These punks can dance

BIG-BEAT pioneers the Prodigy will make their Thai debut headlining the “OD – The Prodigy & More Live Music Festival” at Bitec in Bang Na on Tuesday, and the acts sharing the twin stages with them have been waiting a long time to see the English trio’s show live. 

The “OD” in the festival’s name stands for “out of dimension”, and that’s where the organisers expect the performers to take the genre of electronic music.

Keyboardist-composer Liam Howlett and singers Keith Flint and Maxim will demonstrate why big beat became such a mainstream success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They’ve sold more than 25 million records since then and won numerous awards, including Brit Awards for Best British Dance Act (twice), Kerrang gongs (twice), MTV Video Music trophies (thrice) and MTV Europe Music Awards (five times) – and have twice been nominated for Grammys.

The Prodigy’s music has ranged from rave and hardcore techno to electro-industrial, jungle, break beat, big beat and electronic rock, with heavy punk vocals giving it all an edge.

The festival on Tuesday will have two stages. The Prodigy will bring the show to an end on the Main Stage following turns by the Barbies, Gene Kasidit and the Kidnappers. Over on the ME Stage will be the Triple S (DJs Suharit, Spydamonkee and Seed), Stylish Nonsense, DJ Pichy, Tul Apartment Khunpa, Kingkong Zoo Studio, the Superrzaaap DJs, Sunju Hargun and MELA DJs Krit Morton and Kova O’Sarin.

All of the Thai acts know they’re in for a treat when the Prodigy take the Main Stage to close out the proceedings. “They’re like a time-travelling band with extreme music and a techno beat,” says Barbies front man Paopon “Tar” Thephasdin. “Loyal fans of this kind of music won’t be missing this concert. The Prodigy were always No 1 for this music style.”

Here’s what some of the others have to say.

 

DJ SEED

I’ve been waiting 20 years to see a Prodigy concert and this is expected to be the band’s last tour before the individual members move on to solo careers and DJ work. So this will be the first and last concert for the band in Thailand. 

I expect the fans to be stunned with the way they combine different kinds of music and programming in a live performance and the way they can build up the audience energy. It will be like a party with everybody dancing. 

Their music is like a prototype of what we call EDM these days, as if it were a kind of futuristic music. If you miss this concert, your life won’t be complete.

 

DJ SUHARIT

The Prodigy are a punk-rock band that created their own musical revolution with rave beats. I go wild watching the music videos. Live, they’re crazy and full of high energy. My favourite track is “Out of Space”, which sounds a bit like reggae. 

Also, the festival is a good chance for me to launch my new DJ set together with DJ Spydamonkee.

 

GENE KASADIT

The Prodigy revolutionised punk and rock by combining them with electronica. Keith Flint is one of the craziest dudes on the planet. Every time I feel moody, I listen to the Prodigy’s songs, like “Voodoo People” and “Funky Sh*t”, but “Firestarter” is the one I play the most – it really sets fire to my soul.

 

“TIEW” DISAYA (Kidnappers)

First of all I love the Prodigy’s process and the characteristics of their music, mixing hip-hop, electronic and rock, especially on “Smack My Bitch Up”. I saw the Prodigy back in the ’90s at the V Festival while I was working in London. I drove there and slept in a tent. There were more than 10,000 people singing along and jumping around throughout the two-hour show. The whole area was vibrating, like in an earthquake. And the opening song was “Smack My Bitch Up”.

 

DJ SPYDAMONKEE

The Prodigy are one of my fondest memories from the ’90s. I got to know about them while studying abroad. I love their originality and style, especially “Voodoo People”, which has such a dark feel to it.

 

“JUNE” YUTTANA (Stylish Nonsense)

I started listening to rock music when I was young, and the Prodigy were kind of a rock band but playing techno, so at first I had to force myself to listen to the music. But I love the album “The Fat of the Land” with the crab on the cover. It has “Smack My Bitch Up”, “Funky Sh*t” and “Firestarter” on it.

 

TUL APARTMENT KHUNPA

I’ve always thought of the Prodigy as a rock band with a punk attitude, different from the electronic dance music other people make. I love “Smack My Bitch Up” and the music video with its scenes of heroin use, a hit-and-run incident, guys fighting and abusing women and even a full sex scene. The Prodigy was always seen as challenging society and representing the madness in the world.

 

BEYOND DIMENSION

 

- Passes for the festival cost Bt2,500 and Bt3,500 at www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3456.

- Get more details at (02) 203 0423-5 or www.Facebook.com/odbkk