Self-study and classroom lessons based on newspaper feature stories

This column is for self-study or classroom use and gives guided help with reading the wide variety of writing styles and topics that appear as feature articles in the Bangkok Post. The lessons include background information, skill-building practice and vocabulary explanations.

March 4, 2003

Reviewing a success story

INTRODUCTION

Onsiri Pravattiyagul writes about the popular music scene for the Outlook section. Sometimes her articles are previews of concerts coming up; other times, like today’s story, she reviews concerts she has attended.
Getting the gist

Similar to movie reviews, there is a pattern to concert reviews, that is, there is certain information we can always expect to find.

First, the writer will express an opinion about the success and appeal of the concert. That idea usually comes in the headline and the subheading. Read those now. Did Onsiri think the concert was a success or not?

Next, we can be sure to find some information about the performers – their careers and their style of singing or playing. Scan through the article looking for names to see who the performers were. Carabao is a group with a 22-year history. Were all the performers in this concert from the original band or were some of them newer members of the group? Were there any non-group guests on stage? What key words will you look for?

In a review, you will always be told the names of the songs that were sung during the concert. Pick out one of the songs. What’s the name of the song in English?

The theme of Onsiri’s review is the irony of a band with a history of protest songs staging a classy (expensive and fashionable) concert. In their younger days, the band was associated with democracy riots and resulting violence. What is unexpected, the irony, is the style of recent concert. That theme in made clear in the first three paragraphs of the review.

Look at the concluding paragraph. Is the theme referred to there? A good writer will tie her story together by doing that.
Language and style

Onsiri says that when she writes, especially about music, she likes to think that she is talking with friends about the concert or CD. That way, she says, "there is a bit of me in the story, but not ‘I’ or ‘we’, of course". That wouldn’t be standard journalistic style.

You’ll be aware of her conversational style as you read phrases like "seemed a tad (a little) stiff" and "to the max".

There are more informal phrases. Some of them, with explanations, are below in bold print as they appear in the story.

bringing out the goosebumps – those little bumps on your skin that show excitement or cold

you just had to hand it to him – give him praise for doing well

maybe it would have gone down better – been more acceptable

to hog all the attention – keep everything for yourself

in the guest department – speaking about (guests)

a mixed bag – a variety

In conversation with native speakers, you may hear those phrases not only about music, but other topics as well.

There are several words and phrases in the story that are typical of writing and conversation about music. You’ll find them as you read. The way they are used in the story will help you to match the meanings.

….. genre a. songs

….. gig b. the first public appearance of something or someone

….. frontman c. a performance by musicians playing pop music or jazz in front of an audience

….. numbers d. the leader of a group of musicians

….. mean riffs e. a particular type or style of song or art form

….. under the baton of f. a superb short repeated pattern of notes in popular music or jazz

….. debut g. an extra short performance given at the end of a concert

….. crooning h. directed by

….. encore i. singing quietly and gently

REVIEW

First class Carabao

Celebrating two decades in the business, the revered band puts on a classy show
Onsiri Pravattiyagul

Carabao frontman Yeunyong Ophakul... still the same strong, wonderful singer as ever.
Carabao, became synonymous with bloodshed and riots.

Audiences at the band’s 20th anniversary gigs last Friday and Saturday had no such worries. After all, who would have paid 2,000 baht just to come with black eyes?

Thanks to the pricey tickets and the classy venue, the subdued, mature crowd kept things, well, subdued and mature.

Even Carabao themselves appeared rather uncomfortable during the extravagant production. Some found it a bit ironic that the band was celebrating their blessed union in such a capitalistic fashion.

Then again, you don’t stay in the business long enough to celebrate your 20th anniversary (22nd to be more accurate) just to perform on a ragged stage with a bunch of hot-headed drunks as the audience, right?

Carabao didn’t let the lavishness of it all ruin the atmosphere. Sure, they might have looked a bit awkward from time to time, but it was still very much a Carabao affair, with frontman Yeunyong Ophakul, better known as Ad Carabao, steering the ship as always.

As was expected, most of the members from their Classic Carabao days put in an appearance. Only Acharn Thanit Sriklindee, the flute master, was missing, away in Japan on a recording session. His son, the replacement, filled in the gap beautifully with the same haunting melodies his father is famed for.

