There has been a lot of new initiatives on the scene these past few months. I caught up with three guys doing some great stuff for Bangkok Live music.
Abner Olivieri: Live Music Tonight (Online music platform)
Tell us a little about what you do.
I'm a mobile app and web developer, currently freelancing here in Bangkok. This gives me time to work on a few personal projects, so I started Live Music Tonight this February. Ever since I was a teenager I've loved computers, tech and the internet and I've been fascinated with how people can harness the power of the internet to make amazing things happen. I really believe in Live Music Tonight, perhaps more than any of my previous projects.
So in once sentence, what are you hoping to achieve with this project?
Well it's hard to put in one sentence, but the goal of Live Music Tonight is to help people discover their local music scene and a platform to for bands to reach an amazing audience that is usually difficult to reach.
How can what you are doing help others?
I think that currently the live music scene here faces a few difficulties, the biggest of which is having a large audience to reach out to when promoting events and content. Our goal is to gather an audience of live music lovers, an audience so big that when we promote events and content to them, it has an big impact, helping events and bands have success.
How can others in the Bangkok music scenes help?
Small indie bands have between 500-10,000 fans, and often this isn't enough to make events and albums a success. I believe that if bands and individuals in the scene promote Live Music Tonight, over time we will collect the audiences of these bands and individuals in Bangkok into one large audience, and this large audience will eventually benefit those who promoted us. If we have an audience of 100,000 people, we can then help those with audiences of 500-10,000 have more success. My vision is for Live Music Tonight to become a marketing engine for the music scene here, and my hope is that it can especially help small indie bands who don't have as much support as the big players.
What is the hardest thing you need to do to make this a success?
It's difficult to say as there are a lot of roadblocks. Currently it's just me running things so audience building is tough because I'm running things on my own budget, and editorial can be tough as well as it can take a lot of time. The biggest challenge I can think of currently is the Thai factor, as I really would like the website to be bilingual but that will be difficult to make happen. But ultimately I don't think anything is impossible and while I find these things to be challenges, I think it's possible, it just takes time and planning.
What’s the best way to get in contact with you.
You can check us out online, I respond to all messaging channels:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/livemusictonightbangkok
Website - http://bkk.livemusictonight.co
Email - [email protected]
I'm a mobile app and web developer, currently freelancing here in Bangkok. This gives me time to work on a few personal projects, so I started Live Music Tonight this February. Ever since I was a teenager I've loved computers, tech and the internet and I've been fascinated with how people can harness the power of the internet to make amazing things happen. I really believe in Live Music Tonight, perhaps more than any of my previous projects.
So in once sentence, what are you hoping to achieve with this project?
Well it's hard to put in one sentence, but the goal of Live Music Tonight is to help people discover their local music scene and a platform to for bands to reach an amazing audience that is usually difficult to reach.
How can what you are doing help others?
I think that currently the live music scene here faces a few difficulties, the biggest of which is having a large audience to reach out to when promoting events and content. Our goal is to gather an audience of live music lovers, an audience so big that when we promote events and content to them, it has an big impact, helping events and bands have success.
How can others in the Bangkok music scenes help?
Small indie bands have between 500-10,000 fans, and often this isn't enough to make events and albums a success. I believe that if bands and individuals in the scene promote Live Music Tonight, over time we will collect the audiences of these bands and individuals in Bangkok into one large audience, and this large audience will eventually benefit those who promoted us. If we have an audience of 100,000 people, we can then help those with audiences of 500-10,000 have more success. My vision is for Live Music Tonight to become a marketing engine for the music scene here, and my hope is that it can especially help small indie bands who don't have as much support as the big players.
What is the hardest thing you need to do to make this a success?
It's difficult to say as there are a lot of roadblocks. Currently it's just me running things so audience building is tough because I'm running things on my own budget, and editorial can be tough as well as it can take a lot of time. The biggest challenge I can think of currently is the Thai factor, as I really would like the website to be bilingual but that will be difficult to make happen. But ultimately I don't think anything is impossible and while I find these things to be challenges, I think it's possible, it just takes time and planning.
What’s the best way to get in contact with you.
You can check us out online, I respond to all messaging channels:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/livemusictonightbangkok
Website - http://bkk.livemusictonight.co
Email - [email protected]
Eddie Mellor: Co-owner and event manager of SpeakerBox
Tell us a little about what you do.
