Instead of sleeping off their hangovers or brunching the day away, about 100 music lovers gathered in a private apartment in the Ekkamai area Sunday for the second Bangkok installment of free, live listening party Sofar Sounds.
Wissanu “Dui“ Likitsathaporn (frontman of folky indie bands Youth Brush and Two Million Thanks), Jelly Rocket and Highlag performed to an appreciative crowd. Attendees mingled inside, smoked on the massive balcony and drank cocktails from event sponsor Jameson or beers provided by the hosts.
When the acts started – including well-known Bangkok spoken wordsmith Pablo Leroy Jenkonius and amazing performance poet Charlene Shepherdson who was just passing through from Singapore – everyone crowded in and sat on the floor to watch.
One of the apartment’s residents, John Olstad, said that he and his housemates volunteered their large living space for the Sofar series because they want to see more events in the city not under pressure to turn a profit.
They saw the event as an opportunity for creative people to come together to talk and collaborate. Not just musical projects but also video, startups and the like.
Adam Sharpe leads the Sofar Sounds movement in Bangkok. He hosted the first event in his Soi Sukhumvit 11 apartment a few months ago. He emceed this second edition and, at one point, gave a heartfelt talk about his hopes for the future of Bangkok’s creative community.
This Bangkok edition was managed by Pakarn “Bai” Kiatpinyo who wrangled PR, sponsors and lineup. He described what made it cool to him.
“The intimacy in which the artists and audience are treated as equals,” he said. “The music is not merely one detail of the show, and the listening is not taken for granted. You’re there to consume the music and be part of the whole vibe.”
And indeed it was as much of a vibe, experience and happening as a show. This Bangkok audience was in for a treat. The chance to hear Dui perform his signature dreamlike songs to such an intimate crowd; Jelly Rocket, described by one audience member as “the Thai Cranberries” and up-and-comers Highlag, a two-piece atmospheric synth band that makes you regret that you stopped doing drugs and whose set Sharpe described as “trippy as hell.”
Sofar Sounds describes itself as “a global music community” that hosts “secret gigs in intimate spaces all around the world.” Sofar events have been hosted in 96 cities so…far. The premise is that anyone can attend the free events until they reach capacity. You only need to sign up via the Sofar site and the location will be divulged via email. The lineup is never divulged. That’s part of the premise. Not unlike Secret Cinema concepts, people show up having no idea what they’re going to see. This second Bangkok edition reached capacity and several people had to be “turned away” via email.
The space where they held the event, a residence that is evolving into a cafe and coworking space, is going by the name Space Time. Look for upcoming events or contact them to get involved. Videos from Sunday’s event will be edited and posted within a month or two.
As Highlag keyboardist Voratorn Peerapongpan was winding up his cables and most of the crowd was putting on their shoes and getting ready to leave, I asked him what the best part of the event was.
He looked off into the distance and thought for a moment before replying:
“The beer. Yeah, I think it was the beer.”
Because music and creativity and sharing and all that mushy stuff is nice but you know what’s really nice? Beer.
Look for more Sofar Sounds events at Sofar Sounds BKK. Look for beer at 7-Eleven, bars and grocery stores. Both are highly recommended.
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