by Michael Bridge

Since the pandemic took over, the capital Bangkok has seen cinemas, theatres, concert halls, and arenas closed, and the leading online ticket agencies almost ground to a halt.

Of course, this has been the same in most countries, which is why online companies such as Netflix and Amazon have been so profitable for their shareholders.

Andrew Lloyd Webber has been actively promoting the need to save the theatre industry from collapse by recommending testing and social distancing at his shows in the West End and on Broadway.

Meanwhile, thousands of incredibly talented people have been forced to leave the entertainment industry just to survive, working elsewhere.

Pre-Pandemic

Turn the clock back and you may remember Bangkok hosted many concerts by major stars, including Coldplay, Queen, Madonna, and Bruno Mars.

We also saw major productions arrive including The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, and Miss Saigon.

 

 

All these shows and concerts cost a packet to tour, so will local promoters be willing to take the risk and try to bring the stars back to Thailand in the future?

Of course, we have some excellent local orchestras and a few dramatic groups who will perform mainly in Thai, however we all like to see the major productions and the mega stars.

However, will Lloyd Webber feel it is worth producing a full West End standard musical in Thailand?

With less expats around, the question will be can the Thais fill the seats too?

As a promoter myself, I know advance ticket sales can be a bit of a lottery, as many people especially Thais will leave it to the very last minute to book tickets.

With theatre rentals, agency commissions, performers fees, technicians, and travel costs mostly payable upfront, the poor promoter needs to have very deep pockets and a good supply of High blood pressure pills!!!

I personally will not be going back into running concerts again, however, it would be great to sit in the stalls again to enjoy a major musical or perhaps even to see the Rolling Stones one more time in Bangkok.
 

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We were before too, relatively speaking. 

I found the best way to enjoy any cultutre: all genres of music, theatre etc was to be aligned with the international schools whilst living in Chiang mai. Not difficult if you had a child at one...Together with the Unis there was quite a good scene going on throughout the year there......................There's also a very good local magazine (Citylife) which constantly features upcoming events (pre covid times)...........

Regarding the geriatric Rolling Stones, these guys are always rather tongue-in-cheek, deep down, and therefore one cannot get enough of them, and they even improve with age, surprisingly. 

 

Our expectation is that after Mick passes, he will rise from the grave, all bones, but with lipstick, too.

 

Mick is a god, almost as great as JS Bach.

 

As you know, Mick put on a great show, sort of toying around, for Obama.

 

Maybe he will do it again, but for you, personally, if you ask him, and if you are great enough.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Regarding the geriatric Rolling Stones, these guys are always rather tongue-in-cheek, deep down, and therefore one cannot get enough of them, and they even improve with age, surprisingly. 

 

Our expectation is that after Mick passes, he will rise from the grave, all bones, but with lipstick, too.

 

Mick is a god, almost as great as JS Bach.

 

As you know, Mick put on a great show, sort of toying around, for Obama.

 

Maybe he will do it again, but for you, personally, if you ask him, and if you are great enough.

 

 

 

There is no satisfaction when you cant get what you want 

19 minutes ago, itsari said:

There is no satisfaction when you cant get what you want 

Sometimes, you might get what you need, maybe.

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Sometimes, you might get what you need, maybe.

Honky Tonk Woman perhaps ?

Culturally starved. ?????

Morally starved.  Yes

56 minutes ago, itsari said:

Honky Tonk Woman perhaps ?

Plenty of them around.

Thailand stopped attracting big name acts long before the pandemic, and there weren't many even back then. I did once go and see a local play, but it was so poorly presented I never went to any other.

 

But then, I spent the first 40 years of my life in London, so most other places would pale in comparison.

 

Queen was in Thailand.  Why did I have to go to Korea to see them.

 

This is misleading in that most of these performers were a long long time ago.

 

Thailand has been out of the main big shows as they do not have the fan base.    

Thais could not afford Queen or any of the large international groups.

 

If you ask the normal Thai teen they will fly to Korea for K POP before they will attend a concert here.

2 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

Queen was in Thailand.  Why did I have to go to Korea to see them.

 

This is misleading in that most of these performers were a long long time ago.

 

Thailand has been out of the main big shows as they do not have the fan base.    

Thais could not afford Queen or any of the large international groups.

