Pattaya Music Festival

[thrillbill]

The traffic will be backed up starting on March 20- Pattaya's annual music festival begins. Check out the impressive web sight (I'm sure your Thai friends will know some of the groups. ---and the "Western" ones, I have never heard of...)

http://www.pattayamusicfestival.gmember ... ogram.html (http://www.pattayamusicfestival.gmember.com/program.html)

[TrongpaiExpat]

Yes, impressive web site for not so a not so impressive line-up. I have heard that the International Hua Hin Jazz fest is good but have not made it yet.

On a totally different level Tonight at 730pm to 0100 there's an Isaan concert at Suan Lum, Bangkok. Admission is 30B. If it does not rain, it's looking dark now.

ICE at the Impact on 28 March.

Yes the same as the Molum Shows, it is very good for you, mainly if you can speak Thai, but not always, for meeting new and very appreciative young guyz.

I had a wonderful time with a guy then his friends, meeting him on Beach Road where they were sleeping rough, I told him I want to show him some western Hospitality, he was most grateful and I can tell you, so was I. :geek:

[fedssocr]

I don't know. The lineup looks pretty good to me. Lots of excellent Thai Indie acts. From the website it appears they will be webcasting the show. So I am definitely planning to tune in long distance.

Yes, impressive web site for not so a not so impressive line-up.

Spot on.

"International??" One unknown group from China, one from Malaysia, two from Korea, the "Cirque du Freak" from Australia, and some second-rate Thai groups. Hardly Knebworth - or even Chaiyapreuk Road and Tata Young in the car park!

[fedssocr]

so, for those of you who hate the lineup, who would you prefer to see there?

Most of the Thai acts are pretty well-known to the target demographic.

so, for those of you who hate the lineup, who would you prefer to see there?

Most of the Thai acts are pretty well-known to the target demographic.

Some of the genuine Thai "stars" - Tata Young was excellent in her free concert at Chaiyapreuk, Bird Thongchai McIntyre, Asanee-Wasan and Carabao are all still popular (legendary), and the only really "well-known" acts are Big Ass and Bodyslam who are just appearing briefly on the last night. I am not knocking the music (personally I find Big Ass and Bodyslam as ghastly as Modern Dog, who led the line-up last year) but this is simply a second-rate programme.

[fedssocr]

ouch! Modern Dog is probably my favorite band in the world. Certainly their music is much more creative than the bland pop stylings of Tata Young.

I guess the organizers want to appeal to young Thai kids not the older gay farang set. :-) I think bands like Potato and Zeal are pretty well known. Many of them are certainly more indie than strictly mainstream though I will grant you that.

I guess the organizers want to appeal to young Thai kids not the older gay farang set.

You may well be right - I thought it was meant to be popular and to attract tourists!!

The Tata Young concert was packed last year, and I did not actually notice any other farangs (old, gay, or otherwise!) there.

[fedssocr]

well, true enough I guess that's why they call it "pop music".

I suppose if they don't pack the show this year maybe they will switch back to those sorts of artists next time. Maybe they couldn't afford her this time.

[quiet1]

well, true enough I guess that's why they call it "pop music".
"Pop music" as in "popular music," not as in "Poppa's music."

I've seen the festival being promoted on Channel V (a music video channel), so it is being marketed to attract tourists. Perhaps not sex tourists, but tourists nonetheless.

(I agree that they probably really aren't targeting boy-chasing, old farang men.)

I've seen the festival being promoted on Channel V (a music video channel), so it is being marketed to attract tourists. Perhaps not sex tourists, but tourists nonetheless.




I don't quite follow your logic here, as Channel V's target audience is young Thais -- not tourists.

Most of the promotional materials for the festival I have seen around Bangkok are in Thai language only. I'd be surprised if more than 10% of the attendees were foreign.

[quiet1]

I've seen the festival being promoted on Channel V (a music video channel), so it is being marketed to attract tourists. Perhaps not sex tourists, but tourists nonetheless.

I don't quite follow your logic here, as Channel V's target audience is young Thais -- not tourists.
Channel V is Asia-wide in scope, so the English-language commercials promoting the Pattaya event are probably not targeted primarily at young Thais.

From a StarTV web page (http://www.startv.com/feed/e9f3d032df099f908e6deb79222085ba): "Channel [V] is available in the following markets: Hong Kong / India / Indonesia / Mainland China / Malaysia / Middle East / Philippines / Taiwan / Thailand"

There may be confusion as there is a "CHANNEL [V] THAILAND" and a "CHANNEL [V] INTERNATIONAL." I know I saw the Pattaya event advertised on Channel V while I was in Singapore, so it's not advertised just on "Channel [V] Thailand".

