Now in its 11th edition, the latest Green Concert features a glittering lineup of divas
KANOKPORN CHANASONGKRAM
The seven divas, (from left) Maleewan Jimena, Viyada Komarakul Na Nakorn, Haruethai Monubunsri, Saranya Songsermsawad, Saowaluck Lelaputra, Sunita Leetikul and Thitima Suttasunthorn. |
Five years ago, the party was supposed to be over for Green Concert, an annual get-together of music lovers and listeners of Green Wave 106.5 FM. Kicking off with Byrd & Heart in 1995, it became a tradition for the radio station, popular for playing easy-listening tunes, to organise the charity concert. Green Concert Vol 9 in 2003 was intended to be the last because after featuring stars like Thongchai 'Bird' McIntyre, Mai Charoenpura and Christina Aguilar, the organisers apparently ran out of artists that met their quality criteria.
Due to persistent demand from fans, however, it made a comeback last year with the 10th volume under the concept "The Lost Love Songs" presenting five young talents: M-Auttapon, Aof-Pongsak, Ice-Saranyu, Pop-Calories Blah, Blah and Wan-AF2 with veteran singers including Settha Sirachaya, Ood-Khireeboon, Rawiwan Jinda and Jantanee Unakul.
The new chapter of Green Concert continues next month on August 23-24 at the Royal Paragon Hall with "Vol 11: Seven Divas", which puts the country's top female singers - Viyada 'Took' Komarakul Na Nakorn, Thitima 'Waen' Suttasunthorn, Maleewan 'Mint' Jimena, Saranya 'Koi' Songsermsawad, Saowaluck 'Amp' Lelaputra, Haruethai 'Au' Monubunsri, and Sunita 'Beau' Leetikul - on the same stage to raise funds for Baan Home Hug, Suthasinee Noi-inthr Foundation for Children and Youth.
Saithip Montrikul Na Audhaya is working on another spectacle. |
While it has grown into Green Wave's event of the year, the first concert marking a decade of Byrd & Heart was intended to be on a small scale at Bangkok Playhouse. The duo didn't see themselves playing to a full house at the 700-seat theatre. And they didn't because unexpected demand led to changing the venue to MBK Hall, and around 7,000 people came to see two performances of Green Concert Vol 1, which raised 500,000 baht for the Foundation for Children.
Saithip Montrikul Na Audhaya, GMM Media CEO, who initiated the concert series, says, "We didn't have a big event in mind at all. Concert production was something quite new to us and we basically thought about making it entertaining and fun. With subsequent Green Concerts, they evolved into emotional concerts, getting the audience laughing one moment and then in tears in another memorable moment."
From the start, Saithip and her team set criteria for the concert to feature accomplished artists in easy-listening genres with a portfolio of albums. The concert's purpose, though, is not to promote a new album but for a good cause, with proceeds going to charity. Most important for its "quality guaranteed" stamp, it is genuinely a live performance with no lip-synching.
Saithip who is also a veteran DJ and currently hosts Green Wave's Club Friday, points out that music lovers long to hear the quality singing of yesteryear.
"With recording technology available, today's artists can sing perfectly on CDs but when they go live on stage, it may not be up to par," she says.
"The seven divas, however, are the real thing with Viyada, Thitima, Maleewan, Saranya, and Saowaluck each boasting more than 20 years in the profession, while Haruethai and Sunita both have a decade's experience in the business.
"With their beautiful singing voices and wonderful works over the years, they're all divas," says Saithip. "Their different characters and vocal styles will give variety to the upcoming concert. Nevertheless, it's their quality singing that will wow the audience."
Significant changes in the music industry, such as downloading and CD piracy, have affected recording artists in that they can't survive on sales from an album, with only one or two songs making it as a hit. This pushes artists to do more concerts, which truly puts them to the test in performing live.
On the audience's side, in the past they would buy tickets in order to see their idols but today they come to see "a show", which demands that artists do more than belting out catchy tunes.
What does Saithip plan to do with the seven divas?
"They simply have to sing their best, besides that you just have to wait and see. What I can reveal is that it will be a show with all-female musicians and singers to celebrate the month of August, which is related to mothers and women," says the Grammy executive, who's also involved in developing the company's showbiz projects with "Kim Raider VS X-Men In Concert" as her recent concert-cum-talk show work.
