KUALA LUMPUR – After eight years of operating on the top floor of Menara MPAJ in Ampang Jaya, local punk music venue Rumah Api will be relocating later this year due to increased rental and related arrears that accumulated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Met at the venue during a weekend gig, Rumah Api founder Yazman Yahya told Scoop that the not-for-profit art venue is expected to shift to a nearby shoplot area.
Although no specific date has been set for the move, the new venue is expected to be fully operational in the second quarter of 2024.
“We have identified a potential location in a shophouse, but this is not confirmed or finalised as no agreement has been signed yet,” Yazman, also known as Man Beranak of the thrashcore outfit Sarjan Hassan, said.
“There are still several things to sort out, such as securing loans and ensuring enough funds for renovations and equipment installation.”
Yazman explained that Rumah Api had no choice but to relocate due to the rental fees surpassing what the venue could afford.
However, Yazman insisted that the issue was not with local authorities, but rather one that was between a tenant and a private landlord.
Additionally, the venue faced a financial setback after its punk rock festival, the seventh edition of Chaos in Rumah Api (Cira), was canceled following a police raid.
The raid resulted from alleged failures by the campsite operators to obtain necessary permits for the festival.
The incident occurred in early December, with Rumah Api claiming to have made requisite payments for permits to the campsite operators, who failed to apply for the necessary permits.
Rumah Api also asserted that the raid appeared to coincide with complaints from nearby residents about the alleged incorporation of satanic and black metal elements in the concert.
On social media, Yazman expressed frustration over the inability to recover the deposit given to the campsite and revealed having spent thousands on renting audio equipment needed for the show.
Throughout the pandemic, Rumah Api, which hosted hundreds of local and international underground music acts, resorted to independent fundraising efforts, such as opening its doors for rehearsals and recordings, and launching a Patreon page offering updates and discounts for gig-goers.
Yazman previously told international music and entertainment news site NME that Rumah Api struggled to cover monthly rent and other overheads of around RM3,500.
In July 2020, authorities raided Rumah Api for social distancing violations, fining the operators RM2,300 for lacking an entertainment license, while 42 patrons were slapped with RM1,000 fines for attending the private event. – January 1, 2024