chances are, you haven t been to this place. chances are, this is a place you ve never seen. other than maybe blurry cellphone videos, old black-and-white newsreels from world war ii. chances are, bad things were happening in the footage you saw. myanmar. after 50 years of nightmare, something unexpected is happening here, and it s pretty incredible. in yangon, capital city of myanmar, it s dark. blackouts are frequent with the ancient power grid. what sources of light there are in the street cast an eerie, yellow-orange hue. for almost 100 years under british rule, this was rangoon. in 1948, after helping the british fight off the japanese, and with a new taste for self-determination, the country gained independence. after a decade of instability, however, the military consolidated power and never let go. elections, they came and went. the results ignored, opposition punished or silenced entirely. burma, now myanmar, where orwell had once served as a colonial policeman
sizzling meats, the clink of beer glasses, ringing bicycle bells. this is yangon s 19th street. does yangon rock? can it rock? 19th street is like a must-go place when you are in yangon. meet burmese punk rockers side effect, and lead singer darko. you can come here any time. there will be lots of people like here. so if you sit here long enough, you ll see every musician in town? yes, you can say that. the citywide curfews used to mean close your doors at 11:00 p. most shops and restaurants still close early, but not here on 19th street, where you can eat barbecue late into the night. wow. what do we have here? grilled tofu? this is pork tail. pork tail. yes. this barbecue is awesome. these young men show exactly how determined you ve got to be to rock especially in burma.
anthony: the citywide curfew used to mean, close your doors at 11:00 p.m. most shops and restaurants still close early, but not here on 19th street, where you can eat barbecue late into the night. wow. what do we have here? what, uh grilled tofu? darko: yeah. and this is a pork tail. anthony: pork tail, oh. darko: yeah. anthony: this barbecue is awesome. these young men show exactly how determined you ve got to be to rock, especially in burma. darko: i like to say my early influence was nirvana. and then, sex pistols, ramones, and stuff like that. anthony: what american bands do you hate? darko: especially, uh, um, creed. anthony: yes. darko: yeah. [laughter ] anthony: they are, like, the worst band in the history of, like, the world. so, what s it like having an indie band in myanmar? is it a little difficult? darko: for sure. for sure, yeah. before you reconnaissance or, you know, like, when you got the lyrics, you got to submit the lyrics. so they re goin
anthony: sizzling meats, the clink of beer glasses, ringing bicycle bells. this is yangon s 19th street. does yangon rock? can it rock? darko: 19th street is like a must-go place when you are in yangon. anthony: meet burmese punk rockers side effect and lead singer darko. darko: uh, you can come here anytime. it will be lots of people, like here. anthony: so, if you sit here long enough, you ll see every musician in town? darko: yeah, you could say that. anthony: the citywide curfew used to mean, close your doors at 11:00 p.m. most shops and restaurants still close early, but not here on 19th street, where you can eat barbecue late into the night. wow. what do we have here? what, uh grilled tofu? darko: yeah. and this is a pork tail. anthony: pork tail, oh. darko: yeah. anthony: this barbecue is awesome. these young men show exactly how determined you ve got to be to
19th street, where you can eat barbecue late into the night. wow. what do we have here? what, uh grilled tofu? darko: yeah. and this is a pork tail. anthony: pork tail, oh. darko: yeah. anthony: is barbecu awesome. these young men show exactly how determined you ve got to be to rock, especially in burma. darko: i like to say my early influence was nirvana. and then, sex pistols, ramones, and stuff like that. anthony: what american bands do you hate? darko: especially, uh, um, creed. anthony: yes. darko: yeah. [laughter ] anthony: they are, like, the worst band in the history of, like, the world. so, what s it like having an indie band in myanmar? is it a little difficult? darko: for sure. for sure, yeah. before you reconnaissance or, you know, like, when you got the lyrics, you got to submit the