Welcome to Guru 's Gate Crasher, your ultimate guide to finding something fresh to do in this big city.
PARTY
Cosmic voyager DJ Major Taylor will be through the city on Sat (May 11) to play at Destroy the Dancefloor on at boom room Grease (2/F, Club LSD, Sukhumvit Soi 49). Entry is B300 with a drink and free bar from 9:30pm for an hour. Glug glug. Gate Crasher spoke to him before the show.
MUSIC ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF YOUR LIFE. WHAT TURNED YOU THAT WAY?
My father was a jazz musician and so was my grandad. He wanted me to follow in his footsteps, but I was way too young to appreciate jazz. I ended up becoming a musician and a DJ anyway. My mother was a collector of music. She gave me a turntable when I was in 3rd grade. The late 70s and early 80s introduced hip hop, punk, new wave, disco, tons of R&B, reggae and classic rock. This music speaks to the soul. The soul speaks to the cosmos and the cosmos speak back. I loved it all. It was almost inevitable that music would become a defining factor in my life. That's probably why the grand designers chose me as their cosmic conduit of communication to stoke the righteous flames of evolution with the right sequences of song.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ASIAN PARTY SCENE AND IS IT READY FOR YOUR ECLECTIC ANGLE?
Asia is alive with cosmic energy! Every place has its own unique rhythm. Tokyo is surreal and futuristic, Phnom Penh is gritty and exciting, Bangkok is fast paced and wild yet profoundly spiritual. It is my job as a delegate to the universe, to tap into that rhythm, to decode it with the correct sequence of tunes that transcends language and geography in an attempt to unite humanity with a greater understanding of the secrets of the cosmos. To achieve this, an eclectic range and extensive musical vocabulary is essential. The galaxy demands it. Not only are the people of Asia ready for an eclectic style, it feels as if they want it.
YOU'VE BEEN CALLED THE 'MUSICAL ONE-MAN ARMY'. WHY IS YOUR AUDIO ARSENAL SO POWERFUL?
Because not only am I a fearless vampire killer imbibed with the powers cosmic, but I happen to be pretty nice on the cut too. I am also a lover of people. Ultimately they are the real source of my power. I am also very lucky.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT AT YOUR SHOW?
The citizens of BKK can expect me to try my best to take them on a journey with with the correct sequence of sounds from far and wide.
DJ
The weekend kicks off tonight (May 10) on the right note with Berliner Bee Lincoln, presented by the With Love guys (facebook.com/withlovebangkok). Expect some dirty minimal electro goodness that only Berliners can throw down properly. Venue is Glow (96/4-5 Sukhumvit Soi 23, 02-261-4446, www.glowbkk.com). Entry is B350 with a drink.
LIVE MUSIC
There's plenty of live music on this week too, which is welcome in this city. On Sun (May 12) check US folk rockers Wye Oak who are playing at SolSpace (581/3 Ramkhamhaeng 1, 083-123-6755). Entry is B800, from 8pm. Then on Mon (May 13) catch indie rock outfit Yacht at Cosmic Cafe (RCA Block C, Rama IX Road. 081-304-6907) for B500. Also, on Wed (May 15) see LA electro duo Cold Cave at Cosmic for B500. Bring on the live tunes.
