All Flaked Out In Bangkok – Bangkok Winter Music Festival

No matter how hot it gets on Saturday, fans will find snow at the Winter Music Festival ;If you’re going to Saturday’s Bangkok Winter Music Festival, take a parka or jacket. Maybe even mittens or gloves. Organiser New Inter Classic Exhibition (Nice) is predicting snow – at least during the ballads.

“We’ll have 20 snow-making machines producing flakes and blowing them into the air during the slow songs,” says Somsak Malang, managing director of Nice, which up until now has organised events for the real-estate sector.

“The global downturn continues to have a negative impact on real estate,” says Somsak, who’s been organising events for 16 years and is enthusiastic about his debut on the entertainment scene.

“There are lots of music festivals outside Bangkok during the winter but many city folks can’t go to them because they don’t have the money to pay for travel and accommodation on top of the expensive tickets. “I’d like this to be an annual event, just like the Pattaya Music Festival.”

Saturday’s festival has a concept that involves the number nine: It runs for nine hours and features nine artists – Palmy, Moderndog, Groove Riders, ETC, Friday, Flure, Zeal, Lipta and Paradox. Proceeds, after expenses, will go to nine charities – the Foundation for Rural Youth, the Thammarak Foundation for HIV Children of Wat Phrabat Nampu, Ban Kru Noi, the Christian Foundation for the Blind in Thailand, the Sataban Saengsawang Foundation, Friends of the Asian Elephant, the Foundation for Stray Dogs, the Children Cancer Fund, and the National Sports Development Fund of Sports Authority of Thailand.

“Each artist will be on stage for 40 to 45 minutes rather than just two or three songs as at other festivals,” he says.

The 39-year-old exec has invested Bt25 million in his first showbiz project, of which more than Bt10 million is for the stage production. Bt3 million is earmarked to pay the artists and the remainder ifor promotion.

Leo Sound System, which worked on the Honda Winter Fest, is handling the production. The stage is 25-metres wide and 80-metres long with one 12-metre catwalk at the centre. A large centre LED screen two smaller ones on each side will ensure everyone gets a look at the performers.

“And, of course, there’s the snow. It’s only a gimmick but I want it to be talk of the town,” he explains.

Surprisingly, Nice’s first project has not picked up any sponsors, so the company will be picking up the entire tab.

“That’s because we were really late concluding the project and sponsors had already closed the accounts for the 2009 budget year. Our tardiness was due to the selection of artists and the venue,” he says.

The festival is expected to draw a crowd of 40,000 people. Some 450 policemen will be on duty inside the stadium and an as yet undisclosed number outside.

WHITE NOISE

The Bangkok Winter Music Festival is at the Rajamangkala National Stadium in Hua Mark on Saturday from 5pm to 1am. Tickets are Bt300 to Bt2,000 at www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.

with thanks to : NATION

Tokyo’s Gift To Thailand

The Japan Foundation again shines brightest among foreign agencies that foster local creativity ; If our Culture Ministry followed the example of those in many other countries and awarded annual recognition to supportive organisations, the Japan Foundation in Bangkok would top the list for 2009.

Though the many activities it backs in Thailand, including Mekong-Japan Exchange Year, the foundation shows how a foreign institution’s mission can go beyond merely sharing its native culture.

With Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani and Chulalongkorn universities, the foundation co-sponsored the recent “Yui” workshops on costume design, dance and theatre. These featured Japanese leaders in the fields – Shingo Tokihiro, Hana Saegusa and Ryoko Takami, respectively.

The workshop in Bangkok at the Siam Society auditorium drew more than 60 designers, lecturers and students. They spent a day and a half interpreting three short plays on the theme of yui (which means “tying”), in costume design, play reading and contemporary dance, and then combined all the elements for a 50-minute public performance.

It was simple but insightful, underscoring theatre as the composite art it’s always been. Yet in this country, dancers and actors are usually trained and perform separately.

“We learned how to cut a single piece of cloth into a pattern without breaking it,” said workshop participant Wasurachata Unaprom, a designer and the director of “Silent Scream: Journey to the Dream of Murderer”.

“Then we painted it, the way you decorate a sarong, with designs inspired by the three short plays. They were very functional and stylish.”

Skowrin Pranchaleethirawat, a theatre lecturer at Mahasarakham University, was just as impressed by the lesson.

“It was eye-opening to see how one piece of fabric can take various forms and have many different functions onstage,” she said.

“Tokihiro stressed that, while design is important, function is more important, so we should design things to have as many functions as possible. Sounds like the sufficiency economy, doesn’t it?”

“I now understand contemporary dance better,” added Donlaya Wannamahin, who’s majoring in classical ballet at Chulalongkorn.