Most of the promotional materials for the festival I have seen around Bangkok are in Thai language only. I'd be surprised if more than 10% of the attendees were foreign.

Now that is strange - in Pattaya, 90% of the promotional banners are English only. I think 10% is being optimistic!

[Alaan]

Speak about not being able to please some people! For crying out loud what a pair of 'grumpy old men' the posters Gone Fishing and TrongpaiExpat are!

To describe the line up of the Pattaya International Music Festival as ridiculously as 'not so impressive' by TrongpaiExpat and Gone Fishings' laughable assertion of 'second rate thai groups' it is hard to believe that anyone having the least bit interest in Thai music could arrive at those conclusions.

Not only are all these STELLAR Thai bands playing right on the doorstep of those in Pattaya now but it is free to attend!
Had the festival and its line up been confirmed before i booked for my visit at Songkran way back I would have certainly made an effort to be in Pattaya in time for it.

The Friday night rock stage alone, would have been worth a visit to Thailand...to have Sweet Mullet [great Thai emo/rock band] Fahrenheit [with Loso former bass and drummer] AB normal and Blackhead on the same evenings bill is superb.
The full line up has some of the best Thai superstars...and just how a line up including Clash, Hangman, Potato, Ebola,
Peacemaker, Bie the star, Bodyslam, Taxi, Paradox, Big Ass, Pancake etc.. as well as exciting new indie Thai bands Abuse the Youth and Tabasco [who often gig around Bangkok] with their uk indie influences can in any way seriously be described as being part of 'a second rate programme' is way beyond me.

Would your assertion that this line up is 'second rate' or 'not impressive' be due to the fact you have actually heard ALL or at least MOST of these artists and simply do not like them [forgivable] or that you have in fact NEVER heard the current music of these bands and are therefore making your comments in comlpete and utter ignorance? [unforgivable]

In these depressing and tough economic times at least Pattaya/Gmm are trying to lift the gloom and offer up a free weekend of moral-raising fun for Thai people as well as trying to attract tourist money for hoteliers/traders etc only to be met with some farang indifference, apathy and arrogance at being able to simply write off some of Thailands finest bands ...........but 'i'm not knocking the music' sayeth Gone Fishing.

And why all the inverted commas and question marks around "International??" as if to infer the countries of China, Taiwan, Korea, Loas, Vietnam, Malaysia Japan or Australia can in some way not be regarded as International? or maybe your notion of International must include Euro or Noth American countries first. The tourists from these International countries have obviously been specifically targeted by having artists from their countries appearing and the fact that the Western tourist high season is past and the next expected influx of Eruo/North Amercans is not until July/August......so the Asian countries aimed at are those from which tourists tend to visit at this time of year as well as enticing long weekend/short stay visitors over the festival weekend....and the plus to that is the fact for many Thai people [including my own KhonKaen born guy] the music from Laos, China and Korea is part of their musical daily diet.

To fedssocr, I also love Modern Dog but even having visited 3-4 times per year for the last decade have never been able to see them live.......and notice from their website tour dates they were supposed to be appearing on the Friday night Pattaya music festival bill at 23.00pm. But i couldn't see them listed on the website line up or maybe i missed it if it was written in Thai.

Of course these are only my opinions......and i apologise if you felt it was a bit long and tedious.

[netrix]

i know lots of thai guys in bangkok and pattaya who are excited to be going. wish i was going too! :drunken:

[thrillbill]

I agree with the above comment. My Thai buddy and I strolled from the Dolphin-Round About ...all the way to soi one near Boystown lastnight taking in the sights and (some) of the music. For me, as an expat, it was great to see all the Thais (of all ages) enjoying themselves... buying or just looking to see what the various stalls were selling (cheap) ..buying food or drink while walking down Beach Road (plenty of cold beer)...listening to the variety of music ---it was a very festive mood. And with these economic times of gloom, it was great to see something free that everyone attend to. I was impressed with the stage set ups,big screens and all. Plenty of security. (For once, I have to compliment the city officials for being successful at something.)

And there was a mixture of Thais and tourists.... it seemed that Pattaya had doubled in size last night...tonight maybe triple the volume of people. If you don't like crowds, or people enjoying themselves, stay home.

Of course these are only my opinions......and i apologise if you felt it was a bit long and tedious.


