Heineken’s Rhythm of Borneo and Rainforest World Music Festival

The Rhythm of Borneo Comes to KL

Heineken opens up city dwellers’ world with the Rainforest World Music Festival

The annual Rainforest World Music Festival is back!! This July, the excitement of the Rainforest World Music Festival will begin with festivities in the city! Themed “Rhythm of Borneo”, Heineken in partnership with Rainforest World Music Festival’s celebration will be held across two cities featuring an array of exciting parties, fun activities and a host of Heineken promotions starting from 17 June to 3 July 2011.

I was invited to join the fun in Kuala Lumpur lately to enjoy the atmosphere and spirit of Rainforest World Music Festival.

The three weekend celebration lets city folks to experience an exotic and worldly multi sensorial event through exclusive preview parties held across the cities of Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu before hitting a climax at the actual event on 8 to 10 July 2011 at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching, Sarawak.

The Rainforest World Music Festival Preview Parties presented by Heineken was recently launched at Laundry, The Curve celebrating the best of world music and its unique sound. Hosted by Henry Golding whom is also a half Iban, the party featured a heart thumping performance by the Tugu Drum Circle, street percussionist group, KL Stompers, DJ set by Blastique fused with drum beats by the well-known Calvin Clarke and the pièce de résistance of the event was an exclusive showcase by indie artist, Karen Nunis Blackstone.

KL Stompers entertaining the crowd.

“Not everyone in the city will be able to attend the event in Kuching, Sarawak. Hence, Heineken will bring this extravaganza to the city, giving an opportunity to city folks to experience and open up their world to an innovative & new music experience,” said Loh Ee Lin, Brand Manager of Heineken Malaysia.

Punters will also get to enjoy fun activities by trying their skills in the tribal bamboo dance, blow piping and also getting henna tattoos, immersing themselves to a Borneon setting similar to the Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching, Sarawak.

Marking a successful 14^th year in partnership with the Rainforest World Music Festival, the preview parties presented by Heineken are one of the many initiatives that the brand takes to bring new music experiences and innovative events to its consumers.

“Sarawak Tourism Board is proud to partner with an international brand like Heineken that celebrates music diversity and supports international music events such as the Rainforest Music Festival since its first inception,” said Geoffrey Lee, Regional Manager of the Sarawak Convention Bureau.

Me and my friends at Laundry Bar for Heineken’s Rhythm of Borneo and Rainforest World Music Festival

The Rainforest World Music Festival Preview Parties presented by Heineken will be held at Havana, Changkat Bukit Bintang on 25 June, Beer Factory, Sunway Giza on 1 July and B.E.D. Waterfront, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah on 3 July.

Five lucky winners get to bring their partner and stand a chance to win accommodation and three-day passes to the Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching, Sarawak. For more information, be sure to check out www.heineken.com/my.

About Heineken

Heineken is the world’s No. 1 International premium beer served in over 170 countries around the world since 1873. It is the leading imported beer brand in many European and Asian countries.   Heineken is the leading choice among discerning drinkers around the world.  Additional information is available on www.heineken.com/my.

About Heineken’s music programs:

Heineken’s music programs provide cutting edge and new music experiences for its consumers in Malaysia. Perhaps best known for our Thirst and Heineken Green Room program, we are moving forward with a variety of new platforms for 2011.

Heineken Thirst: Fusing cutting edge electronic sounds and creative lifestyle content, Thirst is about music and its impact on everything we do. From fashion to design to art, music fuels our passion and propels our daily lives. Offering new and immersive ways to experience music, Thirst is a journey through the senses and a celebration that brings together music fans and creative talents around a custom-designed futuristic festival site.

Heineken Green Room: bringing together leftfield electronic music from the international and local arenas in a marriage of cutting edge music and event production that promotes local, regional and international talent on a level playing field.

Heineken Green Space: putting the events into the hands of our consumers. A bi-monthly series of bespoke events designed by Heineken Music fans, giving them the opportunity to throw their personal music event of the year.

In addition, under the Heineken banner we celebrate diversity supporting international music events such as Rainforest World Music Festival. With Rainforest World Music Festival we have helped to establish Malaysia as one of South East Asia’s leading world music destinations, and helped to grow and develop an event that plays host to music as varied as Celtic funk and karnatic grooves.

What unites all of these programs is our shared commitment to innovation and new music experiences.

About Guinness Anchor Berhad (GAB)

GAB with its portfolio of iconic, international brands, is the beer and stout market leader in Malaysia. GAB produces, markets and distributes:

• Asia’s fastest growing beer TIGER;
• the world’s No 1 stout GUINNESS;
• the world’s No 1 international premium beer HEINEKEN;
• the all-time favourite quality local brew ANCHOR SMOOTH and its strong beer variant ANCHOR STRONG;
• the premium Irish ale KILKENNY;
• the real shandy ANGLIA.

Listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia, GAB evolved from the merger between Guinness Malaysia Bhd and Malayan Breweries (Malaya) Sdn Bhd. The company’s principal shareholder is GAPL Pte Ltd based in Singapore.  GAPL Pte Ltd is a joint venture between Diageo PLC and Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd.

Guinness Anchor Marketing Sdn Bhd is a 100% owned subsidiary of GAB

Wilson Ng