“I could see how we can express meaning with our physical movement by connecting with a dance partner using different parts of our body. It’s like looking at a black-and-white photo or Japanese calligraphy, perhaps: It’s simple, but there’s much more underneath.”

Late last month, when contemporary dancer Setsuko Yamada visited Patravadi Theatre, the order was reversed: two performances followed by a half-day workshop.

Making its world premiere, Yamada’s solo dance piece “Wearing Rose Pink” was inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s painting “Christina’s World” and Virginia Woolf’s novel “To the Lighthouse”.

That’s it for Japanese performing arts in Bangkok this year, but you can still enjoy some visual arts.

Continuing at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre until January 10 (except next week, when the centre is closed), and also part of Mekong-Japan Exchange Year, is “Twist and Shout”.

The free exhibition of paintings, sculpture, videos, photographs and installation pieces by 17 artists explores Japanese pop culture.

with thanks to : NATION

“TWIST AND SHOUT” A Contemporary Art Exhibition

“TWIST AND SHOUT” A Contemporary Art Exhibition from Japan In Celebration of Mekong-Japan Exchange Year 2009 ; The Japan Foundation and Bangkok Art and Culture Centre proudly present “Twist and Shout”, an exhibition of contemporary art by forefront Japanese contemporary artists.

To be shown at the BACC from November 2009 to January 2010, the exhibition will introduce for the first time, a major contemporary art show from Japan rooted in Japanese pop culture, inspired by such genre as manga and anime, and placing a special focus on new trends that have emerged in the Japanese subculture in recent years.

Curated by Kenji Kubota, an independent curator and Yoko Nose, a curator of the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, “Twist and Shout” is the major survey of the art movement that acutely reflects various aspects of the Japanese contemporary society and the psyche of the people. Powerful statements and insights are made through paintings, installations, video art, sculpture, photography, and even a six foot-high moving robot and an entourage of forty little ones, the exhibition represents a dynamic exploration of the visual arts subculture, with imaginative elements and subliminal messages relevant to society and history. The show will contain some forty works by 17 Japanese artists.

It is not uncommon to find in the Thai city life, elements of the Japanese popular culture in the forms of manga, anime, games, music and movies, and as well its influences extending into aspects of daily life such as food, clothing and design. “Twist and Shout” art exhibition hope to provide a viewing of these elements in the context of their land of origin, and a rare opportunity to the Thai audience to glance at the relationship between contemporary Japanese society and its imagination. With this respect, the exhibition will give rise to a more nuanced understanding of the Japanese society, leading to a better dialogue between the two societies. There will also be talk sessions during the exhibition period.

“Twist and Shout” exhibition is part of the Mekong-Japan Exchange year 2009. The exhibition will be on view from 19 November 2009 to 10 January 2010, at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Pathumwan Junction. The BACC is open daily ,10am – 9pm, Mondays closed. The entry is free. For more information, Tel: 02-214 6630-1

with thanks to : JFBKK

Where Cultures’ Paths Converge

The Mekong Arts and Media Festival weaves disparate visions into a brighter future ; The Mekong Arts and Media Festival is a well-organised, multifaceted festival that proves how dance and theatre serve not only cultural purposes, but social, educational and economic ones.

Attended by a few hundred artists, students, drama teachers, public officials and cultural and development workers from 11 countries, as well as a few thousand Cambodian spectators, the five-day festival in Phnom Penh last month was set up by the Philippine Educational Theatre Association’s Mekong Partnership Programme.

The event afforded ample time for informal discussion on such topics as the role of art and culture in social development and the fusion of traditional and contemporary forms.

I’ve been to many performing-arts festivals in the region, but the Mekong Festival stood out despite its meagre budget by offering traditional, classical and contemporary work that communicated coherently from a stage without hierarchy.

The works were created with true passion, and without concern for being “world class” – the classic term for begging invitations to Europe and America.

Performances by Burma’s Mandalay Marionette and Cambodia’s Apsara Arts Association were proof that classical pieces will survive into the future.

Cambodia’s Performing Arts Department, headed by senior artist Em Theay and her daughter and granddaughter, presented one of the most memorable works, “Mother’s Hope”.

The show effectively demonstrated the necessity of preserving classical dance in the face of political interference and foreign influences.

Cambodia’s Phare Ponleu Selpak and the frequently hilarious object theatre of Laos’ Kabong Lao, on the other hand, showed how European forms can be successfully adapted to local stories.

Three Thai companies staged works that were diverse in style and content, all developed with the support of the Mekong Partnership Programme.

Crescent Moon Theatre presented “Purgatory”, a social drama-comedy commenting on the changing roles of women today. Khandha Arts ‘n Theatre offered “For a Little Less Noise: Mae Nam”, a dance theatre inspired by butoh and advocating a better understanding of HIV/Aids.

