It's a fine Saturday in February, the Chinese New Year of the Snake, and today there are 10 of us on the ferry to the mainland - five DJs: Rory, Pablo, Rob, Marius, Joe, a Russian house vocalist: Tasha, two Phanganist girls: me & Kirsten, + two more of the crew: Sani & Matte.
This time we're off to Surat Thani to provide Koh Phangan support for Rory Gallagher's new monthly night at GM Club: Culture Shock. Koh Phangan goes on tour to Surat!
It's a beautiful day; there's something in the air today. We live in paradise and may occasionally take it for granted, but some days something makes you stop and breathe, and drink it all in.
It had hit me this morning, a translucent quality to the air, the colours, the water. As we sit out on deck on the Raja ferry Marius sees it too: "It's a beautiful day", he says, almost as though we're sensing something remarkable and new.
Chinese New Year… of the Snake!
We land at Donsak and jump into the truck for the hour's drive into town. We drop the mixer off at GM Club on Karunrat and are met by an oasis of green amidst the hot wide streets of Surat.The large red Culture Shock sign seems to be embedded in the trees and flowers at the entrance, while outside the Harley Davidson parked on the streets proclaims: this is a place to be taken seriously.
Underground Koh Phangan meets the Surat underworld! Inside the leafy theme of this typical Thai-stye bar continues: climbers spread throughout the red decor of the lower bar area, where girls in Chang dresses are serving Chang Export - 300bt all you can drink, all night long.
The atmospheric flags and neon liquor signs lead the way up to the dancefloor; and behind the rioja red walls transform the restaurant into a cosy Spanish taverna overlooking the action.
Rory has organised live acoustics acts, Surat Thani farang who welcome us in to their local haunt. DJ Snoopoid then starts off the evening of Underground House, because even us British admit it! - NO-ONE does DEEP like the Germans!
The place is filling up with farang by now: there are 70 school teachers living in Surat, all looking for a lively night out, and they will all be here tonight - some of the faces we are already well acquainted with from their jaunts to Koh Phangan at weekends, and there are plenty of friendly faces in the crowd.
All the Thais are sharply dressed: the Chinese New Year dresses; the gay bar boys in model haircuts and turquoise eyelashes; the baseball cap partnered with a collared shirt - you can almost feel the undercurrents of power rippling through the well-to-do clientele.
In cowboy hat, black shirt & permed hair, Phi Samui the owner catches our eye the moment we walk in. “I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride…”
Bon Jovi in my head, I'm wondering if it’s Phi Samui's Harley outside? Rory perfectly sums the mood up for me as he starts off his set: A tech house remix of a Jim Morrison Thai bar classic - Riders on a Storm… Into this world we're born...
I've been listening to old classics like this, in wild west Thai-style saloons like this, ever since I can remember… WILD WEST meets the WILD EAST…
It's all reminding me of my first trips to Thailand, hanging out in similar bars on Koh Samui listening to rock music! There’s the Surat Thani Bike Week poster on the walls (2nd-3rd March 2013), the saloon type bar, the 3 Pipers whisky sign:
GIVE 100% TO LIVE 100%!
Tasha is bringing her vocals over Rory’s uplifting tech house, a track I recognise from Pablo’s bag of tunes: Anubis, PleasureCraft. I listen to Tasha’s universal sounding voice, who does she reminds me of? 'If this ain’t love' - Sophie Ellis-Bextor!
Pablo takes over from Rory, each DJ getting an hour to blast out their own tunes before they start getting more creative.. and before long it's turning into a Koh Phangan jamming session!
Pablo, Rory & Rob are going back to back behind the decks; Tasha is on vocals; Sani is on mini percussion perfectly keeping time; Joe is on bongos… & I’m on the dancefloor with my tambourine, like a mad Janis Joplin! Rob is standing between Sani & me, digging the vibe, clip clop, clip clop, shimmy! And you can see ideas are sparking in his head... cymbals tambourine bongos…and we’re jamming!
Even Rory’s teacher friends from Khanom & Nakhon have made it tonight! There is most surely a market for an underground club night on the mainland, and Culture Shock is in prime position to deliver it...
These DJs from the Moon Island are starting to produce their own tracks, their own music; there are vocalists and percussionists amongst them, and you get the feeling there is plenty more to come!
'It’s like a bunch of Koh Phangan freaks just came over to Surat Thani and took over the party!'
It’s a fun & exciting time to be part of the Koh Phangan Underground!
CULTURE SHOCK! Koh Phangan On Tour in Surat!
"Yes", says Matte, “Wherever we go, we KNOW how to party!
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Previous blogs by Mia Escobud |
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French Kiss at the Secret Garden |
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Loi Lay A Musical Journey |
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Jungle Experience with Marco Loco |
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www.facebook.com/DjPabloEscobud
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