Blasts from the past

MORE THAN 40 singers, both young and old, gathered on stage last weekend for a marathon performance of love songs that ran for longer than six hours. Dubbed “Lost Love Songs”, the concert at the packed Royal Paragon Hall started at 6pm and continued until well past midnight, with many members of the audiences showing visible signs of emotion as they wallowed in memories of their first loves and first heartbreaks. 

Many of the audience members, who were in their 40s and 50s and thus teenagers when the more than 100 hits soared up the Thai charts between the late ’70s and early ’90s, sang along happily as the vocalists performed favourite tracks from yesteryear. 

More than two dozen of the original singers took part in the concert, among them Paiboonkiat Khiewkaew, Charas Fuang-arom, Rawiwan Jinda, Jantanee Unakul, Suthep Prayoonpitak, Chairat Thiebthiam, Wasu Sangsingkaew, Ronnachai “Od Kiriboon” Thomyapariwat, Songsit Rungnopphakhunsri, Tuangsit Riamjinda, Kathawut Sathantraipob from the Chatri band, Surasee Itthikul, Chamras Sewataporn, Pornpimol Thammasarn, Siriporn Yooyord, the T-Skirts trio, and Carabao’s Preecha Chanapai and Thierry Mekwattana.

They were joined by popular younger singers Two Popetorn, Pop Pongkoon, Rose Sirinthip, Wan Thanakrit and Mariam. Back up was provided by the Extra Band.

For some of the veterans, it was a return to stage after an absence of many years. Chamras, who is better known for composing, confessed that he last appeared in concert back in 1983 while Pornpimol announced this was her first show in two decades.

Perhaps this was the reason why each of the older performers covered only a couple of songs, disappointing many in the audience who had hoped for more than talk about how they felt after joining the event after so many years away. 

The veterans focused on their hits, many of which have been covered by other artists. Songsit sang his trademark “Patiharn” and “Khid Sentai” . Charas performed “Thang Roo Kor Rak”, Surasee sang “Prasart Sai” and Ronnachai crooned three Kiriboon hits – “Ror Wan Chan Rak Ther”, “Hak Rak” and “Plook Rak”.

Jantanee mesmerised the audience with her classic hits “Ther” and “Saichon”, which has been covered by 20 other singers, while Chairat wowed his fans with his hits from the ’70s – “Na Rak” (Lovely), “Ther Thi Rak” (Darling), and “Kwam Rak Priek Ha” (Call of Love).

And sexy stars from the past – Penpak Sirikul, Passorn Boonyakiat, Angkana Timdee, Chutima Naiyana and Sinjai Plengpanich – won loud applause and plenty of whistles with a set of original numbers and dance moves dating back to the early 1990s.

By that time it was past 11 and several concert-goers decided it was time to leave. While the hall was far from empty, the audience response was decidedly slower despite a final medley of fast-paced numbers that included “Thui Jai Dam”, “Mae Mod”, “Suai Nai Soi”, “Papa Mama”, and “Na Ai”. 

Even more audience members called it a night at midnight and the crowd was considerably thinner as all 40 singers came back out on stage for a finale featuring “Rangwan Dae Kon Chang Fan”, “Jai Prasan Jai” and “Wun Wan Yang Waan Yoo”.

Despite being overly long, the concert was more than enjoyable with the audience delighted to meet up again with long lost friends and relive their memories.

The show was for a good cause too with part of the proceeds going to the Sueb Nakhasathien Foundation’s Forest Protectors Fund.