 

If you ask the normal Thai teen they will fly to Korea for K POP before they will attend a concert here.

 

 

If you ask most 'normal Thai teens' they can't afford a bottle of pop, let alone a K POP concert.

HUH?!? We're already culturally and sophistication famished PRE-pandemic. This will only set back further...if that is even possible.

If it was culture I were seeking, I would go to Ronnie Scott's.

 

 

So the author thinks Madonna and Bruno Mars enhance culture? 

I always considered Bali to have a high level of art and culture. If Thailand ever had culture, it was lost long ago, but I suppose entertainment comes along every now and then, if it makes money.

2 hours ago, itsari said:

Honky Tonk Woman perhaps ?

Factory girls are the best.

A factory girl, with stains all down her dress.

 

 

18 minutes ago, cncltd1973 said:

I always considered Bali to have a high level of art and culture. If Thailand ever had culture, it was lost long ago, but I suppose entertainment comes along every now and then, if it makes money.

I always considered that Germany had a very high level of art and culture, next to Bali, of course, and...I still do.

 

So does Chomsky, if you read him.

 

Was Beethoven so bad?  Yes, he was.  But, his music was OK.

 

Brahms was OK.

 

Strauss?

 

Telemann, is not good.

 

Mendelssohn is quite nice.

 

What about Ralf Hütter, though?  Not so sure about him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Become?

The Thai people are already starved of freedom and democracy, and now someone's worried about popular culture. Priorities, please, get your priorities in order.

it was pretty poor pre-covid for bands coming here, so absolutely no chance atm with all their ridiculous restrictions.   

Plenty of culture here, been to over 1.000 concerts, 6 in the past two weeks. But then I did not come here to see western culture in Thailand.

Here in Australia rock concerts are picking up again. I've been to a few, but won't be going to any more.

Being surrounded by fat, drunk, sweaty, tattoo'd, 65 year old white women just doesn't appeal to me any more.

There is very little culture here. It should not be confused with centuries old tradition. Upcountry dancing, and puppet shows. And a small fine art scene.

 

It would sure be nice to be around some real culture. Great live music, dance, theater, museums, and the like.
Great wine at fair prices.
And drivers with some skill.
Police who are concerned with traffic safety.
Maybe a gorgeous language.
Air that will not kill you.
Or a government that is not moving backwards into oblivion, with no end in sight. Those are attractive qualities. 

 

But, the price to be paid for that is too high. So, finding contentment here is the nature of the game for many of us.

In a way I presume it's better to cultural starve than die from Covid - luckily today we have the Internet to catch up with a bit of the lost culture.

You've got to be kidding me!  Thailand has always been culturally starved.   

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

In a way I presume it's better to cultural starve than die from Covid - luckily today we have the Internet to catch up with a bit of the lost culture.

And you've got to be kidding, too.  You have to have a brain before you can enjoy a cultural event.   Good thing you have a basement in which to shelter with your Internet.

5 minutes ago, Joules said:

You've got to be kidding me!  Thailand has always been culturally starved.   

For those who cannot see, why do you think western culture is the only one which counts?

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

There is very little culture here. It should not be confused with centuries old tradition. Upcountry dancing, and puppet shows. And a small fine art scene.

 

It would sure be nice to be around some real culture. Great live music, dance, theater, museums, and the like.
Great wine at fair prices.
And drivers with some skill.
Police who are concerned with traffic safety.
Maybe a gorgeous language.
Air that will not kill you.
Or a government that is not moving backwards into oblivion, with no end in sight. Those are attractive qualities. 

 

But, the price to be paid for that is too high. So, finding contentment here is the nature of the game for many of us.

Dear God,

 

To be poor in culture is acceptable.

 

If only I had a little bit of.....TRADITION!

 

 

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Thailand stopped attracting big name acts long before the pandemic, and there weren't many even back then. I did once go and see a local play, but it was so poorly presented I never went to any other.

 

But then, I spent the first 40 years of my life in London, so most other places would pale in comparison.

 

Some years ago I was reading some comments from a British couple who had emigrated from London to Australia, The question was, why are returning to London? The answer, a lack of culture in Oz, concerts, art galleries, museums etc. They loved so many things about Oz, but a lack of those things meant that they couldn't stop there.