Fond farewell for ‘The Im’

The three surviving original members of the Impossibles got together on Tuesday for the legendary band’s final concert after more than five decades in the business.
Setha Sirachaya, Winai Bandurak and Pichai Thongniam – who are all in their early 70s – reunited onstage for the last time as “The Im”, as the muchloved band are known to their fans.

 

According to frontman Setha, the trio will no longer perform under the band’s name, even it they share the same stage again in the future. They’re getting a bit ripe in age, he said, and it’s time to disband.
But the three senior singers greatly impressed the audience throughout their “End of the Im” concert at the Royal Paragon Hall, not only with highquality performances but also their undiminished stamina. They relied on no guest singers during the show, which lasted more than three hours.

 

They performed as a trio and took turns on solos for almost the entire concert, apart from an interview by the concert’s producer, Ketsepsawat Palakawong “Na Nake” Na Ayudhya, a 15-minute intermission and a brief routine by folk singers the Three Uncles.
The concert opened with the “Love’s Theme” overture performed by the band Ton Siang, which includes a string troupe and a pianist, in addition to other musicians and chorus singers. 

 

The band, which has worked with the Impossibles over the past decade, also provided musical backup throughout the concert.
During the overture, a video presentation depicted all the transformations the members have undergone, including those now deceased, from young age to old age. It was amusing to watch the visual changes.

 

Setha, Winai and Pichai appeared on stage in allwhite suits, with Winai wearing a wig resembling his young self’s afro hairdo. They began with their hit “Nao Nua” (“Feeling Cold”), with Setha singing, Winai playing guitar and Pichai the bass guitar.
For the rest of the show, they performed over 30 more songs – most of them hits from their heyday. On most tracks, the trio sang in harmony, with Setha taking the lead.

 

Winai was the lead singer on a few of the band’s hit numbers, including “Koy Nong” (“Waiting for You”) and “Nai Wa Ja Jam” (“You Don’t Remember”). Pichai did the main vocal on “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by American legend Elvis Presley.
Following the first set, the trio came back onstage in suits with bright colours – Pichai in all pink, Setha all green and Winai all blue. They sang “Nueng Nai Duangjai” (“Only One in My Heart”), “Thale Mai Koey Lab” (“The Sea Never Sleeps”) and international hits from the band’s heyday, “Sound of Silence” and “Put Your Head on My Shoulder”.

 

During this section, Setha came down from the stage to meet in person with his fans. He sang four songs while walking along the main aisle, greeting and hugging the fans, receiving their flowers, and having his photos taken with them.
Despite their age, the trio still sang with passion and energy. In particular, Setha’s vocal quality remained impressive while crooning. Certainly, they could not be expected to perform as they did in their youth.

 

The audience, mainly middle-aged and retirees, sang along to their favourite songs, remembering all the lyrics well. During their “special” songs, many also switched on their phone’s flashlight in support of the singers, making an impressive sea of lights.
Among some 2,000 audience members were business executives, senior officials, well-known entertainers of yesteryear and veteran actors, including Setha’s wife Aranya Namwong.

 

The Impossibles, formed in 1966, originally had six members and later were joined by musical talents who were to become big names in the industry later in life. 
These include the late singer and music-company executive Rewat Buddhinan and trumpeter Yongyut Meesang, who played his horn at the band’s final concert on Tuesday night.  Three of the original members have since passed away – Prajin Songpao, Sittiporn Amornpan and Anusorn Pattanakul.

 

The surviving members mentioned their late colleagues as old photos of them together in younger days were displayed on a large screen behind them. The trio also joked about their old age and resultant forgetfulness, although their health problems are indeed worrying.

 

Winai fell seriously ill two years ago and underwent kidney dialysis for four months. He joked that he thought of ending up as the next band member to “leave this world”, and at one point he got choked up with emotions while recounting his ordeal.
After the intermission, the trio came back for the final tunes of the night. Together they performed “O Rak” (“Oh Love”) – the number that Setha said brought him to fame. He became overwhelmed by emotion, which interrupted his singing, but the two others immediately filled his place to carry on the show. 

 

Setha rejoined after composing himself amid much supportive applause from the audience.
In the finale, the trio performed their all-time hits “Chua Nit Nirundon” (“For Eternity”) and “Pen Pai Mai Dai” (“It’s Impossible”).
For many fans of “The Im”, this was a night to remember. The band they love may no longer exist henceforth, but the memories will be forever in their hearts.