The crooner makes a comeback
Star of the '70s, Thanin Intarathep, gives a satisfying though not stunning performance
Thanin Intarathep, an award-winning crooner of yesteryear, made a satisfying comeback after an absence of more than 10 years with the sold-out “This Is Me! Thanin Live in Concert” last Saturday night at the Bangkok Convention Centre at Central Plaza Lat Phrao, drawing more than 2,000 people including his fans, friends, and family members.
Understandably, the crowd was mainly middle aged with very few youngsters spotted among the audience members.
The 69-year-old singer began with his hit “Fak Pleng Thueng Ther” (“This Song is for You”), which won him the Golden Antenna Award in 1975.
He did not appear on stage but instead emerged among the audience and walked along the main aisle towards the stage. Along the way, he was greeted by applause, with some members of the audience reaching out to clasp his hands.
Thanin was able to maintain his vocal power throughout the concert that lasted more three hours though at times his advancing age was evident. Nonetheless, his charismatic smooth and resonant voice still mesmerised in both slow and fast songs alike.
He sang many of his hits, among them “Rak Oey” (“Oh Love”), “Kid Thueng Ther Thuk Lom Haijai” (“Think of You With Every Breath”), “Pan Din Hai Pen Dao” (“Turning Dirt into a Star”), “Khad Chan Laew Ther Ja Rusuk” (“You Will Suffer Without Me”), “Namta Ruang Lang Puang Malai” (“Weeping Behind the Wheel”), and “Thammai Thueng Tong Pen Rao” (Why Me?).
Unfortunately, Thanin did not sing “Hak Roo Sak Nid” (“If I Had Known”), a classic that has been covered repeatedly and earned him the Golden Record Award in 1971. Fans were all the more disappointed at the song’s exclusion, as both the press release, reproduced on ThaiTicketMajor ticketing website, had hyped the hit as one of hits the crooner would be performing at the concert.
A chorus team of two women and one man played an important role in spicing up the vocals and the concert as a whole. They supported Thanin whenever needed and danced along during fast songs, such as on “Tham Boon Duai Arai” (“What Kind of Merit Did You Do to Be So Beautiful”), which was rearranged with a rock ’n’ roll flavour.
The music was provided by Wong Ton Siang, led by the concert’s music director Pathai Vijitvechakarn, who also played the piano.
Thanin was also joined onstage in a few songs by Thai flute master Thanis Sriklindee and guest singers Isariya Kooprasert and Hathaichanok Suansri.
Most of the songs were given a modern makeover though the original melodies were largely maintained. That explained why members of the audience, unless tipped off beforehand, only recognised the songs from the lyrics.
Thanin’s slow classic “Chan Wannee” (What I Am Today) was performed twice – first during the session before the 15-minute interval and then as the final song of the concert.
The finale definitely lacked fizz. Not only should a more exciting song have been chosen that would have allow Thanin and his guest musicians to perform together, but bringing Thanis and the two guest singers onstage just as Thanin was about to complete his final song, simply fell flat.