Not at all, Alaan. Quite the opposite, it is refreshing to hear the thoughts of someone who actually knows something about the Thai music scene -- rather than old queens pining for Tata Young (!!?!??!?!!?).

No apology necessary, Alaan

You have obviously misunderstood my post and the supposed reason for the Festival. Had the stated aim been "to lift the gloom and offer up a free weekend of moral-raising fun for Thai people as well as trying to attract tourist money for hoteliers/traders etc" I would have agreed with you 1000% (even though I am not a fan of Indie). It wasn't. The aim was to attract foreign tourists, and their money, to Pattaya.

Agreed, the bands are a good cross-section of Thai Indie and rock bands. To put them in the same league as far as "International" popularity goes as, for example, Tata Young, Bird, Carabao, etc, who genuinely are "the best Thai superstars", whether you like them or not, is simply fanciful.

"why all the inverted commas and question marks around "International??"? Simple. These are far from well known bands in their own countries (neither were the totally unknown European bands last year) and they would hardly attract visitors from those countries, as you claim. They are also a very small proportion of the bands appearing.

"Would your assertion that this line up is 'second rate' or 'not impressive' be due to the fact you have actually heard ALL or at least MOST of these artists and simply do not like them [forgivable] or that you have in fact NEVER heard the current music of these bands and are therefore making your comments in comlpete and utter ignorance? [unforgivable]" Neither. I do not happen to particularly like Indie music (hence my comment on Modern Dog), but even if I did, that would still not make them "STELLAR .... the best Thai superstars" except in that particular field. I am not a Tata Young fan, despite the allegations, but she at least fits that description (and I readily admit to being a Carabao fan!).

[fedssocr]

My biggest disappointment is that they didn't bother to invest in a decent streaming server on their website. Why bother to webcast the thing if it buffers every 2 seconds and is so choppy it is unwatchable? I was excited to get to see it remotely, but now I am just bummed.

[Alaan]

Well Gone Fishing you really are a typical 'jack-of-all-trades.....master-of-none' type of guy. You think you are an expert in everything...but i'm afraid on this subject you are anything but....in fact if i thought your original comments with regards to the Pattaya Int Music Fest were laughable your latest replies border on hilarious!

You just cannot seem to accept that anyone with a different view to your own can actually be correct and you are never in any way wrong......in most of the other threads you participate in you seem go to huge efforts to back up your theories/ facts etc... with pedantic i's dotted and t's crossed.....and of course always the last word...

Your pomposity on this occassion in declaring that i have "obviously misunderstood your post and the supposed reason for the festival" is bad enough were it true....but the fact is that it is YOU who have misunderstood MY post and embarassingly have totally misunderstood the aim/reason for the festival yourself......in fact it would appear you haven't got a fecking clue what you are babbling on about have you?

I'm afraid i couldn't have misunderstood the reason for the festival because I didn't actually give a reason or aim for the festival. i simply stated a fairly obvious fact that in staging the festival [for whatever reason] an effort was being made to lift the gloom for Thais during tough economic times.... i didn't say that was the AIM of the festival...you invented that yourself! But you did declare in your pompous way that catagorically 'it wasn't" aimed at a free fun weekend for Thais no!.. according to your expert knowledge the aim and the reason for the festival was "to attract FOREIGN tourists and their money to pattaya" well not only do i consider you wrong in that assumption but your view can only be described as comlplete tosh!

The aim/reason for/main function of the Pattaya International Music festival is "obviously" to showcase homegrown Thai music and Thai artists for the enjoyment of Thai people....Even if you know nothing about music just by using pure logic surely you can see that a line-up of 90%+ thai artists playing to an audience of 95% Thais adds up to a Thai festival of Thai music aimed directly at Thai people....How on earth could you come to the conclusion that the main aim/aim /reason for the festival is to "attract foreign tourists and their money"

This festival has always been Thai music for Thais first and foremost......it was previously called Thailand Grand Music festival [or something like that] which only introduced an International element about 3-4 years ago.....not as the main aim but as a way of enhancing the festival and its reputaion as well as helping the local economy in some respects during the quieter season [quieter in respect of Euro and american visitors]. although i would suggest most of the income over the weekend would come from Thais themselves travelling from Bkk and other parts of Thailand with some holiday money to spend on food, transport, rooms etc... not from the foreign tourists as you claim.

