INDEX
A new street movement emerged from the legendary festival’s organizer
Ginn: Also, there was an interesting festival once, though it is no longer around. There is a long-established label in Thailand called Panda Records. The owner is Mr. Pok, a great man who has been supporting the underground in Thailand. Mr. Pok and his friends were running a DIY festival called “Stone Free Music Festival,” which was held on a rocky mountain.
The backdrop was a rocky hill that looked like something you would see in a special effects movie, and someone would play live all night long from Friday night to Sunday night. The sound echoes in the wilderness, surrounded by sheer rock mountains. It’s a natural reverb. It’s now a legendary festival. He is currently working on an outdoor event called “Bangkok Street Noise. This is an event where he performs almost every week, sometimes every other week, sometimes once a month, on Sundays in a vacant lot somewhere in Bangkok, as a guerrilla style.
Nomura: Really? Does guerrilla mean that you have not applied for the event?
Ginn: Ginn: Please let me ramble on about that (laughs). In some cases, it seems that the police may come and move us out of the way. Actually, my band will be performing this Sunday (*June 25). It’s the rainy season in Thailand right now, and there is a high chance of rain, so they are going to play in an empty lot under an elevated railway track.
By the way, “Bangkok Street Noise” is open to performers even if they are completely unknown. Some of the bands performing are noise, some are post-hardcore, and some are pop musicians. There are also traveling musicians who find out about the event and perform. It’s an event with a very broad scope.
Nomura: There is a culture that starts from such street initiatives in every country, isn’t there?
Ginn: Yes. However, I think it is difficult to hold such an event in Japan. It’s like using the eaves of the building without permission. We are also worried about whether we will be able to perform safely (laughs).
(*Addition: The police came when we were in the middle of the second song, but the organizer talked with them and we were able to finish all the songs without any problems.
