Original Music in Hua Hin

Still a bit of a rarity in our fair city (we’re working on it). Currently, the best chance to hear original music with any regularity is to attend the theatrical performances at the Vic Hua Hin Theatre each Saturday night. The shows are great, truly innovative, and nearly always accompanied by an original score performed live. Some productions have featured high-end and well-known performers and composers, both Thai and international. For example, Anant Narkhand (composer, Thailand) and Kyle Dillingham (violin, US) were featured in Phra Lor in the Fringe Festival Hua Hin in February 2010. Other productions have less well-known but equally remarkable music teams. Eclipse, presented in March and April of the same year featured an amazing (and thunderous) team of percussionists from the Baan Din Arts Center in Ratchaburi, and soprano Zion Daoratana from the Bangkok Opera. Great stuff, both as theatre and as music.

The shows at the Vic are often preceded by warmup acts in the Dome Dokmai, sometimes featuring The Hua Hin Sound Cloud Project performing original ambient and electronic music in full 4-channel surround sound. Absolutely unique in our neck of the woods. The Sound Cloud Project can also sometimes be seen performing on Sunday afternoons at Baan Sillapin Artists Village.

Apart from the Vic and Baan Sillapin, your best chances to hear original music come during our two major festivals, the Hua Hin International Jazz Festival in June every year, featuring high-end Thai and international acts with headliners such as Lee Ritenour (US) and Incognito (UK). The Honda Music Fest in late April or early May also presents a solid lineup of Thai groups, mostly in the ska and reggae genre. Many of these groups have genuinely interesting music, and festival regulars T-Bone are a revelation.

Besides out regularly scheduled festivals, special concerts crop of through the year, featuring worthy international artists. In 2010 (so far), we’ve been regaled by the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Australia’s Cat Empire (great band) and others at the Springfield Resort in April. Valentines’ Day saw a special show with Britain’s Puppini Sisters at the Prime Nature Villa resort. These shows come up at irregular intervals, and sometimes are not publicized locally. Watch this website and the Bangkok Post to avoid missing out on some great shows.