Culture with a beat

EASTERN ARTS MEET Western electronic music in Bangkok tomorrow as the Thailand-based FEEL Corporation and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) celebrate Thainess through the brand new Maya Music Festival.
Based on the concept “A Miracle of Art, Magical of Sound”, the festival brings Thai art and dance beats to the world’s first naga-themed stage in a open-air blow out featuring state-of-the-art production and globally renowned DJ Steve Angello.
Speaking at a recent press conference, TAT Governor Thawatchai Arunyik, explained that the “Maya Music Festival was designed to showcase Thai arts, which form part of the distinct entity and characteristic of the Thai people and the nation’s cultural assets or ‘Thainess’.
“The event is in line with the TAT’s newly launched “2015 Discover Thainess” campaign,” he added. “And the elaborately designed naga-themed stage will play a major role in presenting the unique Thai fine arts to party-goers from around the world.”
The festival will tell the story of the King of Naga’s life under the majestic Chao Phraya River on a 20-metre-high stage designed by one of Thailand’s top architects. The event venue is designed to hold 1,500 seats in the VIP zone and up to 25,000 people in the |regular zone. The Maya Music Festival will later travel to Shanghai, Sydney and New York. Electronic music fans will get to dance to cool music and trendy sounds from four local and four international DJs. Angello, a regular visitor to Bangkok, will be spinning his signature progressive house set.
Angello shot to fame in 2004 with the release of his remix of the Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams”. He has since gone on to establish himself on the house music scene with such Beatport tracks as “KNAS”, “Rave n’ Roll” and “Yeah”. A prolific producer, his other remixes include the Robin S track, “Show Me Love” and Alex Metric’s “Open Your Eyes”.
Performing alongside is German spinner Markus Schulz, who is best known for his weekly radio show “Global DJ Broadcast” on Digitally Imported radio, After Hours FM and other online stations. In addition to his extensive list of dance floor fillers, Schulz maintains an extensive international touring schedule. He originally held a seven-year residency at The Works in Phoenix, Arizona and regularly performs at clubs all over the world including Avalon, Club Space, Green Valley, Ministry of Sound, Ruby Skye and Zouk.
The festival also features EDM duo Cazzette from Sweden and big-room house duo Dvbbs from Canada plus local stars Ono, 22 Bullets, Machina and Paulie.

The Maya Music Festival takes place tomorrow at the 11th Infantry Regiment, King’s Guard (Rab 11) on Phaholyothin Road.
Doors open at 4.30pm.
Standard tickets costing Bt2,500 and VIP tickets at Bt4,000 are available at Thai Ticket Major. Call (02) 262 3456 or visit www.ThaiTicketMajor.com,
For more information, visit www.MayaMusicFestival.com