And Wandering Moon and Endless Journey staged “The Reborn of the Butterfly”, a shadow-puppet show exploring relationships between men and women in different times and cultures.

“Our performance had a lot of dialogue in Thai,” noted Crescent Moon artistic director Sineenadh Keitprapai, “but thanks in part perhaps to the English and Khmer translations on the screen, we heard a lot of laughter, even from the younger viewers.

“Evidently it’s not the form – some people might not be familiar with it – but the content that’s more important.”

Sineenadh praised a workshop by Indonesian dancer Martinus Miroto and at another seminar traded tips with artists from other countries on using symbols.

Khandha’s Nammon Joiraksa, whose trip was subsidised by the Thai Culture Ministry, was moved by the performances of Phare Ponleu Selpak.

“I can see how they grew out of sheer necessity. Their village evolved from a refugee camp and many of the performers are orphans. Without their school and their company, which has just been to Europe, there’s nothing else for them to hold on to.

“It taught me that we can continue to develop our group in the future through management and grants. Each and every one of us now wants to improve our skills and thinking process so that we develop along with the group.”

“The whole experience reconfirms the significance of networking,” Monthatip Suksopha, head of the all-women Chiang-Mai based Wandering Moon, said of the festival.

“Or, to put it in simpler terms, helping each other. The festival encountered many financial problems, but in the end we found that money wasn’t the most important factor – willpower and management were the keys.”

Monthatip noted that local young people took a keen interest.

“One of my Cambodian friends said she’d never seen such a large gathering of youths in Phnom Penh before. They’re from Battambang, not the capital, and they have a clear and strong vision.

“I wish these kinds of extraordinary dynamics could happen in Thailand, but frankly I don’t know how yet. In Chiang Mai there are many troupes with diverse identities, and it seems we can’t find a way to join hands.”

The writer’s trip to Phnom Penh was fully supported by PETA and Save the Children.

Give youth a chance

With a new major partner in Britain-based Save the Children, the Mekong Partnership Programme is focusing more on youngsters.

Among the Mekong Arts and Media Festival’s conferences was the Youth and Children Bloc, comprising three days of courses and workshops.

Yiumrung “Mint” Thanpermpoon of Khandha, a business-administration major at Bangkok University, got to attend her first international workshops.

“Although many of us don’t speak English very well, we did our best, had a lot of fun and became friends,” she said.

“I was particularly impressed with the Phare Ponleu Selpak circus workshop. They taught me how to use the trampoline and, when I found I could do it, it was just amazing and encouraging.”

with thanks to : NATION

Meet The Parents Of Ska

The Skatalites’ current line-up wasn’t there at the birth of the music, but they’re devoted guardians ; Tomorrow brings ska-kooky Bangkok a chance to actually meet the originators of the jumpy Jamaican sound, the Skatalites. They’re headlining the Smiley Fest in Pattaya, alongside cross-over group Ska Cubano and a bunch of reggae outfits.

The Skatalites found international fame in the early ’60s with their musical precursor to reggae and rocksteady. It derived from Caribbean mento and calypso and American jazz and rhythm and blues.

Their 1964 debut album “Ska Authentic” made them “the sound of Jamaica”. Skatalites hits – “The Guns of Navarone”, “Latin Goes Ska”, “Corner Stone”, “Mesopotamia” – formed the blueprint for what followed.

“At the time, people in Jamaica were listening to a lot of imported music, such as jazz, blues and calypso,” says drummer Amando Joseph Rezcado. “The musicians who formed the Skatalites thought it was time to invent a music that Jamaica could call its own.”

Most of the founding members have died, and the line-up’s changed constantly since the band reunited in 1983, but the original sound has been carefully preserved even as Jamaica takes to dancehall and reggaeton instead.

“The music has stayed the same,” says Rezcado. “There is no reason to change it.”

Their new album is due out next summer.

“Ska will never die,” Rezcado affirms. “It will always have a place in the hearts of its faithful listeners. The live shows and the way people react to them are what keep us excited.”

Britain’s Ska Cubano, who blend the salty romp of ska with the more lilting rhythms of Cuba, took everyone by surprise with their self-titled debut in 2003. No one expected the imaginative mix of the genres to work.

Their second album, “¡Ay Caramba!”, was nominated for a BBC World Music Award in the Culture Crossing category.

“I persuaded Peter it would be a great mix,” lead singer Natty Bo recalls, referring to co-founder Peter Scott. “The whole thing seemed to me closer to the ska sound. A few years later we put together the actual band, including members from my old band, the Topcats.”

Natty Bo grew up listening to everything, but says, “Whatever music I was involved in had to be a killer-diller to dance to.

