Never mind the tumbleweed blowing through the eerily quiet streets of Phnom Penh this week… there’s still plenty of fun to be had if you know where to look!

Friday

Eating & Drinking

It’s the last ever D22 event at the Tama Hotel! Held on the 22nd every month, these food, drink and music extravanzas, held high up in the Phnom Penh tower, have been running for the past three years (7pm-Midnight @ Tama Hotel, Phnom Penh Tower, Monivong Boulevard).

Film

Prepare to be freaked out: Legend Cinemas and Major Cineplex are all showing IT, the remake of the legendary Stephen King classic… and it looks creepy as hell. (Various times @ Legend Cinemas Citymall, Tuol Kork & Meanchay; 6.10pm @ Major Cineplex Aeon Mall, Sothearos Boulevard)

If horror ain’t your thing, Outpost is showing feel-good comedy The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (7pm-9pm, Tonle Sap Rd, Next to Sokha Hotel,Chroy Changvar)

Comedy

Comedy in Cambodia puts on its biggest show yet tonight at Department for Performing Arts. The show features international headliners Andy Curtain, from Australia and Jojo Smith, from the UK. Tickets are $10 but group discounts are also available – contact Comedy in Cambodia via Facebook for more details. (8.30pm @ Department of Performing Arts) More information here.

Live Music

Cambodia’s deceptively cute-looking Queen of Punk, Vartey Ganiva, will storm the stage at Tusk tonight, putting the world to rights with her raw, angry lyrics. Check out our interview with her here.

Over on Bassac Lane Joe Wrigley & the Jumping Jacks get hips swinging with classic rockabilly at this week’s street party (9pm-Midnight, Bassac Lane / St 308, Tonle Bassac), while just around the corner, Amok Soul Project bring their stripped-back, mellow soul sound to Botanico Beer & Wine Garden (7pm-9.30pm, St 29.)

Meanwhile, the lovely Lisa Conception plays Farm to Table (6.30pm-8.30pm, St 360, BKK1), Rob Sixstrings and Jamie deliver a harmonious acoustic set at Alchemy (8pm-11pm, St 123, Tuol Tom Poung), Livewire play Duplex (9.30pm-12.30am, St 278, BKK1), rockers ZARGZ turn it up to eleven at Sharky Bar (St 130, Daun Penh) and excellent French funk outfit La Vache Qui Funk bring a high-energy set to The Jazz Club (St 282, BKK1)

Fun & Games

Looking for a rush of a different kind? Try your luck at the Omaha Poker tournament at RiverKing, where you could be in with a chance of winning a grand (7pm-11pm, RiverKing Cambodia (St 214).

Or, for more innocent fun, check out Cloud’s Games Night, where you can play retro board games, jenga, twister and SuperNintendo (7pm-Midnight @ Cloud, St 9, Tonle Bassac).

Club Nights

Reggae comes to BKK1 tonight for the Top Banana Soul Iration Takeover (9pm-1am, St 278, BKK1), or head down to Mad Fridays with Rob Bianche at MadHouse (10pm-7am, St 172).

Saturday

Eating & Drinking

There’s a new bartender in town (at least, temporarily) at Elbow Room tonight: Callan C Green was recently crowned Asia’s Ultimate Bartender champion, and he’s in town for one night only to stir up some of his finest creations (9pm-4am @ Elbow Room, Bassac Lane / St 308, Tonle Bassac).

Art & Photography

N o w h e r e’s every-popular workshop teaching you to paint your self-portrait with acrylic is back today. The class is taught by Syahrulfikri (Ajin) and costs $40 (1pm-5pm @ Neverland Artspace, St 172z2, off Norodom Boulevard).

Sport

It might sound niche to some, but as two of the What’s On Phnom Penh team are Glaswegian, it’s kind of a big deal around here: today is the “Old Firm” match between Glasgow’s two major football teams (and bitter rivals), Celtic and Rangers. Wherever you watch it, expect aggression. (6pm-8pm, various sports bars)

If you’d rather be playing sport, and without a big Scot spilling beer over you while bellowing IRA tunes (probably), there are a couple of options for getting active today.

First up, there’s a beach volleyball tournament (sadly, minus the beach) at Tamasa Serviced Apartment and Hotel, followed by a BBQ. (1pm-7pm, St 2004, Sen Sok; $24 entry).

Over in Tuol Tom Poung, Phnom Climb Community Gym is holding a “happy hour” special – for just $7, you can climb for 3 hours with your equipment thrown in free (5-8pm, St 460, Tuol Tom Poung).

