The Malaysian band are certainly no strangers to huge concerts: they’ve opened for other international acts such as The Killers and MGMT. But even they had to admit the show at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium that weekend was something special.

“It’s probably the biggest show we’ve ever done. The 50,000-plus crowd at Stadium Bukit Jalil… it was just indescribable – one of the absolute highlights of our band’s career,” recalled Kyoto Protocol frontman Fuad Alhabshi, who played on three high-quality Malaysian guitars crafted specially for the occasion.

Judging by the uproarious response to their performance, it’s clear this homegrown group of high-energy rockers – Fuad, backup vocalist/keyboardist Gael Oliveres, drummer Shanjeev Reddy, guitarist Hairi Haneefa, and bassist Shakeil Bashir – have come a long way since the band’s formation.

Kyoto Protocol was born in 2009 after Fuad decided to start a band with Shakeil in response to their dissatisfaction with the music of the time. Gathering their friends together, the newly formed group went on to become champions at the Yamaha Asian Beat 2009 Central Regional Finals.

From there, Kyoto Protocol went from strength to strength, performing at many prestigious festivals and even touring Japan in 2018. They have thus far released three albums: the 2011 EP “An Album”, 2015’s “Catch These Men”, and 2018’s “The Pen Is Mightier”.

Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Fuad, 38, shared that the band had almost been called The Redux Initiative, after a phrase he believes he picked up from a movie somewhere.

“I told it to the others, and they said it sounds a lot like the Geneva Convention, or the Kyoto Protocol. We ended up putting it to a vote,” he recalled with a laugh.

“Kyoto Protocol” clearly won, and apparently a large majority. The name of course, refers to the international convention that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

A crisis of self-doubt

Given how prominent the band has been in the local English music scene over the years, it’s hard to believe their Muse show almost didn’t happen. According to Fuad, Kyoto Protocol had originally been reluctant to perform owing to several factors, including a crisis of self-doubt.

Fuad revealed that the pandemic had been particularly rough on them. After things started to get better and the music scene started to reopen, the band did not receive invites to several major events, and began to feel sidelined.

“It really made us question our relevance in the music scene. We were not very high on self-confidence, so we wondered if things would be even more damaging for us if we took part in Muse’s show,” Fuad said.

So what changed their minds? Fuad credits the support of their fans, who sent them affirming messages in person and through social media.

“At first, I didn’t really give credence to all this, wondering if it was just lip service. But we kept on being encouraged and, after a while, things sort of turned around. We thought, all these people can’t be wrong,” he added with a laugh.

Kyoto Protocol were eventually shortlisted alongside six other local bands to open the show. The selection process involved sending videos of two performances: one with them playing one of their own songs, and the second, a Muse song.

Muse themselves was involved in picking the winner. And lo and behold.

“In some ways, we were fortunate just to get the call. We were up against some really heavy hitters; on any other given day, one of the others just may have won,” Fuad mused.

Happily, after the concert, more people have been expressing interest in prospective Kyoto Protocol performances. Fuad hinted to fans to look out for shows near them very soon.

“We are also working on some new music. Again, we want to take this organically: it can’t be rushed, so it’ll probably be out next year at some point.”

Asked if he had any advice for aspiring local musicians, the singer good-naturedly declined to offer any. There are many other more successful music groups out there, he said, who would be more worthy of giving their two sen.

That said, he was forthcoming about the best advice he has received about the local music industry: never feel like you’re better than anyone else.

“It’s all in the way my parents brought me up. Treat everybody with respect, from the people onstage to the ushers at your show.

“Everyone plays a huge role in making a production successful. Never think you’re a rockstar and can be unkind to anyone,” Fuad concluded.

More information on Kyoto Protocol can be found on their website. Also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.