The showbiz boom has evidently hit Bangkok with imported acts and West End musicals as well as local productions providing Thais with an entertainment option besides movie-going. Saithip turns green with envy whenever she watches an impressive foreign production because of the big investment in making the show. But the lack of financial resources, she says, makes Thais more creative and competent in putting on a spectacle.
She admits that it gets harder each time to do something new. Even though GMM Grammy's big boss (Paiboon Damrongchaitham) doesn't approve of it, she closely oversees every aspect of production, from selecting songs and scripting to costumes and rehearsals.
"I have a DJ's blood, which makes me still want to do a radio show," she says. "Likewise, I started in production and I can't help getting deeply involved. Of course, a team of professionals do their part whether choreography or light and sound, but I put the jigsaw pieces together. Finally on stage, sometimes it works as we expected, sometimes it doesn't and that's the thrill of doing a show."
While Saithip refrains from hinting what she has up her sleeve for the Seven Divas concert, Maleewan Jimena suggests a duet with the eighth diva as one of the highlights of the show.
"I would like to sing with Pee Chod (Saithip's nick name)," the pop-jazz diva says. "If she doesn't agree, I could do a number or exchange songs with Amp Saowaluck, with me singing her Kwam Song Jum (Memories) while she sings my Kid Thueng Leor Kern (Miss You So Much) and I play the acoustic guitar."
Maleewan's first album with Grammy in 1991, Pradthana Lae Arom (Desire and Emotions), included Kor Pieng Tee Pak Jai (I Just Want a Place for My Heart), a moving and timeless number that she is most famous for. Her last concert, "Just the Two of Us" with Paiboonkiat 'Pan' Khiewkaew, had Maleewan working with Saithip, whom she describes as a dedicated producer with an eye for the smallest detail.
"It takes tremendous effort to put together a concert so that everything on stage looks good. What's most important is still the vocal performance, which requires daily practice no matter how good you are. In addition, I take good care of myself because good health is important for a live performance," says Maleewan.
Also preparing herself to be in top form for the concert, Thitima Suttasunthorn is honoured to be hailed a diva though she regards herself as just a singer.
"I may have been categorised as a diva because of my long-standing career, which has been 25 years of learning-on-the-job to develop my singing," says the pop-rock star.
Thitima is one of the first four recording artists at Grammy, debuting with her Chan Pen Chan Aeng album in 1984. Her greatest hits include Rao Mee Rao (We Have Each Other), Diary See Daeng (Red Diary) and Arj Ja Pen Khon Nee (It Might Be Him), which may be on Saithip's list for the Seven Divas concert.
Rather than watching concerts on VCDs and DVDs, Thitima encourages Thais to go and see the real thing and feel the magic of live performance.
"It's a phenomenon to have the seven of us on the same stage. Coming to see the concert, you will help preserve us as a heritage of the Thai music industry," she jokes.
Five of the seven divas are well into their 40s and Saranya Songsermsawad emphasises, the older, the better. "People have seen us for a long, long time and now we may be aunties," she jests.
"From the concert poster, they may be stunned by our new looks, especially me wearing a short skirt. So the concert should be a special one, transforming us into something that will surprise the audience."
The lively Saranya anticipates a show full of flavours with her romantic love songs as a sweetener. "I would say that my songs positively reflect love while the others' may be more about being heartbroken or in a sad rak sam sao (love triangle). In addition, mine are pleading songs, like Yoo Naan Naan Dai Mai (Can You Stay Longer?) to allure listeners."
Her other hits include Yaak Yud Wea La (Want to Stop Time), Noi Pai Eek Rue? (Is This Not Enough?) and Song Wea La (Twice a Day). Her fans even used them as lullabies for their babies, who may now be teenagers. Saranya doesn't expect only an older age group coming to the concert, which should be a marvellous family activity especially for sons and daughters to bring their mums.
Being among the audience at "Vol 1: A Decade of Byrd & Heart", the pop legend says that Green Concert offers an entertaining treat to release happy hormones, without having to bounce on your seat.
"The audience will be happy about the ear-pleasing music, the impressive show as well as making a contribution to society," she says.
There will be two performances of "Green Concert Vol 11: Seven Divas" at Royal Paragon Hall on Saturday and Sunday, August 23 and 24, at 7pm. Tickets can be purchased at Thaiticket major booths from July 26. For more information, please call 02-262-3456 or visit http://www.thaiticketmajor.
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