And Outpost is holding its Saturday Yoga class up on the roof – perfect for a bit of peace and greenery (9am-10am, Tonle Sap Road, Next to the Sokha Hotel).

Or, come down and cheer on some local AFL heroes: the Cambodian Cobras, Asparas and Eagles are all taking on the Vietnam Swans in three consecutive matches (11am-3pm, ISPP International School, Hun Neang Boulevard)

Film

Cambodian film Fire Without Smoke is showing at the Bophana Centre this afternoon. Produced by the Women’s Centre of Cambodia, it’s a study of domestic violence and the difficult choices women in the Kingdom have to make. (5pm-6pm, Bophana Centre, St 200)

Later, at Flicks 1 there’s a one-off showing of the documentary Whitney: Can I Be Me? – the tragic story of superstar singer Whitney Houston’s life and recent death. (7pm, St 95)

Live Music

Upbeat pop covers group The Box Chords take the stage at Tusk tonight (from 9pm, St 278)… here’s a taster!

Alternatively, funk group La Vache Qui Funk return for a second set at Jazz Club (9pm, St 282, BKK1), the wonderful Miss Sarawan and her acoustic trio play Alchemy Gastropub (St 123, Toul Tom Poung), Livewire are back again at Duplex (6pm-9pm, St 278, BKK1) and Scott Bywater’s new five piece Moi Tiet play the FCC (8.30pm-11pm, Sisowath Quay / Riverside)

Club Nights

There’s an awesome lineup of Korean and Cambodian acts at Jinro Green Night over at the Container Night Market tonight (6pm-2am, Tonle Bassac).

Elsewhere, Phnom Penh Underground frontman DJ Sequence takes over the decks at Club Love (11pm-4am, St 278, BKK1) the popular DJ Maily plays her Girl Power set at Riverhouse (8pm-2am, Sisowath Quay), DJ Eazy is on at Pontoon (9pm-4am, St 51), and next door at MadHouse, the awesome DJ Moudy and friends keep the party going at MadHouse until 7am (10pm-7am, St 172).

Sunday

Eating & Drinking

Enjoy a long, lazy, a la carte brunch at the excellent Chinese House today. From 11am-3pm, brunch classics like Eggs Benedict, English and American breakfasts, pancakes, omelettes and crepes are all available for under $5. Our stomachs are rumbling…

Community Spirit

Give something back this weekend by joining this Painting for Hope trip. The team ask you to donate $12 to cover a donation to Kirirom Primary School, transport there and back and painting materials – and then join them for the day to help with important renovation/painting work, tree planting etc at the underfunded school. (6am-7pm, meet at AIESEC Wat Phnom).

Closer to home, learn 50 practical tips for going greener and moving towards zero waste at the Scholar Library (1.30pm-3.30pm, St 298, Olympic).

Film

A brand new movie theatre and restaurant opens today in Phnom Penh! Tarantino holds its official launch this evening with screenings of Top Gun and True Romance. Day ticket prices, covering as many films as you want, are $3.50, and today they’re also doing a deal dinner, a drink and a bucket of popcorn for $12.50 per person. (5pm-11pm, St 258).

Shopping

Pick up a pre-loved bargain at Tusk Market today! Anyone is welcome to set up a stall, and if all that browsing gets too much you can always retreat into the gorgeous pool with a cocktail. Perfect. More details here (2pm-1am, Tusk Guesthouse & Bar, St 278, BKK1).

Sport

The world’s biggest charity motorcycle race is coming to Phnom Penh! Class and and vintage bike owners are taking part in The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, which brings together “70,000 well-dressed gentlefolk across 600+ cities on stunning motorcycles for men’s health across 95 countries”. In partnership with the Movember Foundation, the aim this year is to raise $5m (and awareness) for two huge issues facing men the world over: prostate cancer and mental health. Learn more here. (9am-12pm, throughout Phnom Penh)

Live Music

One last bash before it’s back to work! FCC is hosting the afterparty of The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride tonight, with live music from The Boxchords, Lisa Conception and the Marison-Metta Trio, as well as a charity auction presented by comedian Todd Smith.

Alternatively, you can catch the K’n’E house rock bank at Oscar’s On the Corner (from 10pm, Corner St 13 & 104, Riverside)

That’s about everything for this week! Enjoy the rest of your Pchum Ben holidays and don’t forget to sign up here to get the weekly roundup delivered direct to your inbox, every Friday.