Malaysia’s local acts feel left out of live music boom: ‘missing middle’

Malaysia is actively working to attract more international music stars to Kuala Lumpur by making it easier and cheaper to host them. This initiative aims to boost Malaysia's presence in Southeast Asia's growing live music market. However, local Malaysian musicians are questioning if this concert boom is also creating opportunities for them. Fuad Alhabshi of the band Kyoto Protocol noted that local bands previously benefited when major international acts visited. The article suggests a "missing middle" where local artists may not be experiencing the same advantages as international performers.