Having now found D’Loovi’s I went back again on the Friday night and met singer/songwriter/musician Kevin from the north east of England. Who was playing live with some of the local musicians, keeping us all entertained. Kevin was on holiday for a few days in George Town and had agreed to come along and play at the Sunday Afternoon Tea Dance.
I turned up at D’Loovi’s at 3 o’clock on Sunday afternoon. The musicians were just finishing their sound check. Kelvin the owner was running around frantically trying to sort one thing out after the other. The bar staff Kate and Zee were telling him that they didn’t have enough beer. Then Sally, the octogenarian main organiser of the dance, was explaining to me that they had started this as way for her and friends to keep themselves fit. She also said that she wanted to dance with me later when the dance started.
Dance organiser Sally
Admission to the dance was 20 Ringgit (£ 4) which included a free drink. Bye the way, I saw no tea at this tea dance, only alcohol. It was absolute chaos as people started to arrive. The initial background music was being supplied by Kelvin’s phone plugged into the back of the PA system. But that got interrupted when someone phoned him up. He didn’t have enough money to go and buy beer until he had collected enough admission money. The whole afternoon was hilarious but good fun. It was a bit like Buena Vista Social Club (music) meets Phoenix Nights (comedy) with Kelvin staring in the main role as Brian Potter.
Eventually things got underway, the band started playing, Sally encouraged people to get up dancing. The place was rocking in no time. Kelvin soon returned ladened with beer. People were turning up all the time. Three drinks in, and Sally had no problem in getting me up to dance.
I will definitely be returning to the afternoon tea dance next time i’m in Penang, It is Halloween and Christmas all the time in D’Loovi’s.
After the Tea Dance, Kelvin and his girlfriend drove me and Kevin to another bar where there was some more live music playing. A good night was had by all.