Not only are you wrong about that but you are also way off the mark even 'fanciful' in your idea that Tata Young, Bird and even the great Carabao can in any way be described as being in ANY "league of international popularity" as you put it.............these artists are virtually UNKNOWN outside Thailand...artists with International popularity are the likes of Rolling Stones, Madonna, U2, Michael Jackson etc.......i have been to 4 of International Thai superstars Carabao concerts[one of my favourite bands worldwide.....about the only thing i can find to agree with you on]outside Thailand... in London and Amsterdam and the gig attendances of 400-800 did not in any way indicate they might be "internationally popular" the audience being 95% expat Thais, a few guys like me who travelled specifically to see them, and the only other westerners being the dragged-along 'hansum men' of the screeching Issan gals!

The artists you do mention as being "internationally popular" who are anything but......are however classed not in a league of their own in Thailand but just in the same way as the best thai bands i listed in this festival are...Clash, Peacemaker, Blackhead, Potato, Bodyslam, Big Ass etc........Thai Superstars....to ordinary Thais, famous artists in the music industry virtually all come under the same banner 'superstars'....[not of course the new bands and the indie bands]...but the ones i quoted certainly are not classed as "second rate" by Thais.
No way would Gmm/Grammy and the other labels set up this festival in conjunction with Pattaya city and therefore i would guess contribute huge amount of funds just to present second rate artists.....they are there on the bill because they are very popular.

Why all the inverted commas and question marks round "international" i enquired...."simple" GF advises us "these artists are far from well know in their own countries" "and would hardly attract tourists from those countries" WRONG AGAIN I would suggest...not only are artists from Korea, Taiwan and China well known to their own people/tourists many are well known to Thais also...my guy loves, and has, Korean,Taiwanese and Chinese music on his MP3 player as many other Thai do also....so international artists are not only attractive to tourists from those countries but also to Thais. What a clot you are GF.

And talk about stating the bleeding obvious quote GF "they [international artists] are only a small proportion of the bands appearing"...............well they would be wouldn't they, as the International part of the festival is only a small proportion of the main festival. My god it was you who claimed that the aim of the festival was to attract foreign(international) tourists... and now you back up another of your arguements by informing us the international element is only a small proportion not the main reason for the festival as you first suggested.

Now what else have you blabbed on about....oh yes...you have comlpetely misunderstood my comments and the context of Indie music/bands in the festival and music generally.............oh i can't be bothered labouring an explanation why you havn't got a clue about this either.........

God I'm even starting to bore myself with my own post so i wouldn't think any readers will get to the end of this post......most will give up long before this.....but i'm sure they will have got the jist....... so I'll just say this GF............sometimes despite your huffing and puffing about this and that..... you really have no idea about some of the subjects you profess to know about and attempt to educate others in, as this subject in my opinion, has proved.

[sattahip-old]

Well, take that, GF

Alaan is 100% correct. GF should stick to talking about what he knows...though that would mean we'd never hear anything from him. Perhaps that would be better, come to think of it.

Well Gone Fishing .... You think you are an expert in everything...but i'm afraid on this subject you are anything but....in fact if i thought your original comments with regards to the Pattaya Int Music Fest were laughable your latest replies border on hilarious!

I am glad you are amused.


Well Gone Fishing .... You think you are an expert in everything...but i'm afraid on this subject you are anything but....

I don't think that at all (although in comparison to some it would hardly be difficult). I am the first to admit I am not an expert on either the Pattaya Music Festival or Indie music - my knowledge on both is strictly limited. In the case of the aims of the Festival, limited to what the Mayor and the organisers said; in the case of Indie music, limited to hearing it and not liking it (I actually prefer the original versions, from 25 year old Bollywood movies which I watched at length - 25 years ago!).


.... the fact is that it is YOU who have misunderstood MY post and embarassingly have totally misunderstood the aim/reason for the festival yourself......in fact it would appear you haven't got a fecking clue what you are babbling on about have you? .....you did declare in your pompous way that catagorically 'it wasn't" aimed at a free fun weekend for Thais no!.. according to your expert knowledge the aim and the reason for the festival was "to attract FOREIGN tourists and their money to pattaya" well not only do i consider you wrong in that assumption but your view can only be described as comlplete tosh! ..... How on earth could you come to the conclusion that the main aim/aim /reason for the festival is to "attract foreign tourists and their money"

What's so embarrasing? It was neither expert knowledge nor an assumption - just what the organisers and the mayor were reported to have said. Even you may be able to find that out, if you try hard enough. If you think those reports were "comlplete tosh" then I can understand your point, but this was not "my" view or "my" conclusion.


