Let there be love
Songs-for-lifer Pongsit Khampee is joined by pop stars Lydia and Stamp for his latest and much-postponed concert
Earlier this year, songs-for-life hero Pongsit “Poo” Khampee called off his planned “Khampee Pleng Rak” (“Bible of Love”) concert, saying that the political conflict made the timing inappropriate.
Today, fed up with waiting and feeling that music could help soften the underlying seriousness, he’s decided to go ahead with the show though it’s moved from its original venue of Paragon Hall to Bitec Bang Na.
“It doesn’t seem that the political situation is going to get better anytime soon and I really don’t want to put it off again,” says the soft-spoken 47-year-old song-for-lifer.
Originally planned for Valentine’s Day, hence the title, then rescheduled to the end of April before being postponed again, Pongsit says he’s sticking to the theme of love but won’t be offering tickets for couples or distributing red roses
“I won’t be playing only love songs either,” says the singer.
“We went with the idea of a Valentine’s Day concert purely because this year the date coincided with Makha Bucha Day, a major religious holy day and holiday,” recalls Pongsit, adding that he’s never been one to celebrate Valentine’s.
Next Saturday’s show won’t feature his usual fellow songs-for-life guests either but rather popsters Saranrat “Lydia” Wisutthithada and Apiwat "Stamp" Eurthavornsuk.
“I didn’t know either of them personally but selected them on the basis of their singing abilities,” says Pongsit.
“I haven’t rearranged my songs but I am confident Lydia be able to adapt them to her style. She’s a pioneer of the pop/R&B singing style and instrumental in popularising the genre. I chose some songs for her and for Stamp. I think fans will get the picture of what I want to do for my concert. Just because I have invited pop artists doesn’t make it any less my own stage. My aim was to find quality singers to showcase my classic songs.
“Stamp is a very proficient artist and I know he’ll delight fans.”
Pongsit will jam separately with Lydia and Stamp before handing the stage over to them for their solos. Stamp will peform “Samer” and “Jai Bongkarn”.
“He wanted to sing ‘Noom Noi’ but I didn’t agree because this song is too aggressive for a pop star,” says Pongsit.
The concert will feature 30 songs and is divided into four parts covering family, friends and politics with an unscripted segment making up the last part.
Pongsit, who is a third-generation songs-for-life artist, may also be a member of the last generation. How does he feel about that?
“I think it’s happening all over the world. There are not really any followers for Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen either. I guess young artists just aren’t interested in writing the same protest songs as us,” he says.
“That said, though, I do think the new generation searches for protest songs and listens to them. Nowadays, it’s the young generation who are coming to my concerts, not the older people. Young people know my songs from their parents and have found them on YouTube too,” says Pongsit.
“Songwriters are getting old but their songs are still popular. Take ‘Khon Kap Khwai’ penned by Caravan’s Surachai ‘Nga’ Chanthimathorn in 1975. It’s still being played today.”
Yesterday today
_ “Khampee Pleng Rak” takes place next Saturday, May 24 at Bitec Bang Na Hall 105.
_ The doors open at 7.
_ Tickets costing Bt2,500 include a T-shirt and headband. They along with seats priced at Bt800 to Bt2,000 are available at Thai Ticket Major outlets.
_ Call (02) 262 3456 and visit www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.
