In Bed with Booka Shade

 

The incredible Booka Shade is back! Last year, the duo’s Bangkok debut was such a huge success that Champion Sound had no option but to bring them back and they’ll be spinning at Bed Supperclub this Thursday. 

“To say that their performance blew the audience away is a total understatement - one of the planet's most prolific and significant quality dance acts came and conquered, leaving not even the slightest whiff of disappointment in anyone in attendance,” enthuses Champion Sound’s Dave Milligan.

History is set to repeat itself as the duo returns to Bed Supperclub bringing their utterly unique, infectious, razor’s edge sound with them.

Hailing from Germany, Booka Shade is made up of Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier, described as veterans of the Frankfurt electronic music scene. They have released four albums, “Memento”, “Movements”, “The Sun & the Neon Light” and “More!” And since then, they have been touring the world non-stop. 

One of those rare electronic music acts who channel the spirit and sounds of underground techno, but also can rock any festival crowd, Booka Shade increasingly finds themselves winning over new fans across the rock and dance music tribes. Late last year, for instance, as they prepared for a winter tour of Australia – with the mixed rock ‘n’ dance festival, Big Day Out - Booka Shade was voted one of the world’s Top 5 live acts by the cutting-edge electronic music hub, Resident Advisor. That perfectly illustrates how, in 2011, they transcended borders and genres.

Booka Shade makes dance music, but it is dance music that audibly absorbs influences from everywhere: classical, rock, jazz, dubstep. Throughout their 25 years making music together, Merziger and Kammermeier, have found it impossible to restrict themselves to one set sound or scene.

They also became highly sought after remixers with their production magic to respected artists such as; Depeche Mode, Moby, Yello, Hot Chip, Roxy Music, Kings of Leon, Tiga, Dave Gahan and The Knife. Booka Shade had developed a uniquely melodic and emotionally rich brand of contemporary techno. This was club music, but club music built to last.

“This sounds basic, but it’s all about expressing how you feel, your personality,” says Kammermeier. “Anybody can produce a nice, functional club track, but to produce something personal – music that is the essence of who you are – that is much more difficult. And it gets more difficult the further we go with Booka Shade.”

Merziger, the production brains of the outfit, nods: “We’ve produced thousands of tracks together. By now, we have an almost psychic musical connection. But we’re still constantly interrogating what we do. Is it fresh? Is it different? When you stop questioning your work, it’s time to give up.”

This time around in Bangkok, Booka Shade will be supported by aspiring spinner, Dan Buri. 

 

TURN THE PAGE

Booka Shade performs at Bed Supperclub on Sukhumvit Soi 11 on Thursday night. 

 Entry at the door is Bt1,000 with a drink. Go Champion Sound’s Facebook page for Bt700 and two drinks entry, but make sure you arrive at the party before midnight. 

Call (02) 651 3537 or check www.BedSupperclub.com.