The aim/reason for/main function of the Pattaya International Music festival is "obviously" to showcase homegrown Thai music and Thai artists for the enjoyment of Thai people....Even if you know nothing about music just by using pure logic surely you can see that a line-up of 90%+ thai artists playing to an audience of 95% Thais adds up to a Thai festival of Thai music aimed directly at Thai people....

"obviously" you know more about it than the organisers: "Organised by City Hall and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) the 3 day event aims to be a colourful attraction that hopefully will help the economy and tourism in Pattaya" ( http://notifications.global-report.com/ ... n&a=353958 (http://notifications.global-report.com/pattaya/?l=en&a=353958) is one reference, but there are many others, none of which appear to agree with your own "conclusion"). I do agree with your "logic", though, that "a line-up of 90%+ thai artists playing to an audience of 95% Thais adds up to a Thai festival of Thai music aimed directly at Thai people" rather than an "International" festival; I thought I said that.


This festival has always been Thai music for Thais first and foremost .....

Agreed, however that has never been the aim given by the organisers either for this or any previous such festivals.


..... you are also way off the mark even 'fanciful' in your idea that Tata Young, Bird and even the great Carabao can in any way be described as being in ANY "league of international popularity" as you put it .....

I didn't. Period. What I actually said was that "the bands are a good cross-section of Thai Indie and rock bands. To put them in the same league as far as "International" popularity goes as, for example, Tata Young, Bird, Carabao, etc, who genuinely are "the best Thai superstars", whether you like them or not, is simply fanciful." This is called making a comparison, something you rather arrogantly and bizarrely think Thais are incapable of: "to ordinary Thais, famous artists in the music industry virtually all come under the same banner 'superstars'". Somehow I think the reaction of Thai shoppers to Tata Young queueing at the checkout in Lotus, Pattaya Tai, would be rather different than that to Potato - but, of course, that would be "way off the mark" according to you (and I concede that the sight of either Carabao out shopping is so commonplace, particularly in Foodland, that it hardly raises an eyebrow).


....so international artists are not only attractive to tourists from those countries but also to Thais.

What I referred to specifically was the artists appearing here, which is a totally different matter. The reaction to the Korean "boy band" at the Floating Market, for example, was minimal at best (I was there) despite the press presence; there were probably more photos taken, at the time, of the dancers from Alangkarn.


And talk about stating the bleeding obvious ..... "they [international artists] are only a small proportion of the bands appearing"...............well they would be wouldn't they, as the International part of the festival is only a small proportion of the main festival. My god it was you who claimed that the aim of the festival was to attract foreign(international) tourists... and now you back up another of your arguements by informing us the international element is only a small proportion not the main reason for the festival as you first suggested.

Read any/all of the above concerning the organisers' aims (not what you or I think the aims were) and you may understand this. On the other hand, you may not.


you really have no idea about some of the subjects you profess to know about and attempt to educate others in, as this subject in my opinion, has proved.

Well, Alaan, that just goes to prove what your opinion is worth.

[Brad the Impala]

What a surprise! Gone Fisting involved in another pissing contest!

When there is no other defence left for his point of view or interpretation of fact, he will always blame others for their lack of comprehension skills, rather than the failure of his own communication skills or knowledge base.

[thrillbill]

...I like to see the debaters on this forum debate(argue?) over what has caused the world economy to come to a halt. Now, this would be fun to read.

[Khor tose]

...I like to see the debaters on this forum debate(argue?) over what has caused the world economy to come to a halt. Now, this would be fun to read.

I could not agree more. I read Richard Brooks and the Economist and I still am vague on who, what, where and why. Old asshole or not, here is where I miss Homi.

When there is no other defence left for his point of view or interpretation of fact, he will always blame others for their lack of comprehension skills, rather than the failure of his own communication skills or knowledge base.

It's called attempting to be polite, Brad. Alternatively, I could just have told Alaan that claiming to know what someone else's aims/intentions/views were when what they have actually said is totally different is pretty stupid, as is crediting them with a "point of view or interpretation of fact" that they have not made as they are simply quoting someone else (in this case the organisers). As you approve of such practices, however, your posting is hardly a surprise.

╪г╪н┘Т┘Е┘О┘В ╪о╪п╪з ╪н╪з┘Б


...I like to see the debaters on this forum debate(argue?) over what has caused the world economy to come to a halt. Now, this would be fun to read.

Greed (and men shaving their pubic hair).