30pm-2am (Mondays to Thursdays), 11am-2am (Fridays to Sundays).
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
