For one night only the Happy, Lucky, Love You Long Time Funk Band was the Happy, Lucky Santa Love You Long Time Funk Band and the venue was Talkin' to a Stranger on St 294.

For the uninitiated, 'Stranger belongs to Wendy and Derek, who would have to be in the top three nominees for most-welcoming hosts. For the EAS Christmas party 'Stranger added a tent and extra tables "al fresco" while the Happy, Lucky Santa Love You Long Time Funk Band took up position under the balcony.

The HL(S)LYLT Funk Band, like all good funk bands, has a drummer who lays down the grooves everybody else builds on. Out front, but by no means the lead instrument, is Jimmy's sax. For anyone who cares, Jimmy can be seen playing sax in local K-Pop megastar Preap Savat's latest film clip. Occasionally coming in over the top of Jimmy is the harmonica (which, naturally, shares its mic with the vocals!). There isn't much more I can say about the bass and lead guitars except that they're, well, funky!

On Saturday the HL(S)LYLT Funk Band had an appreciative audience who spread themselves around the Stranger's garden bar comfortably and still left a little room in front of the band for the kids (and dog) to dance.

On that note: 'Stranger is definitely pet-friendly if your pet is friendly and is one of the most kid-friendly venues in Phnom Penh. Not only are Wendy and Derek happy to see the kids come in, the crowd 'Stranger attracts is of the laid-back, social variety, a lot like the garden itself.

I've seen kids in some pretty hardcore establishments in Phnom Penh, 'Stranger is hardcore only if you think the temperance movement was on to something when it got prohibition into law.

Derek's comment on this? "Atmosphere is key," is all he'll say. Well 'Stranger has plenty of atmosphere, all of it good.

If dancing is your thing (and even if it isn't) the HL(S)LYLT Funk Band provide the perfect alternative to the doof-doof music and over-produced/under-written "r'n'b" tracks you get from the DJs at Phnom Penh's "dance" clubs. Funk may have had a bad rap since Bootsy Collins proved incapable of taking off the crazy glasses and platform boots, but the HLLYLT Funk Band prove that you don't need to be black, have dreads or love silver sequins to play music to groove to.

Owner Derek Mayes says Talkin' to a Stranger can look forward to many more live gigs, but the EAS Christmas Party was the last one not to have a door charge. Even in Phnom Penh acts need to be paid. As do sound and light hire, sparkies and all the others that go into making live music happen. However, entry fees will be kept entirely reasonable, we don't pay Aus/UK/US prices for our beer and we won't be paying them for our live music either!