The first instalment of Hedsod, a live concert series organised by new music collective Fungjai, was a grand way to start the new year of music. Six indie, off-the-beaten-track bands of varying calibre occupied a medium-sized studio for seven hours straight, and it was heart-warming to see the 1,500-strong crowd turn up in force at Voice Space last Saturday to support them.
Death of a Salesman.
These were serious music fans who appeared to know almost every song from every band by heart, and it was one of the few music events where the bar area wasn’t heavily occupied, and there wasn’t really any drunken annoyance. It was civil, warm and attentive to say the least.
Desktop Error, Solitude is Bliss, The Whitest Crow, Polycat, Electric.Neon.Lamp and temporarily reunited Death of a Salesman (DOSM) presented different facades of Thai non-mainstream music, from established acts to newcomers, from dance rock to experimental pop. It was a good line-up with a bit of something for everyone. Desktop Error, possibly the best known out of the bunch, opened the show in an attempt to get people to the venue on time, and it worked. It’s true that Desktop Error have always been a go-to band when promoters look for a quality group to put on the bill. The experienced band’s skills and emotional rawness have solidified over the years, and it’s never dull to see them play live as they are powerful, albeit in their own timid way. Saturday proved to be no different. Desktop Error flushed out the bad radio music we listened to on the ride to the venue, and prepared us for the entire night.
The Whitest Crow.
Up next was Solitude is Bliss. You’d think to follow Desktop Error would be a difficult task, but these Chiang Mai rookies proved otherwise. It was my first time seeing this relatively new band, and as a fan of their mixture of intricate guitar, baroque pop, rock touches and unique time signatures coupled with floating vocals, I eagerly awaited their appearance. They didn’t disappoint. A youthful energy backed up their musical talent and natural showmanship. They might not become the biggest band in Thailand due to their brand of music, but Solitude is Bliss are definitely ones to watch.
The Whitest Crow, on the other hand, might have a shot at stardom. They fit every cliché for hot-blooded indie rockers but in a good, fun way. Relentless in following the rock‘n’roll bible by having a rebellious streak and showing bursts of aggression, The Whitest Crow’s lead vocalist/guitarist ended up smashing his guitar after the last song rolled to the end. The excitement was “oh so real” that it almost became comical.
Polycat have finally found their elusive synth-pop groove now they have figured out how to put on a good live show with a lot of electronic elements. Although there was a bit of a hiccup with the sound system mid-set, and a sequencing mistake, that didn’t really hamper Polycat’s mature performance. Electric.Neon.Lamp benefited from really good sound manipulation, and their breezy brand of disco rock went down well with the crowd.
The main attraction was none other than Death of a Salesman, who recently reformed to perform at Cat Expo late last year. This was their third and last gig after their surprise comeback. Reunions can be tricky at times, especially for a band of DOSM’s stature. Even a decade ago when the duo were still operating as a band, they didn’t really play a lot of live sessions due to difficulties in getting the exact sounds they want across.
Watching DOSM has always been about catching those fleeting moments captured so perfectly on their album. For a band that has possibly played less than 10 live shows in their lifetime, DOSM are at their best when their live sets are driven with emotion and baring their souls. Saturday, however, saw them rather too engulfed in technicality and executing the “right” sounds, and therefore the show lost that certain edge. Also expectations were high, and that can cripple anyone with fear and self-doubt. But for the hard-core fan, seeing and hearing all those well loved tracks live once in their lives should have definitely sufficed.
All in all, Hedsod #1 was a great success, and we’re waiting to see what future versions of the event will bring.
Polycat’s bassist, Pure Watanabe.