I worked in bars and venues throughout my university life and whilst I was travelling, which gave me experiences that led to a passion for both music communities and nightlife hospitality.
After 2 years back in Bangkok I've decided to team up with my partner, Fon and offer a new location for local talents to promote themselves and get themselves heard, along with offering a place to hang out with a friendly vibe and some delicious craft beers (as I fucking love beer).
I've decided to name it Speakerbox because I feel it fits the image we're aiming for. Its located at the train market on Ratchadaphisek, which is a cool up and coming nightlife spot with great vibes that I would recommend to all.
So in one sentence, what are you hoping to achieve with this project?
I am hoping to give the beautiful people of Bangkok a new place to hang out, listen to good live music, make new friends, drink at an affordable price and be happy.
What is the hardest thing you need to do to make this a success?
Getting the word out, it’s an absolute mission. There are a lot of people that don't know that need to know.
How can what you are doing help others?
For music acts I'll help get their sounds heard. The train market is a popular hangout. People that go there appreciate commitment and talent, which every serious live act will have.
The dude that I'm renting the space from at the train market owns a bunch of the bars there and is enthusiastic about attracting talents as it would be a perfect fit for the demographics that you see wandering the train market. Hopefully it will be a catalyst to attract more people that haven't been before too.
How can others in the Bangkok music scenes help?
Attend and enjoy the atmosphere. Bring your friends. Tell your friends. Play a show. Promote and share the events.
What’s the best way to get in contact with you?
I'll be there pretty much all the time, so come see me. Message the Speakerbox Facebook page or add me personally on Facebook and get in touch. I welcome you with open arms.
Thomas Murcutt: Promoter at Bar 21, RCA
Tell us a little about what you do.
I'm Tom a teacher, musician and Business owner here in Bangkok and have been based on the eastern outskirts since I arrived 8 years ago.
So in one sentence, what are you hoping to achieve with this project?
Bar 21 is the local hangout on RCA for quality live music; acoustic (singer-songwriters) acts, DJ's and bands of all genre's mix to create a space to collaborate and inspire.
What is the hardest thing you need to do to make this a success?
The hardest thing is to get a good reputation within a relatively short space of time, with the required patience too.
How can what you are doing help others?
We are giving a space to players, without maybe experience or a big fan-base to get that much needed break. We are trying to give bands, artists and DJ's a chance to show their worth and to reach out to the local community.
How can others in the Bangkok music scenes help?
The aim is to put on local artists, young and old, professional or amateur and create interesting events that are dynamic but have clear concepts and agenda's.
In essence we're trying to reach out and give a helping hand whilst also running events for
The community can help each other with these events by talking about what they feel is working, why its working and what can we all do better to maximize the experience for all concerned.
The bottom line for us, is that it should be fun, if its not fun then we're doing something wrong. So far though its been a giggle at the very least thankfully.
What’s the best way to get in contact with you?
The best way to get in contact with me is to whatsapp (ThomasMurkey) or come to Bar21 RCA and have a beer or one of our amazing burgers.
Check out http://bkk.livemusictonight.co to see weekly music events!
- JWS
I'm Tom a teacher, musician and Business owner here in Bangkok and have been based on the eastern outskirts since I arrived 8 years ago.
So in one sentence, what are you hoping to achieve with this project?
Bar 21 is the local hangout on RCA for quality live music; acoustic (singer-songwriters) acts, DJ's and bands of all genre's mix to create a space to collaborate and inspire.
What is the hardest thing you need to do to make this a success?
The hardest thing is to get a good reputation within a relatively short space of time, with the required patience too.
How can what you are doing help others?
We are giving a space to players, without maybe experience or a big fan-base to get that much needed break. We are trying to give bands, artists and DJ's a chance to show their worth and to reach out to the local community.
How can others in the Bangkok music scenes help?
The aim is to put on local artists, young and old, professional or amateur and create interesting events that are dynamic but have clear concepts and agenda's.
In essence we're trying to reach out and give a helping hand whilst also running events for
The community can help each other with these events by talking about what they feel is working, why its working and what can we all do better to maximize the experience for all concerned.
The bottom line for us, is that it should be fun, if its not fun then we're doing something wrong. So far though its been a giggle at the very least thankfully.
What’s the best way to get in contact with you?
The best way to get in contact with me is to whatsapp (ThomasMurkey) or come to Bar21 RCA and have a beer or one of our amazing burgers.
Check out http://bkk.livemusictonight.co to see weekly music events!
- JWS