On March 7, Phnom Penh’s live-music calendar gets an unlikely, welcome boost when Dr Salad take the stage for their first-ever performance in Cambodia. In an unlikely cultural exchange, Edinburgh-based “heavy romance” outfit Dr Salad will make their Cambodian debut at Seekers Spirit House, swapping the North Sea’s wintry mist s for the Kingdom’s tropical heat. They will be joined by local newcomers Drunk on Champagne, with DJ Goddamn Kiddo warming up the room — and keeping it moving — before and after the bands.
The show represents a fan-first initiative, organized not by major labels, but by Phnom Penh-based musicians who wanted to see one of their favorite bands play in their backyard.
For Dr Salad, the trip marks their most far-flung show to date, a big stride from the Scottish stages where they have built a devoted following for more than a decade.
“Everyone I’ve told about us coming to Cambodia has been surprised by the randomness of it,” says guitarist and founding member, Doug Hall.
“Edinburgh straight to Southeast Asia — we’re coming for you,” he warns, laughing.
Doug says he’s drawn to Cambodia’s history and atmosphere, and after a previous trip to Vietnam left a deep impression, he’s keen to see how Cambodian cuisine compares — “there can only be one winner,” he jokes.
The band’s origin story is humble. Dr Salad began with Doug and vocalist Scott Rough playing Beatles and Kiss covers at Doug’s mother’s house, jamming until those songs gave way to original material. Over time, bassist Craig Huggan and drummer Robin Brill joined, and the group settled into a surf-tinged, alternative sound that mixes melody with a playful, swaggy irreverence. In the past two years, percussionist and keyboardist Ewen Maclennan completed the lineup, adding texture and momentum.
While the band have spent most of their time gigging around Edinburgh, they are no strangers to large crowds. A recent standout moment came when they supported Happy Mondays at a summer festival, playing to roughly 2,500 people.
“It was mental,” Doug recalls. “A thrill to slay such a big stage.” The experience hinted at what might lie ahead.
Ewen, the newest member, is equally enthusiastic about the Southeast Asian stopover. Having previously traveled in Thailand and the Philippines — and even briefly joined a band in China — he’s eager to explore Cambodia’s architecture and history.
“It’s a whole other beautiful world compared to Scotland,” he says, praising the warmth and generosity he’s encountered from people in the region.
Drunk on Champagne frontman Lewis McTighe saw Dr Salad perform in Scotland and was, by his own account, blown away. Determined to share that energy with audiences here, he partnered with Colin Hodgkins, co-frontman of Japan Guitar Shop, to bring the band over. It’s a collaboration rooted less in industry machinations than in shared enthusiasm.
Asked what advice they’d offer to emerging musicians, both Doug and Ewen strike a similar note: play often, build community, and make what feels true. It’s a philosophy that helps to explain why they would so eagerly fly halfway across the world for a gig. “You might not make the most money,” Doug says, “but you’ll have the most fun and the best memories.”
On March 7, that soulfulness and DIY spirit arrives on the big stage in Phnom Penh.
Advance tickets can be found here. Pre-show tickets are $10, or $12 0n the door.
