Bodyslam hits the road

After a hiatus that has lasted the best part of a year, Bodyslam, Thailand’s hottest rock band, is back with a bang and ready to set off on a national tour – their first – that will see them playing in 30 provinces over the next four months. 

After weeks of rehearsal, the “Prakotkarn Dharmajati” (“Natural Phenomenon”) tour gets underway tomorrow night in Suphan Buri and aims to revolutionise the country’s concert culture.

“We want to give fans more than music on a CD,” says frontman Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai. 

“We’ve enjoyed massive audiences who come to Bangkok  from all over the country at Indoor Stadium, Impact Arena and Rajamangala Stadium but now we’re going to meet them on their own territory,” the singer-songwriter says. “We originally planned to take the show to all 77 provinces but were forced to change our minds because of the enormous outlay such a tour would entail not to mention the time the crew would need to spend on the road.”

The band is ensuring that all fans get exactly the same show by taking the stage, props and all the other accoutrements along with them.

Yuthana “Ted” Boonorm, managing director of Gayray, a unit of GMM Grammy and the tour promoter, is in charge.

“It’s a multi-task learning experience,” he says. “The production set and equipment have to be broken down into components so that they can be transported legally – that means they cannot be longer or heavier than a truck – but also be easy to assemble on site. We also need a roof that can protect against sunshine, rain and storms and we’ve even come up with a new portable fencing system.” 

“‘Prakotkarn Dharmajati isn’t just a concert tour but a new phenomenon in the music industry. We are trying to build a concert culture,” he adds. 

“Usually bands on tour play at pubs but these venues have limitations in terms of stage size and the setting up of a light and sound system. Because of those limitations bands are unable to put on their special shows. This tour will be different because fans will see a full-scale Bodyslam production on a live house stage,” he continues.

“We don’t have a culture of live house like in Europe, America and especially Japan. Live house isn’t the same as a pub gig, though sometimes the size is similar, but it is designed for live performance. It’s a wonderful way of promoting unknown artists too as it allows new bands to show off their own work whereas if they play in a pub, they’re expected to play covers.”

The budget for this tour has been set at Bt120 million – Bt4 million for each of concerts – and covers production, travelling expenses and promotion costs as well as a 5x22-metre LED screen made of 222 pieces. Container lorries have been ditched in favour of six-wheel trucks – 22 of them – to facilitate easier transport in more remote areas, and two coaches plus a few vans will ferry the band, roadies and production team around. The crew consists of security personnel and volunteers from Grammy as well as from the province. Each concert is designed for an audience of 6,000, all of them standing.

“It is rather complicated because we have to ensure we meet the legal requirements. For example, we’ve had to design the stage structure so that it fits the length of the truck. The LED screen, which is the largest ever to be set up in the provinces and is shaded by a dome, also needs special care. And like earlier concerts, the amplifiers will not be on stage but beneath the stage. Each musician will have his own technician. Yod [guitarist Thanachai Tantrakul] won’t need to control any sound effects with his foot. The musicians and technicians will communicate with each other through cameras set up at two corners of the stage.”

“Fortunately, all the synchronisation – song, light, sound and scene – is now handled by computer. Even then, it won’t be simple but we really want to develop this live house system.”

Toon is excited at the new set up. “The highlight is the song ‘Kwam Fun Kub Jukkawal’ [‘Dream and Universe’] during which fans will watch an amazing visual show on the screen,” he says, adding that each concert will run two-and-a-half hours.

Bodyslam, which also features bassist Tanadol “Pid” Changsawek, drummer Suchatti “Chad” Janed, and keyboardist Ohm “Ohm” Plengkhum, will perform more than 20 songs including several from their new 10-track album, “Dharmajati”. The first three singles are “Ruea Lek Khuan Ok Jaak Fang”, “Dharmajati” and “Cheewit Yang Kong Suay Ngarm”. 

“Overall, this album is based on more keyboards. On three of the songs – ‘Dharmajati’, ‘Cheewit Yang Kong Suay Ngarm’ and ‘Kwam Fun Kub Jukkawal’ – we worked with composer and conductor Trisdee na Patalung and the Siam Sinfonietta. Na Ad [Carabao’s Yuenyong Ophakul] gave me the song ‘Chang Man Ther Nong’ [‘Lonely, Let It Be’], telling me he felt awkward performing it as it is more suitable for a teen audience,” says Toon.

 “People have told me that the song ‘Dharmajati’ – which incidentally is the root of ‘thammachat’ meaning nature – is difficult to understand. But it’s really up to each listener how to interpret it.  Lyrically, I use a rocky overhang – something that’s imperfect but beautiful – as a metaphor for people who can be happy despite living incomplete lives.”

“Ruea Lek Khuan Ok Jaak Fang”, on the other hand, is adapted from a weather report warning that small boats shouldn’t depart from shore.

“It’s about people who are warned not to take any risks. I think that sometimes we should face up to life. It’s songs-for-life music in Bodyslam style,” says Toon. 

Toon names “Kwam Fun Kub Jukkawal” as his favourite song, adding that he would like it played at his funeral.

“That may sound crazy but I think it’s appropriate. This song was inspired by a prisoner who said her happiest time came when she was sleeping, as she would dream of going out of her cell and meeting other people. If you think about it, we are all imprisoned in a cell called the world. And which of us hasn’t dreamed of escaping, of being a free spirit in the circle of life?”

 

Rock on!

_ Bodyslam’s tour kicks off tomorrow night at the Arun Waterpark in Suphan Buri.

_ Tickets are Bt1,500 at ThaiTicketMajor. Call (02) 262 3456 or check www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.

_ For more tour dates, check www.BodyslamBand.com and Facebook.com/bodyslamband.