It was my intention to complete these posts chronologically but I have just seen The Ginkz live so everything has changed. I love Degaruda still, I very much enjoy what my band is doing still and there are many other bands that I still consider to be brilliant amongst the small scene that is Bangkok. Still. In this particular post I was going to explain what things are like for a gigging band in this morally corrupt town of ours and to wax lyrical about how great the mutual support is between musicians. But I have just seen The Ginkz live and everything has changed.
On Thursday night I struggled towards Moose, Ekamai through monsoon-like conditions with half a drum kit on my little scooter. Spilling in and out of the traffic (which immediately becomes approximately four thousand times worse as soon as the slightest drop of rain touches the ground) whilst dodging and crashing through swimming pool sized (and filled) pot holes is not the most fun I have ever had - especially as my feet were busy trying to keep the cymbals, stands, pedal and snare drum balanced upon my tiny ride rather than let them join the flooded road. I arrived soaked and late (neither unusual) and we had a decent sound-check which was great because we were trying out new material.
There were 4 bands on the line-up at this Rhubarb and Custard event and Pennytime opened the show with another impressive energetic set. Count the Thief were up next and they looked good from where I was sitting but then I was sitting behind them. After us The Sangsom Massacre played one of their tightest shows yet - apparently due to the extra work they had been putting in ahead of their Hong Kong tour.
Then the Ginkz came on. All seven of them. Or was it 8? Or even 9? Either way there were lots of them and their show was just next level. I just didn’t know who to watch because they were all doing something brilliant. Whether it’s your style of music or not becomes completely irrelevant because of the infectious nature of their performance so I won’t even begin to describe it. I even forgot that we had been a part of this night and just had an awesome time.
That’s it. That’s all I need to say this week. Just go and see The Ginkz live. If you don’t I’ll find you, paint everything in your house blue and rig your stereo system so that it plays endless repeats of the single Pure Shores by All Saints from that Beach movie in 2000.
FEATURED BANDS:
(click the links for Facebook, website and event pages)
The Ginkz
Upcoming shows: Sat 26th Sept - Kodindy Festival
The Sangsom Massacre
Upcoming shows: Fri 16th Oct - Revolution @ Live RCA
Count the Thief
Upcoming shows: Fri 25th Sept – Whiteline Gallery, Silom
Sat 26th Sept – Zap, Saphan Kwai (acoustic)
Pennytime
Upcoming shows: Sun 4th Oct - Fubar Khao San Rd.
All Saints
More info: ALL SAINTS - WIKIPEDIA
Video: ALL SAINTS - PURE SHORES
Reunion(?!): ALL SAINTS - POSSIBLE REUNION?!
Photo credit: REDRUM