Kicking off the month, funk disco fans should check out Cyndi Seui and Gramaphone Children on October 1st at 12 x 12 (Ekkamai Soi 19). If you’re not happy and you’re not sad about disco with an existential midlife crisis, then FU Bar Khaosan (98 Chakrapong Rd) on October 2nd might be your ticket to “nirvana”, since it’s Nirvana Fest #4 featuring The Layers (amongst others) paying tribute to the iconic Seattle band led by the late Kurt Cobain.
On a different note, there really is nothing like a hardcore punk show at the bohemian community hideaway known as The Overstay (Charan Sanit Wong Rd, Soi 40) in the far off universe known as Pinklao. If you have been stopped for a bogus traffic violation, extorted your hard earned—or not so hard earned—cash, or gotten pistol whipped by a brute with a badge (in other words, if you have suffered at the hands of law enforcement), then head over to the punk show here on October 15th and get some aggression out in a mosh pit of disenfranchised youth windmilling about. Look out for performances by Sandan and License to Kill. You’ll definitely want to put in the contact lenses for this show, and wear padded armour.
That same weekend an all-you-can-eat buffet of Japanese bands will grace the bar at Flow House (A Square, Sukhumvit Soi 26), on the 15th and 16th, as part of J Live 2016. The two-day fest features 25 bands covering every genre of music ever created, including Led Zeppelin tribute band Dantoz Rock with guest vocalist Jerry Kelly doing his best Robert Plant. They do Zep brilliantly—keep the fingers crossed for “Ramble On”.
Finally, on October 29th, the Rock 4 Kidz event strikes Chinatown’s Soy Sauce Factory (24 Charoen Krung Rd) with a battalion of heavy hitters including Cana, Brand New Sunset, Degaruda, Annalynn, The Rocket Whale, Ugoslabier, and Carnivola. The last time I saw Carnivola I was struck with an indelible impression these guys eat their meat raw and sleep in coffins. Reminds me of the Brazilian band Sepultura.
When all else fails, Speakerbox at the impossibly cramped Ratchada Train Market (322/289 Soi Yu Charoen) is always a good go-to nighttime live music spot on the weekends.
Listen Up!
A band that could easily be the poster boys for Thai tourism, while also being the first band to receive endorsements from substance abuse programs worldwide, is The Ladz From BKK. While displaying little creativity in selecting a band name, these lads—composed of three parts Britannia, and one part American werewolf—can churn out unpretentious pop gold.
Their new song and video “Goin Away”, which begins with the most unlikely lyrics ever conceived: “Borromoratchonni Elevated Highway takes you all the way”, proves they can take the most mundane things and transmute into something transcendent. One doesn’t expect the Celtic folk inspired verses to morph into contemporary stadium rock. By song end, one has glided through the 15th century shire of Tolkien and ended up at Madison Square Garden. There is an unremorseful glorification of pop culture in all its frivolity. These boys are the cold bottles of cheap beer you keep in your freezer—they always taste the same, but you still always want more.
The Ladz From BKK—at least half of them—return to Bangkok this month and can normally be found wherever the drinks flow like water and Aphrodite spills milk all over the carpet.