Ad Carabao seemed a tad stiff, but his vocals were so engaging that you just had to hand it to him. Hard living and wine drinking certainly haven’t done much harm to his lung power. He delivered every single song effectively and had no trouble hitting the high notes, showing that he was still the same wondrous singer as ever.

On the other hand, his fingers, along with those of Thierry Mekwattana, have slowed down a bit, but those of Preecha Lek Chanapai have not — he was still pumping out mean riffs.

Newer members of Carabao added to the overall effect of the show, but sometimes the mandolin, banjo and percussion sounds, which came into play during the band’s later years when Ad turned his focus to Sam Cha beats, undermined the magic of the older numbers. Maybe it would have gone down better if the much-loved numbers from the past were presented as they originally were. And anyway, Lek fared much better on electric guitars than he did on a banjo.

The orchestra, under the baton of Sarawut Lertpunyanuj the talented composer, was a welcome addition, adding extra grandeur to the sound. The concert kicked off with Mon Pleng Carabao (The Magic of Carabao Songs) and the crowd greeted the original band members enthusiastically. Loong Khi Mao (Drunken Uncle), taken from their debut of the same name in 1981, followed, its graphic lyrics about another wasted life bringing out the goosebumps, as it always does.

Ganja was haunting with Ad taking his vocal styling to the max. Major hit Wanipok (Singing for Money Beggar) got a handful of the audience on its feet.

Then it was time to introduce the drummer from their classic Carabao days, Umnat Lukchana. Another important member from the same period, Kirati "Keo" Promsaka Na Sakon Nakhon, was introduced right before the all-time favorite hit, Sunya Na Fon (Rainy Season Promise).

Carabao is one of the rare bands in which most of the members can sing very well. Not one to hog all the attention, Ad shared vocal duties with Lek, Thierry, Keo and even Anuphong "Od" Pathompatama, the bassist.

But it had to be Ad crooning Duen Pen (Full Moon), the song that is second only to the national anthem, he said — and he wasn’t far from the truth. The historic number was accompanied by the sweet cello, viola, and oboe, and, of course, the flute.

There were some surprises in the guest department. Pongthep "Moo" Kradonchamnan, another famed songs-for-life musician, graced the stage with his big hit Khon Kub Mah (Man and Dog). His wit and flowing conversational skills were just charming, but his singing was even more so.

Protégé Pongsit "Pu" Kampee lent his voice to Sa-udon, but the band was quite offbeat and too slow. By the time they picked the pace up, it was too late.

The last guest was probably the most notable — not that he was a more capable musician or anything — politician Korn Dabaransi. He displayed his one-chord bass skills and passable vocals for the song Surachai Sam Cha.

After the break, the audience was treated to Tub Lung (Lintel) and a terrific version of Pra Chao Tak, a very difficult track to execute.

Then Carabao carried on with a mixed bag of old and new treats, the latter including ubiquitous commercial scores.

The affair ended with upbeat Bua Loy, and Lek was just simply outstanding on the guitar. There was no encore, though, perhaps because of the band’s visible exhaustion.

Heavily criticised over past decades for their political views and personal lives, Carabao and its founders were in no way perfect, but the concert made it possible to see that, more than anything else, they are true musical survivors.
SOME VOCABULARY HELP

revere
to feel great respect or admiration for

venue
a place where people meet for an organized event

subdued
quiet; well behaved

extravagant
costing a lot, maybe more than is necessary

capitalistic
involving owning or controlling a lot of wealth and using it to produce more wealth

lavishness
costing a lot of money

haunting
beautiful, sad or frightening in a way that cannot be forgotten

engaging
interesting or pleasant in a way that attracts attention

sam cha
a distinctive Thai beat

undermined
made less effective

fared better
was more successful

grandeur
greatness in appearance

graphic
clear and full of details, especially about something unpleasant

second only to
almost as good as

graced
made more attractive and impressive

wit
the ability to say or write things that are both clever and amusing

protégé
a young person who is helped by a more experienced person

passable
fairly good but not excellent

ubiquitous
seeming to be everywhere

Answers: e, c, d, a, f, h, b, i, g.

•This lesson was prepared by Maureen Paetkau, a professional teacher of English as a second and foreign language and Assistant Manager and Webmaster for Learning Post at the Bangkok Post.

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