By JK and Piggy – Spaida Trakz
Having launched his new hit album Radaaz at the Junction’s Night Club Beer Garden last New Years Eve 2008, the Radaaz band then traveled to home base Rabaul for a whirlwind tour in March of this year.
Anslom performed for the home crowd in a three-day NGI detonation, billed ‘Daaz Kamapim Ples Tour’ beginning on the 12th and running through the 13th and 14th March 2009 from Kokopo to Rabaul in the star’s first performance in his home province since October 2007.
Venues at The Shed, Club Mills, Kalabond Field, and Ralum Club were packed to capacity with tickets sold out prior to the band playing.
The Prince of PNG Rub-a-Dub music was not excited in vain, as he performed on stage backed by the band that carries the album name, and Club Radaaz, for the first time since the
recording of the album. The Prince had accepted an invitation from Pavex Promotions and Club Radaaz proprietor, Rigo Paivu, the man responsible for the name ‘Radaaz’ meaning The Dust.
Not only that, the performances and front of house audio mixdown for the 3 day show was handled by the very person who engineered and produced the recording of Radaaz featuring Anslom, the King of PNG and Pacific music, Patti Potts Doi.
X-Vibes singer, Wayne Tefatu featured throughout the tour as he was originally involved as back-up singer on the album including Joel Valdeez.
The event and tour was used as the official launch pad and fundraising drive for Team East New Britain to attend the PNG Games in POM City in November of this year. The Fundraising Drive was officially launched by the Governor of East New Britain, Hon. Leo Dion and other dignitaries at a Special Daytime Event at the Kalabond Field, Takubar, Kokopo.
The Radaaz Band of Rabaul and Access Band of Kimbe are one and the same with a tight gutsy line-up of Vincent Potsi, Freddie Palan, Aro Badi, Justin Kila and Joel Valdeez. When not performing with Anslom churning numbers to screaming fans their identity is Access band. Phew! The Daaz Kamapim Ples Tour culminated in an all night ‘ples bagarap’ presentation at the Ralum Country Club, Kokopo’s original entertainment landmark in the night.
“I am absolutely excited about the tour, especially that I am performing here after 2 years, to me this is a real homecoming” said a very much keyed-up Anslom.
The Rabaul musician star’s Publisher, Spaida Trakz used the opportunity to capture a video clip of the hit single, Radaaz at select venues; Club Mills Warangoi, Kalabond Field Kokopo and Ralum Club including shots of the still dust-spewing Tavurvur Volcano near Matupit.
A tribute to the people of East New Britain.
General Manager of Spaida Trakz, Ian ‘Piggy’ Boas, said video clips for TV is an avenue that needs to be utilized to its full potential to further expose PNG musicians and their music.“Although we are not quite there yet, what a great achievement it would be to have our video clips played on overseas TV in the years ahead, so many local studios that are now recording music should start looking at shooting their own video clips as the industry expands”.
Masalai blog 