Still Indie

'The fact that Fat Festival has inspired the younger generation to write their own music, record it and share it to others is already one of the biggest accomplishments the local music industry has seen," said Poonsak Jaturabul, guitarist of Big Ass, one of the bands that performed at the first instalment of the indie music event.

Fourteen years ago the first Fat Festival made its debut. The two-day event was held in an abandoned structure of the former tobacco factory on Charoen Krung Road, with 14 acts taking turns on the stage. Unsigned, even unknown bands sold their records. Short films were screened. Handmade books and alternative magazines were sold. Spirits were high and fans were eager to meet their favourite bands. It was the first official gathering of independently-minded listeners.

The attendance of 20,000 over the two-day festival didn't only prove that alternative or indie music -- which was when the term entered the vernacular -- had a strong following. The radio station that organised the festival, Fat Radio, a champion of non-mainstream music against the might of studio-produced bands, also proved that "the indie subculture" -- something that spoke directly to young Thais of the late 1990s-early 2000s -- did exist.

Fourteen years on, one of the most important landmarks of Thai pop culture is still standing amid the changing landscape of taste and youth culture. Now rebranded as Cat Expo, this year's festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday.

As the original fans have grown from teenagers into adults in their late 20s or early 30s, the legendary festival, which has shaped the musical sense of so many young Thais and launched the career of a plethora of bands, will have to prove once again that it remains relevant in the age when "indie" and "mainstream" are no longer that different.

"Our success [back in the early days] wasn't really unexpected," said Pongnarin Ulice, who was Fat Radio's station director in the heyday of the indie movement. "I believed that there were a group of people who were looking for something different and they wanted to make their presence felt.

"During that time, there wasn't any other platform anywhere else to serve such a gathering. So when we started Fat Festival, they showed up."

In the early to mid-2000s, the annual pilgrimage had become a fixture on the local music scene with growing numbers of attendees. The second instalment, at Imperial World, Lat Phrao, attracted crowds of 40,000. A year later, 80,000 visitors flocked to the third edition at Siam Park City. Attendance at the fourth festival at the Royal Turf Club was a whopping 300,000. Although initially a free gig, the festival then started to sell tickets.

All seemed to be going well for an independent music festival that boasted bigger line-ups and better sound systems each year. Nevertheless, Fat Festival and its parent Fat Radio experienced a major change in 2012 and 2013.

After 12 years, Fat Festival bid a fond farewell in November 2012 with 150 shows across two days by the lake of Muang Thong Thani. A year later, Fat Radio discontinued its airtime.

"After the last Fat Fest, we were still running Fat Radio for about a year. But without the festival, we felt something was missing," said Borrakorn Longsawas, who was a Fat Radio creative and is now Cat Radio's chief creative officer.

"Fat Festival had this special ambience where artists came to showcase and sell their works. To us, it was like a motor show of music. When we didn't have Fat Festival, small artists who sent their tracks to our station had no venue to perform."

After quitting Fat Radio, Borrakorn and other core members of the station, including Pongnarin, reunited to do what they believed in again.

A handmade book stand.

"We just thought we can't -- we can't stop doing it. For me personally, I'd been working for Fat Radio for 14 years. We feel it's our duty," said Borrakorn.

Not so long after its final broadcast, Fat Radio reincarnated as Cat Radio. Maintaining its ethos to support small artists and offer something fresh to those who embrace the alternative, the station reintroduced a daily four-hour slot on 94.5FM before turning fully into a 24-hour internet station that streams live at www.thisiscat.com and the Cat Radio app.

"Cat Radio was born in a more difficult context," said Pongnarin, now the CEO of Cat Radio, in comparing the establishment of the new offshoot to Fat Radio. "When we started Fat Festival, the alternative music and culture scene was booming. There were interesting acts like Moderndog, Nakarin Kingsak and a rise of indie labels and alternative publications."

"Today, everything challenges us, politically, economically and financially. The market is very competitive. Yet, the bright side of it is that at least we didn't start from scratch. To keep the business running is gruelling these days. But we want to do it and can still do it."

Last year, Cat Radio brought back the spirit of the alternative music festival and saw 30,000 revellers at the two-day Cat Expo.

This weekend's Cat Expo "Cat Expopo Tamus" at Wonder World Fun Park, 120 bands (both big names and new talents) are expected to appear across the five main stages.

"From its stellar line-up, Cat Expo is still big and powerful," said Tul Waitoonkiat, frontman of rock group Apartment Khunpa, who has played at most gatherings of Fat Festival to Cat Expo. "It still has this unique market ambience where music consumers can come to booths, meet their favourite artists and see their shows. Everything is still pretty much the same."

"Festivalgoers at Fat Festival and Cat Expo may not be the same people, but they have the same nature and share the same taste," he added. "The only thing that is different from the old days is that the fans now take photos all the time."

Pongnarin added that the festivals also serve the coming-of-age generation. When they reach the university age range, they turn to Cat Radio.

"Some diehard fans from the first Fat Festival came to Cat Expo last year. Most of them are all grown up now and may not come anymore for different reasons. We don't see it as a failure. It's natural. It's the new wave that is coming," Pongnarin said.

In contrast to the current climate of the music scene, which is believed to have hit rock bottom, CDs are dead and sales of downloads have declined, Cat Expo is a rare exception where new releases, compilations and band merchandise usually sell well. "At the festival, it is turned upside down. People are eager to come and support artists," said Pongnarin. "There is still the 'heart' in it -- fans show their love and support by coming to the festival, seeing shows and buying CDs."

Although, in terms of business, selling lots of CDs just once a year may be a small amount of income, it marks a good start for independent releases of self-produced artists.

Along the 14 long years, Pongnarin and Borrakorn have witnessed countless successes of unknown bands who have turned into mainstream stars of today.

"It's been proven that what we present is nothing unusual," Pongnarin said. "We just present it before you find that you like it or before it becomes popular. The mainstream media will only cover these bands when they are already famous. People only want to pick flowers, no one wants to plant seeds."

Continuing the legacy of Fat Radio, Cat Radio -- through the station's choice selection and annual event like Cat Expo -- still sets its ambition on inspiring the younger generation to dare and start doing what they love.

"What we do is to build, to create the new generation," Pongnarin said. "For us, there is always hope."

Cat Expo will take place at Wonder World Fun Park on Kanjanapisek Road (Ram Intra Road Km 10) this weekend with 120 established acts and emerging bands such as Moderndog, Paradox, Thaitanium, Apartment Khunpa, Greasy Cafe, Hugo, The Youngman and the Sea, Jelly Rocket, Desktop Error, Mattnimare, Rock Paper Scissors, Degaruca, Many Days Last and more. Two-day tickets are on sale at Counter Service at different outlets, including 7-Eleven, at 1,200 baht and 900 baht by showing the Cat Radio app.