Crash and burn

Retrospect certainly knows how to rev up the crowd. Not only did the quintet play their greatest rock concert ever last Saturday at Live Park on Rama IX Road, but they also had rock heads ramming into each other with the biggest “wall of death” ever seen in the country. Brutal yes, but a whole lot of fun for the thousands of fans who turned out for the show.

 

The five-hour concert, dubbed “Heart of the Panther” was designed as a chronology of this iconic rock band’s career, spanning 17 years from their formation in the underground scene to their signing with Genie Records, a music label under GMM Grammy. More than 40 numbers were featured from four albums: “Unleashed” in 2007, “Rise” in 2008, “The Lost Souls” in 2010 and “Pathfinder” in 2017.

 

Opening acts Overdose and Paper Planes wowed the crowd too and this reviewer was amazed to see how kid rockers Overdose from Banana Records won older fans’ hearts with a set that included “Pluk Jai Suea Pa”, “Nithan Lok Dek”, “Wicha Khwam Fun” and a cover of Retrospect’s “Proh Wa Rak”. So good were the youngsters that lead singer Toto motivated the fans to start a mosh pit. Paper Planes showed their talent too with some tight covers and their first song “Korn Sia Ther Pai”.

 

For the black-clad audience, the concert was a rare treat, with many of them also bidding on the paintings up for auction. Part of the proceeds from this and ticket sales will be given to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation to support their mission of protecting, conserving, and restoring all wildlife and plantlife within national parks and sanctuaries across the country.
Fans pushed their way to the front as the time neared for Retrospect to appear on the large stage, whose massive LED wall was more like an EDM festival than a rock concert.

 

A loud roar welcomed singer Chanattha “Nappa” aka "Napp" Saisila, bassist Nopawach “Bom” Gajajiva, guitarist Tanapol “Not” Srikanjana, drummer Suttipan “Birth” Sangyut, and keyboard/synth player Sarunkhate “Run” Charoensan as they came out on stage, performing six early songs including singalong track, “Proh Wa Rak”, “Khae Nee Mai Tai” and “Prung Nee Mai Samkan” before handing over to Run and DJ Botcash for some EDM. Screams were loud, when Arnon “Poo” Saisangchan, the front man of rock legends Blackhead, came out and jammed with Napp on “Hai Loke Roo” before playing his hit “Chan Yoo Trong Nee” to the delight of the singalong crowd.

 

Before playing “Sud Thi Rak”, Napp told the audience that whenever the band played the number at an overseas gig, fans would start moshing and he’d like to see the same here. His wish was the audience’s command and the slam dancing continued until Maiyarap, Blacksheep, Liberate and Thudong came on stage to rap on the much-reported killing of a panther in a protected forest reserve. Tanapol played solo guitar on “Rise of the Moon” before other members joined in on “Huajai Suea Dam”, a new song written for the slain panther and performed with a chorus from Thammasat University.

 

Peerapat “Be” Tenwong was the next guest to appear on stage and he jammed on vocals with Napp on “Ngao Ying Kwa Ngao” before performing his “Pood Trong Trong”. Drummer Suttipan was the next to play a solo, which brought out Sayam “Ton” Chumthong, the founder of progressive death metal band Dezember, who played the guitar lead on Retrospect’s “Loke”.
Retrospect performed a set from their latest album, “Pathfinder” featuring tracks such as “Jeb Kwa Khue Chan”, “Jeb Puad Thi Suay Ngarm”, “Sangwien Cheewit”, “Hak Lang” and “Lom Haijai Sudthai” before the singer commanded fans to split into two and wait for his signal. 

 

The band moseyed along with “Jeb Kwa Khue Chan”, for a while then Napp issued the order for the two sides to run into the human wall. He also ordered them to run around in a circle for a circle pit and later to jump along with the song. It was an electrifying scene, and sadly one that is all too rare these days. And even though some fans were slightly injured during the huge wall of death, they were all smiles.
Returning for an encore, Retrospect decided to send up the mosh, gearing fans up to smash into each other then switching track by playing Tata Young’s pop dance song “Rub Kuan Ma Rak Kan”.