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From post-punk to math rock, four bands deliver distinct sets at Endangered Species Vol 1. concert
FOUR distinct corners of Kuala Lumpur’s alternative independent music were brought together during the Endangered Species Vol. 1 concert for a loud, energetic night at Petai Belalang Kuala Lumpur.
Around 150 people turned up for performances by Open Privacy, Fuad, The Baby Cosmos and The Filters, an impressive crowd for a local indie gig. From the opening set, audiences were already dancing, jumping and moving closer to the stage, with the energy holding until the final song.
The main performance space was open and wide, giving audiences enough room to move while keeping the floor lively. The lighting remained good throughout the night, although the room became increasingly hot and stuffy as more people arrived. Rooftop access offered a welcome break between sets, along with a view of Jalan Pudu and the Bukit Bintang area.
Getting to the venue required extra effort after the lifts stopped working, leaving fans, musicians and crew members to climb six floors, some while carrying instruments and equipment. Inside, the sound system was powerful, perhaps overwhelmingly so. Fuad guitarist Arief Fuad handed out free earplugs before the performances, and the music remained loud even with them in.
Punk from beginning
Kuala Lumpur post-punk outfit Open Privacy opened Endangered Species Vol. 1 with one of the night’s biggest surprises.
The band, comprising Haqim on vocals and guitar, Zaki on backing vocals and guitar, Afiq on bass, and Arif on backing vocals and drums, released its six-track debut EP Noises & in January.
Its sound mixes punk, surf rock and post-punk, and the performance carried traces of contemporary groups such as Viagra Boys and Idles. The music was energetic, abrasive and slightly chaotic, with Open Privacy embracing the roughness of punk rather than polishing every corner.
The vocals were muffled throughout much of the set, sometimes to the point where they became difficult to distinguish beneath the guitars and drums. Some of that suited the group’s approach, although greater clarity would have helped the songs make a stronger impression.
Fuad deliver familiar favourites
Sibling duo Arief and Allisa Fuad followed with one of the most warmly received performances of the night at Endangered Species Vol. 1 .
The pair moved through fan favourites, including Jupiter’s Moon, with Allisa’s vocals carrying over Arief’s forceful guitar work. Their rock-oriented set quickly brought the crowd closer to the stage, while several fans began moshing during the heavier sections.
Fuad also covered The Killers’s When You Were Young. The duo explained that they chose the song because it was featured in Guitar Hero III, which they played while growing up.
The cover arrived following news of The Killers returning to Southeast Asia while skipping Malaysia, giving local fans an opportunity to hear one of the group’s most recognisable songs in a much smaller setting.
Arief later thanked the audience for enduring the difficult route to the venue at Endangered Species Vol. 1.
“Thank you for showing up and climbing 11 flights of stairs on a Friday night just to watch us play,” he told theSun.
Hosts command stage
The Baby Cosmos, the organisers behind Endangered Species Vol. 1, took the third slot and presented a powerful set built around strong melodies and a growing confidence on stage.
They also included several surprises, beginning with a cover of Radiohead’s Black Star. It was a song most local fans never expected to hear performed live, and the band handled it without reducing the track to a simple imitation.
The group later teased the opening of The Strokes’s Selfless before moving into its own fan favourite Dream in Colour. The brief fake-out drew an immediate reaction before the familiar opening of the band’s song carried the performance forward.
The Baby Cosmos also performed an unreleased single titled Religion, which was received enthusiastically by fans. The new song suggested the group is continuing to expand its sound while retaining the melodic qualities that already define its performances.
Drummer Isra Gomez admitted the turnout surpassed his expectations.
“When we first announced the show I honestly thought it was going to be a situation where not that many people would come. I’m still shocked by the huge turnout. It shows that the local scene is very much alive and active,” Isra told theSun.
The Filters close with force
The Filters capped off Endangered Species Vol. 1 with one of its strongest performances.
The Kuala Lumpur fractional math rock outfit was formed in 2013 by Ian Francis Khoo and Aiman Shakirin in their high school music room. Reuben Ravi later joined through the school brass band, before Iain Chan completed the lineup after attending the same audio engineering college.
More than a decade later, the band’s sound remains difficult to place under a single label. Its music draws from math rock and several other styles, using unconventional arrangements and layered textures to create songs that often feel dense without losing their momentum.
That experimental nature came through during the performance, along with the confident stage presence that has become central to the band’s live reputation. The vocalist carried a swagger reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner, while the musicians remained tight despite the complexity of the material.
Reuben performed while seated because of injuries suffered in an accident last year. The band explained that its songs were inspired by personal problems and losses, including the accident and the death of a dog.
Those stories gave the set an emotional foundation without turning it overly sombre. The Filters remained controlled and energetic, providing a strong conclusion after three varied performances.
Winning over new listeners
Audience members Jeanne and Phae were equally impressed by the night. Phae, who had not heard of any of the four bands before attending, described it as the best indie gig they had ever experienced. The Baby Cosmos’s cover of Radiohead’s Black Star was a particular highlight.
“They played Blackstar, I never thought I’d get to hear that song live. And not only did they play it live, they played it like I imagined I’d hear it live,” they told theSun.
Jeanne shared the enthusiasm, saying the performances were “amazing”, although both agreed that the long climb to the venue was the night’s only serious drawback.
Endangered Species Vol. 1 showed that Malaysia’s indie music scene remains active, varied and capable of drawing an audience. The Baby Cosmos assembled four acts with distinct sounds while giving emerging and established names the same stage.
Endangered Species Vol. 1 established a promising foundation, and The Baby Cosmos now has every reason to begin planning Vol. 2.
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