“Both ska and Cuban music are exciting styles of music. The Skatalites and other groups in Jamaica already incorporated mambo in the birth of ska in the late ’50s. It’s a great transition, and it’s fun!”

Ska Cubano spends little time dwelling on the tales of suffering that inspired early ska and reggae.

“It depends on the song,” says Natty Bo. “It’s like any music – there are different themes and emotions. Some are devastating, like poverty, death and exploitation, while some are jubilant, like love, freedom and dreams.

“In Cuban songs, it seems that many are about love and passion. We have all these inspirations.”

Interestingly, Ska Cuban has yet to perform in Cuba, he says.

“It’s a dream, and I wonder if it could happen. I’ve made many good friends there. It would be revolutionary!”

British audiences are invariably enthusiastic.

“Our live act is the main thing, like a ball of fire, a non-stop dance party where you can’t sit still. We’re on and off the stage, connecting with our audience to give them a truly memorable experience. We are the real deal!”

The Skatalites and Ska Cubano will be joined by acts from home and abroad, including Skalaxy, Windy City, T-Bone, the Kai-Jo Brothers, Prince Fatty & Little Roy from Jamaica and Babyhead from the UK.

JUMP OFF

Catch the Skatalites and Ska Cubano on Saturday at the Smiley Festival on Baan Amphur Beach, a 20-minute drive from Pattaya.

with thanks to : NATION

Swingin’ Back To The ’80s

Fans of jazzy pop get to ‘Breakout’ this weekend as Swing Out Sister hit town for Bangkok December ; It’s been a long time coming but pop veterans Swing Out Sister have finally decided to swing by Thailand, playing in the Bangkok Decembery festival on Saturday along with Australian chanteuse Lenka and assorted local favourites.

Dubbed sophisti-pop, Swing Out Sister’s catchy tunes and clever hooks have reeled in a modest army of fans worldwide since the
80s. The band began life in Manchester as keyboardist Andy Connnell and drummer Martin Jackson. The missing ingredient (a “Sister”) turned up in the form of fashion designer Corinne Drewery, who lacked any background in music but had a voice more velvety than velvet. The trio’s first offering, “Blue Mood”, shuffled into the record-shop remainder bin but their second, the signature “Breakout”, broke into the Top Ten singles chart in the UK and Japan in 1986. A string of infectiously jazzy follow-ups guaranteed more success, before Jackson decided to hang up his drumsticks in 1992.

A duo once more, SOS continued to create music “in our own stubborn way”, totting up nine studio albums including last year’s “Beautiful Mess” – their latest. Other hits to listen out for on Saturday are “Surrender”, “Where In the World”, “Am I the Same Girl”, “La-La (Means I Love You)” and “Love Won’t Let You Down”.

Drewery took a few minutes out from rehearsing for the Asian tour for a chat on the phone.

So, what took you so long to get to Bangkok?

I don’t know [laughs]. I suppose we were always busy when the request came in – Thailand somehow got missed out. But we’ll be there in a couple of days, after the show in Singapore. Saving the best ’til last, I hope.

‘Beautiful Mess’ -was a landmark for you, right?

That’s right. [It] sounds more intimate and confident because it’s the first time we’ve produced an album ourselves. We started out working with great producers and arrangers, and lots of great musicians. As the years have gone by, we’ve really got [musically] inside our own heads. We just wanted to see if we could [produce], and we did it.

How have you changed through the 20 years in the industry?

I started when I was 23 and I knew what I wanted to do. It can be difficult for people who start younger because they can be manipulated. I was a late starter and I was more confident about sticking to my guns. We had our visions and ideas, and we stuck to them. We’re still as stubborn as ever.

Did you ever think you would get this far?

No, not at all. I was trying to be a fashion designer. And with this singing job, I thought it was going to be over by the time I was 30. Because, like a footballer, you need youth and stamina. No one is more surprised than me and Andy that 20 years later we’re still having a good time being creative and doing the thing that we love.

Then how did you survive in music for two decades?

Because we’re stubborn, and honest. When it comes down to making music, we only do things because we love them. We don’t have our minds changed by people or trends. It’s honesty, sincerity and the desire to recreate the joy we felt when we first started. We just love music.

You once said the ’60s was the golden era of music writing. What about now?

It’s difficult not to be critical about music. Writing music has become accessible to a lot more people. Anyone can write a song with technology, it’s very instant now and a lot of people come to it from the technical side, not the musical side. The craft of music writing has suffered – the heart has been taken out of it. It’s all about rhythm and hype now, and not enough about emotion.

What can we expect from your debut Thai show?

We’re going to be showing you our more intimate side. We’ve got quite a jazzy line-up … a sunny acoustic jazz sound for an outdoor concert. You’re going to enjoy it.

with thanks to : NATION

« Previous Page — Next Page »