So Called Jazz Festival Word Of Warning.

[EL159]

The annual so called "Jazz Festival" is taking place at Promenada this Saturday. I m still seething from what happened last year hence this post. Tickets were  750 baht, thats almost £20 UK. So not cheap. When we arrived, as we entered they carried out a bag search to make sure you werent carrying in food or drink. Why? I sked quite reasonably "Only can eat or drink items sold inside" they said. Now, I ve attended Jazz Festivals in a number of Countries, and the norm is, you buy your ticket, then you can choose to come in with a picnic type hamper if you wish to do so.

Problem was, the only Wine we could find inside was on sale for 1300 baht, a label I know well from Supermarkets locally where it sells for 399. Fundamentally, the only alcohol realistically on sale was Singha beer. Why? Singha was a sponsor of the event! Most of the food stalls were from either the top hotels or well known restaurants selling very over priced small portions of mostly warm rather than hot food. Almost everything we tried was unpalatable.

The music itself mostly wasnt "Jazz". It was mostly local Thai bands playing those sloopy gloopy regurgitated versions of other peoples music that you can hear every night for free in many places around Chiang Mai or Bangkok. The one notable exception to that was the one and only original band, a Scandinavian group called Kamikaze Jazz who were excellent but they only played for less than an hour, and funnily enough, much of the local audience were leaving during their set, presumably it was a bit "Challenging" for people who only want the likes of Kenny G. !!  

Having witnessed how it was last year, be warned if you are planning to be there this year. After the event I tried to have an online conversation with the organisers, as I genuinely felt I could offer constructive advice having attended Jazz Festivals most of my adult life, but all I got back was the feeling that they didnt want to know and didnt want to listen! In fact, we were so angered by the way it was organised that in fact me and my friend went over to Wine Connection and "snuck in" some wine, which we hid on our bodies, in places they wouldnt want to search! We felt like naughty schoolboys....and having paid....it sure as hell shouldnt be like that!

Edited January 23, 2019 by EL159
errors

[elektrified]

It's 100 Baht at the gate to get in. No need to buy in advance. Went the last 2 or more years. You can always have drinks at Wine Connection first if you don't like the prices at the Festival. Or buy at Rimping and sit outside and have a few. As I recall they stamp your hand so you can come and go.

[trevoromgh]

14 minutes ago, elektrified said:

It's 100 Baht at the gate to get in. No need to buy in advance. Went the last 2 or more years. You can always have drinks at Wine Connection first if you don't like the prices at the Festival. Or buy at Rimping and sit outside and have a few. As I recall they stamp your hand so you can come and go.

Which gate was that or are those 'Thai' prices?

[stillhereandlovinit]

1 hour ago, trevoromgh said:

Which gate was that or are those 'Thai' prices?

Tha Phae Gate

[EL159]

1 hour ago, elektrified said:

It's 100 Baht at the gate to get in. No need to buy in advance. Went the last 2 or more years. You can always have drinks at Wine Connection first if you don't like the prices at the Festival. Or buy at Rimping and sit outside and have a few. As I recall they stamp your hand so you can come and go.

It certainly IS NOT 100 baht at the gate, otherwise why would they be selling advance tickets for 750. Please dont give misleading information to undermine this thread. ( If you persuaded someone to let you in on the sly for 100 baht thats your good luck) but thats NOT the way it is for 99% of the people attending!

[camble]

Try the Jazz Festival in Hua Hin in May.  Good music and It's free.

[canthai55]

Jazz MUSIC ???

This is music -

 

[ZeVonderBearz]

Music festival at a shopping centre, that's all I need to know to know it's going to be wvnk. No festival I've ever been to has allowed people to bring in drinks, they let you take it into the campsite, yes, but not into the area with stages. Also, if the festival is in a venue, such as Promanda or a major venue in the US like Madison Square Garden, why on earth would they let you take in your own picnic and drinks? They make money from food and beer in the venue.

[metempsychotic]

you are not allowed to bring your own drinks into a shopping center even when there is no event.

[Thailand]

3 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

you are not allowed to bring your own drinks into a shopping center even when there is no event.

Rubbish.

[sharktooth]

You are also not allowed to run red lights

[sharktooth]

5 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Jazz MUSIC ???

This is music -

 

I saw this Legend playing with The Pogues a long time ago. Johnny Come Lately...

[Kelsall]

The OP is still angry after one year just because he had to pay a few bucks?

[Nyezhov]

2 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

The OP is still angry after one year just because he had to pay a few bucks?

I mean really, this has got to be the best whinge ever on this Board. The food sucks, I didnt like the music, how dare they only serve Singha and the wine was overpriced. Yikes.

[Trujillo]

Since when is Tha Phae Gate at Promenada? 

[amexpat]

22 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

26 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

 

I mean really, this has got to be the best whinge ever on this Board.

Not even in the top 300. Competition on TV is fierce. 

[VBF]

5 hours ago, sharktooth said:

I saw this Legend playing with The Pogues a long time ago. Johnny Come Lately...

It is indeed but as this thread is about Jazz.......

 

This is Jazz     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psWqUvesQ0Y

 

(For some odd reason, since the latest update I cannot insert Media like @CanThai did and like I could before!)

Edited January 23, 2019 by VBF

[metempsychotic]

15 hours ago, Thailand said:

Rubbish.

sigh.

 

so its acceptable to walk around promenade drinking a large chang or a bottle of wine? 

 

we differ.

[EL159]

51 minutes ago, metempsychotic said:

sigh.

 

so its acceptable to walk around promenade drinking a large chang or a bottle of wine? 

 

we differ.

The so called Jazz Festival isnt inside the Mall, its outside, in a big grassy area. Whats up? Cant you read properly?

[elektrified]

22 hours ago, EL159 said:

It certainly IS NOT 100 baht at the gate, otherwise why would they be selling advance tickets for 750. Please dont give misleading information to undermine this thread. ( If you persuaded someone to let you in on the sly for 100 baht thats your good luck) but thats NOT the way it is for 99% of the people attending!

Each year they have many unsold tickets. No need to persuade anyone. When there is around 8 or more people queued up they call someone over who collects the money and stamps the hand and lets you in. Do you really think 99% of the attendees pay 750? No.

[EL159]

3 hours ago, elektrified said:

Each year they have many unsold tickets. No need to persuade anyone. When there is around 8 or more people queued up they call someone over who collects the money and stamps the hand and lets you in. Do you really think 99% of the attendees pay 750? No.

Actually, even for a reduced entry fee, the musics crap and the food and drink are ridiculously over priced!

[elektrified]

22 hours ago, EL159 said:

Actually, even for a reduced entry fee, the musics crap and the food and drink are ridiculously over priced!

That's easy then...don't go.

[EL159]

4 hours ago, elektrified said:

That's easy then...don't go.

Can you read? It seems not as presumably you havent read my original post at the start of this thread. Sigh....some people on here just too clever for their own stupidity.