Memories of another day

Popular veteran vocalist Setha Sirachaya turned 70 last June and marked the occasion just last Saturday with a concert at Paragon Hall that brought together the remaining members of The Impossibles, the string combo he founded back in the ’60s.

“70 Yang Jaew”, as the concert was dubbed, chronicled Setha’s musical life, with a set list that examined his interest in music as a child then went on to showcase the heyday of The Impossibles between 1969 and 1979 before closing out with highlights of his vast repertoire since 2001. This allowed the concert to be divided into different parts based on the theme, giving the older artists a breathing space between sets for comedian Yong Chernyim and Setha himself to crack a few jokes.

The concert opened with a nostalgic segment dwelling on Setha’s participation as a child in a music contest held as part of a temple fair. The audience was initially confused when the curtains opened to reveal a youngster who lip-synched his way through Rak Rakpong’s “Phu Khrong Rak”, a hit for Naris Aree back in 1956. It also explained that Setha was originally called Lertpracha but changed his name in the belief that “Setha” would bring him better health and a more propitious future.

Applause rang out loud and clear as the audience, the majority of them older than 40, welcomed the string combo’s five remaining members – Winai Panthurak, Anusorn Pathanakul, Pichai Thongniem, Sitthiporn Amornphan and Setha himself – to the stage. Dressed in white bell-bottom pants and yellow, green, blue, orange and pink shirts, they performed “Usa Sawat”, the Sunthaporn Big Band number recorded in 1945 which won The Impossibles the first prize at the first string combo competition in 1969. They went on to sing a series of soundtracks they recorded for some of the top films during the ’70s, among them “Rerng Rotfai” and “Chuen Rak” from “Tone”, “Lam Nam Rak” and “Chao Phraya” from “Nueng Nuch”, “Nao Nuea” from “Duang”, “Chao Dong” and “Thalay Mai Khoei Lup” from “Suan Son” and the eponymous hit “Oh Rak”.

The band spent a year in Hawaii after releasing their debut LP, “Pen Pai Mai Dai”, in 1972 and recalled those glory days with “Chua Nij Nirandorn”, “Nai Wa Ja Jam” and “Khoi Nong”.

Setha sang a cover of Don Sonrabieb’s “Kao Larn Yod Namta” before introducing guests Chairat Thiebthien and Chatree Khongsuwan. Chairat performed an acoustic version of his own hits and Impossibles’ song “Thasanajorn” while Chatree Khongsuwan took up his electric guitar for a cover of an Innocent hit and another Impossibles number. Sadly, though, fate intervened and the guitar could barely be heard,

Then it was the turn of Elvis Presley impersonators Wasu Sangsingkaew and Jirasak Pinsuwan to rock in a medley of Elvis songs and with The Impossibles on a selection of Beatles’ numbers.

After the 15-minute intermission, Setha and his band came back out on stage with “Klup Ma Laew” and “Nueng Nai Duangjai” from their 1992 album “Klub Ma Laew”, released to mark their reunion, and followed up with “Hot Pepper” and “Love Will Keep Us Together” from their “Hot Pepper” album, which was recorded in Sweden and distributed in 1976 after a successful European tour.

Veteran duo Suda Chuenban and Chantana Kittiyapan made fun of New-Jew’s “Mai Rak Mai Tong”, before separating to perform their signature hits.

In the last segment spanning the most recent phase of his career, Setha performed his recent hit Muean Khoei” written by Boyd Kosiyabong with Bee Peerapat then handed the stage to Bee for The Impossibles’“Joob Fah La Din”. He also showcased his talent for hip-hop by donning a t-shirt and joining up with True Academy Fantasia’s young stars Tangbeer, Tayme and Nan to sing the theme song of the popular reality show.

He closed out the concert with “Yod Yaowamal” standing in front of an LED screen showing his actress wife Aranya Namwong. Her performance of “Chan Pen Khong Ther” while sitting on a bench in their garden received rapturous applause as did a solo by their daughter Eve Puthida on “Khad Ther Khad Jai”.

As The Impossibles took the stage for one final medley after almost four hours of solid entertainment, it was easy to see that Setha, though 70, still has the stamina of a 20-year-old.