As Thais, we love to dance. Within a space of just one month starting on Nov 22, there will be four full-scale dance music festivals that, although similar in terms of musical genres and DJ line-ups, will be produced, presented and themed in a variety of different styles.
Waterzonic, Arcadia and 808 Festival lean more towards the extremely popular electronic dance music (EDM) with big international names, while Tempology has chosen to run away to Hua Hin and features a string of local underground heroes.
There has also been talk of a Dutch production, Dreamfields, and even a Facebook event page set up, but the last we checked, there hasn't yet been a confirmed date.
Life walks you through the four festivals to help you determine which would best suit your dancing spirit.
Tempology
Nov 22 at Vana Nava, Hua Hin
Billing itself as an "underground dance music festival", Tempology is following on from last year's success with its second event. But this time around, the independent promoter is moving away from the capital to possibly one of the coolest festival venues of the year, the brand new water jungle park, Vana Nava, in Hua Hin.
Set to open to the public at the beginning of December, the organisers at Tempology saw an opening and leaped in. Festival goers can enjoy rides and a swim while listening to the banging music.
The line-up consists of local underground heroes and a mixture of live bands and DJs who will play the whole spectrum of dance music from indie disco, house and roots music to hard-edged techno.
The grand dame of electronic pop rock Gene Kasidit will collaborate with electronic music luminaries Oscillator 2 for a special live set, which will perhaps be just a one-off performance. Dance punk outfit DCNXTR is returning to the scene with a live set. Other names include Suharit, Funky Gangsters, Double Trouble, Bangkok Invaders and Pichy among many others.
There will be three stages to house over 30 artists, with the stage and lighting designs handled by leading authorities in the field — Kor.Bor.Vor, Spacenoid and Zieght.
So if you're not exactly a fan of EDM or mainstream dance music, Tempology is the place to be, and, of course, fresh seafood and half-naked, wet bodies are always a plus.
Tempology is on Nov 22 at Vana Nava Water Jungle Park in Hua Hin. Tickets are 500 baht each. Visit www.tempobkk.com for more information.
Arcadia
Nov 29 at Siam Park City
The Spider is coming to town! The award-winning production of Arcadia is landing in Thailand to much excitement, as we're prone to be amazed by spectacles. Even if you don't care for dance music, this one is worth checking out for the production alone. You can even stuff your ears with your iPod on full blast if you want; although we're not sure if that would be that much of a help since Arcadia promises a fully fledged sound system to blow us right out of the water.
Thailand will be the first country outside of the UK to host an Arcadia Landing Show. The Arcadia Spider Stage is as tall as a five-storey building and revolves 360 degrees.
Arcadia dubs itself as a "futurist mechanical cabaret", so expect to see all sorts of performers from aerialists to magicians in accordance to its futuristic circus theme. Despite using all manner of technological advancement the world has to offer, the festival also claims to be environmentally friendly and uses recycled materials whenever they can.
The audience will also be treated to the "Lords of Lightning" battle, where laser sword fights and electrical wonderment will be in full display.
International DJs include Roni Size ft. Dynamite MC, SKisM, Far Too Loud, Arcadia Sound System and BangBangBang which should offer a diverse soundscape. Local deejays are Suharit and newcomer Machina, all of which will be played through a K1 sound system.
Arcadia is on Nov 29 at Siam Park City. Regular tickets are 2,500 baht and Deluxe tickets are 3,500 baht. Deluxe tickets include two welcome drinks, express entrance and access to the deluxe bar area. Tickets are available at www.thaiticketmajor.com
Waterzonic
Nov 22 at Rajamangala Stadium
Waterzonic is definitely for the younger Thong Lor/Ekamai crowd who consume EDM like there's no tomorrow. The most perplexing aspect is the addition of a Songkran-esque element to its marketing and promotion. So basically, if you just have Songkran in November, you can also deal with the pesky public nudity law in the process.
The organiser expects over 40,000 attendees, which explains why it has chosen Rajamangala Stadium as the venue. Normally used to host large-scale concerts like Lady Gaga or Bodyslam, the stadium is intimidating in size, meaning there is a very real likelihood of not being able to fill it.
Heavy on both decorations and gimmicks, Waterzonic will use a 40m-long water screen and dancing fountain. The festival also boasts a K1 sound system, which is hard to come by in Thailand. There will be 170 moving beams to lead you along the water escapade, and expect mandatory fireworks as well as laser beams, fire machines and pyrotechnics. Be warned though: you will definitely get wet as there will be giant hoses to splash revellers.
