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Live Thai Music? Where and How?


MooNoi

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Guys...

Am into Thai music here - particularly the folk/rock scene and have got quite a nice collection of CD's now. I would love to see these bands play live when they're in Bangkok etc. but don't know where to find out which bands are in town at what time? Bangkok Post and Nation don't seem to have a music section. Is there a website in English that has listings? Any suggestions?

Cheers!

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This is NOT easy info to find out, even when you go to the recording companies such as grammy it takes time and effort. I am only interested in morlam and lukthung, when you say 'folk' is this what you mean?

Some singers have web sites with concert dates, other than that the best way is to go in person to recording companies to find out. You may get lucky on the phone but mostly they will say call back/don't know etc, even if you get a thai to call. Another problem is that the companies don't always know what the singers are up to as concerts are often up to the singer.

Last trip I had about 9 people thais and falang who were on the lookout for concerts but nobody saw anything, then on the bus in Sakhon Nakhon we saw a large concert advertised over several days starring Siriporn, Jintara and Carabo. Publicity for these events seems to be done at a local level, reading thai is an obvious advantage so is speaking it as they often go round in vans announcing concerts.

Come to think of it one guy on nanapong did come up with a string of Fon concerts because he asked her in person (lucky bugger).

The first thing I do is to go round the big cafe's such as Villa and Pra nam kao to look at the posters to see who is coming on in the next couple of weeks (have to take a girl to read)

Keep trying and let us know if you come up with anything, there must be a company which organises tours and concerts but so far I have not found out about any.-peter

 

quote:

Originally posted by FlyPapillon:

Guys...

Am into Thai music here - particularly the folk/rock scene and have got quite a nice collection of CD's now. I would love to see these bands play live when they're in Bangkok etc. but don't know where to find out which bands are in town at what time? Bangkok Post and Nation don't seem to have a music section. Is there a website in English that has listings? Any suggestions?

Cheers!

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This is a good link to start with if you're a Carabao fan

http://www.carabaothai.com

It's the official homepage of this great band...

But this site here has better info on it and is well worth a look.

http://home.swipnet.se/muang_carabao/index.htm

For Thai music in general this isn't a bad page of links to corresponding web sites. http://www.starpicture.com/Link/link1.shtml

Cheers,

Dan

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I had a look at this link and it's just bubble gum music, plus carabao. I find it sad when people even think of thai pop and rock as thai music. It's like calling a spicey burger thai food just because it comes with chilli sauce. -peter

quote:

For Thai music in general this isn't a bad page of links to corresponding web sites.

Cheers,

Dan

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Peter,

Being a fan of Morlam music have you heard the Jah Wobble album Morlam Dub?

It combines his distinctive bass sound with a Laos Morlam band based in Paris.Might be a bit untraditional for your tastes but it's done quiet respectfully.

Also have you heard any of the Northern Thai country style music which I think is called "Kam Muang"?

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Here is a list of some of the popular songs for life (folk/rock) venues - I posted this here quite some time ago. A much more detailed version that I wrote is, I believe, now on Khun Sanuk's pay site here.

You cannnot go wrong with the list below.

Tawan Daeng Sad Saen Deun

855 Pattanakarn Soi 9

after 11:00 pm the place really gets kicking, especially after the nearby massage parlors empty.

Lung Khii Mao

74/1 Sukhumvit Road

go after 11:00 - rocking place.

Dallas Pub

Siam Square across from Novotel

smallish place, but with some good bands. best Fri or Sat.

Lam Khong

124/7 Sukhumvit

never been, but I hear it is more upscale than the others.

The Hut Pub

630- 171/3 Pra Pinklao Road

in Thonburi, just over the bridge - near Pata Dept Store

smallish, often quiet (but fun) place

Baan Kep Tawan

155/60 Sukhumvit Soi 63 (Ekami)

lower key than Tawan Daeng, but still fun

There are many others scattered all over the city -literally hundreds of them. They are great places to meet the locals and soak in some Thai culture.

Cheers,

froggo

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Just want to point out that www.carabaothai.com isn't actually an official site, there isn't one.

But it's got more on Carabao than any other site around. I try to put up concert information, which all comes from the Carabao Foundation shop at Jatujak. This means that I don't usually get the beginning of the month up, 'cos they don't usually have the details in time. I won't get there this weekend as I'll be at the concert in Khao Yai.

Carabao are constantly playing - Add does over 300 days / yr. In the Bangkok area they mostly play pubs and temple fairs. At pubs, a banner usually goes up a couple of weeks in advance and sometimes you'll see pickups driving around with advertising boards on them. At small places you often need to book in advance to get a decent spec.

There will be an official tour coming up this year, bringing together past and present band members to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary, with an album to match.

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quote:

Originally posted by PhilM:

Just want to point out that
isn't actually an official site, there isn't one.

Sorry Phil, my mistake. I first discovered this site about 2 years ago and had just assumed it was theirs. Also, in my post I actually had meant to say that THIS one is the better site, but the other is worth looking at. Love the band, have many of their recordings, especially dig Lek's guitar playing and have actually had the opportunity to play with Aed's current drummer (wasn't formally introduced and don't know his name??)

Also, to Peter G, yes there is a lot of puss and pop on that other site of links. But there are 4 pages of artists there and not just the first page. Included are Carabao, Loso, the talented Marsha, Mai Cheorenpura and Bazoo amongst others..(Bazoo, like 'em or not, as a pop band they did actually incorporate some traditional Thai music into their sound).

As for the type of folk music that you mentioned 'Morlam' and 'Luukthung' I'm not familiar with this. But I guess there are artists such as Carabao, Caravan, Pongsitcampee, Pongthep and many hundred more that could be categorised as folk/rock or pleng peua cheewit (songs for life) as they're known. To my ear, this stuff does have some roots with traditional Thai rythyms, and may feature Thai pipes etc. but still has a heavy influence of western rock, folk, country and blues in there. That can be said for a lot of the pleng peua cheewit stuff.

Personally to me Thai rock bands such as Blackhead, Y Not 7, Loso, Fly and some of Dunk's stuff is at a world standard and quite identifiable as Thai.. I guess it's hard not to be when they are singing in Thai laugh.gif" border="0

Cheers,

Dan

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I think this is a very good site on all thai music http://www.thaiworldview.com/culture.htm click on music. This site gets updated quite often and has improved a lot. Quite rightly they have morlam and lukthung at the top, but also have what I consider to be western music with a thai flavour. Why does everyone like carabao and loso so much?, the odd song is OK but I would not cross the street to see them. Just sounds like western rock sung by thai's, and of little interest when there are so many more talented acts over there.-peter

quote:

Originally posted by Dan:

Originally posted by PhilM:

[qb]J

As for the type of folk music that you mentioned 'Morlam' and 'Luukthung' I'm not familiar with this. But I guess there are artists such as Carabao, Caravan, Pongsitcampee, Pongthep and many hundred more that could be categorised as folk/rock or
pleng peua cheewit
(songs for life) as they're known. To my ear, this stuff does have some roots with traditional Thai rythyms, and may feature Thai pipes etc. but still has a heavy influence of western rock, folk, country and blues in there. That can be said for a lot of the
pleng peua cheewit
stuff.

 

Cheers,

Dan

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