International headliners include Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Nervo, Showtek and Sick Individuals who have all played in Bangkok before. There will also be supporting local DJs, playing the hits heard every weekend around the popular hangouts.
So, if you really like Songkran and all that it entails along with the usual gimmicks, Waterzonic is probably your best bet to paint the town red. Traffic can be hellish around the stadium, so you're best advised to get there early and public transportation would make much more sense with the limited parking spaces.
Waterzonic is on Nov 22 at Rajamangala Stadium. VIP tickets cost 3,500 baht, and regular ones 2,500 baht. Visit www.thaiticketmajor.com for further details.
808 Festival
Dec 9 at Bitec
808 Festival is run by veteran promoter Retox Sessions who has been hard at work for the past decade. Past 808 Festivals saw the likes of Steve Aoki, Bingo Players, Chuckie and Bassjackers shaking Bangkok. This time around, they will spread the fun onto two stages: 808 Arena and Retox Arena.
One of this festival's most admirable qualities is its rather straightforward approach to partying. They thrive on providing quality dance music from techno to EDM and go easy on unnecessary frills. Retox Sessions' tried and tested formula seems to be to put on the right music for like-minded people in a common gathering place and the magic will just happen.
This year, the festival has locked down the revolutionary wizard of techno, Richie Hawtin. As one of the biggest names in the dance music scene, Hawtin is somewhat an institution and there's no guessing what direction he'll opt for when the night falls. Nicky Romero, Blasterjaxx, Loco Dice, DVBBS, Dannic and Hot Since 82 will also be present as well as selected local DJs to warm up the dancefloors.
808 Festival is possibly the most convenient in terms of location and transportation choices. It's also most suitable for those who want a true musical night out.
808 Festival in on Dec 9 at Hall 106, Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center. Regular tickets are priced at 1,950 baht, and VIP tickets cost 2,500 baht. Tickets are available at www.thaiticketmajor.com
Off the Beaten Track
Wonderfruit
If dance music festivals, rave parties and boring gimmicks are not really your cup of tea, then mosey over to Wonderfruit.
Wonderfruit strives to be more than just your average music and art festival as its key messages include sustainability, spirituality and human connection. Besides the obligatory musical exploration, the festival also requests attendees to take part in eco-farming, family activities, design, architecture, film, theatre, natural ventures and workshops.
A new addition to the strong line up is Chet Faker, an Australian electronic dream pop master, whose magical touch and captivating vocals have won devotees around the world.
The line-up includes Little Dragon, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Woodkid, De La Soul, Jose Gonzales, Hercules & Love Affair, Nick Mulvey, The Gaslamp Killer, Hugo, Francesca Lombardo (live), Jamie Jones, Seth Troxler, Damian Lazarus, Soul Clap, Subb-an, Pillow Talk (live), Ali Love (live), Carl Craigichards, Sunju Hargun, Citizen, Son of Sun (live) and Boris Rubin, alongside local heroes such as T-bone, Burin Boonvisut, Apartmentkhunpa, the Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band, Yellow Fang and Stylish Nonsense, across four stages.
Other activities include food demonstrations, tips on foraging, farm tours, wine tasting, various workshops, theatre, cinema, keirin racing, mountain biking, fun runs, horse therapy and sound bathing.
Festival-goers with children will also love Wonderfruit as it provides a special zone for the young ones and a nanny service.
Participating caterers include Never Ending Summer, Disco Dogs, Burnt Ends (Singapore), Sloane’s Artisan and Quince, along with other street food favourites. Feasts from Nahm’s David Thompson and Appia’s Paolo Vitaletti will surely please the foodies.
This one is definitely for those who are willing to experience a new kind of festival that Thailand hasn’t had the privilege of hosting until now.
Wonderfruit Festival will take place at The Fields At Siam Country, Chon Buri, from Dec 19-21. Ticket costs 6,000 baht for adults (20 years old); 4,000 baht for teens (12-19 years old); 16,000 baht for family (two adults and two teens) and 16,000 for a party pass (six adults). Kids up to the age of 11 get in for free. Tickets are available at Thaiticketmajor, Ticketmaster, See Tickets and Resident Advisor. Visit www.wonderfruitfestival.com for further information.
