Reggae Rasmee
Reggae, Rasmee, Soul…What’s not to like about the new single released last month by the Srirajah Rockers? From humble beginnings in her hometown as a young girl to now appearing on almost every entertainment news channel and being booked up for months in advance by those craving her Isaan soul vibes, Rasmee has been taking Thailand’s alternative music scene by storm.
Straight to the Jai Thep: Chiang Mai’s Best Music Festival in Years
Let me be frank. The Jai Thep festival last weekend was outstanding. Hailing from the southwest of England, I have had my fair share of festivals, hippies and healing circles in my time. Each year I would hear the reverberating bass echoing from Glastonbury Festival (the biggest festival in the world) from my home and my festival experiences have been wide and varied. The point is, I can be critical of festivals and think that I have enough experience to be a fair judge. But today, criticism failed to materialise as the latest alternative music event to grace Chiang Mai opened its doors to a new era of festival life in the north of Thailand.
Knight Visions
As we all have surely witnessed, Chiang Mai is home to some very talented people. Be it art, music, fashion, or food, Chiang Mai owes its diverse culture to a number of different influences. Chaing Mai is a crossroads of sorts, where people from all over the world meet and intermingle with the local scene and it’s because of this that there is an opportunity for some wonderful collaborations.
Apichatpong’s “The Serenity of Madness” Reshapes Contemporary Art
Bangkok-native and internationally influential film producer and artist, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, has completely reshaped the conceptions of contemporary art to that of his own, recently releasing his exhibition “The Serenity of Madness” at Chiang Mai’s newly built Maiiam Contemporary Art Museum. With short-films, prints, 3-D artwork and a variety of other platforms that touch on his recollections and experiences with spirituality, memory and class, Apichatpong’s world-class collection is one not to be missed.
The Voices of Chiang Mai: Local Talent on the National Stage
It’s no secret to those of us who live here that this city is full of talented artist and musicians. All over Chiang Mai musicians can be seen playing music at a variety of establishments like restaurants and bars. Some of these musicians have gained fame outside of our fair city on one of Thailand’s most popular platforms: The Voice.
Solitude Is Bliss, A Timeless Artistic Piece
Since I was young, I’d always been the type to listen to as many different genres of music as possible; you’d be shocked to see how many songs I have in my itunes library, from Nirvana to Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. I barely say no to anyone who introduces me to a new band or an album. A few months ago I was about to enter the annual TISAC Battle Of The Bands and since I was the youngest and the newest member of the band, I wanted to impress the members since what the band played was so different to what I usually listen to, so when they started suggesting song ideas I listened to every single one of them, it was definitely at least 25 songs in there. I was rushing, my internet was dying, my mum was yelling at me, my sister was crying and then I came across one of the suggestions, ‘Solitude Is Bliss’, the first thought in my mind was that it was a pretty cool name, I tried to rush through it, it wasn’t possible, I ended up downloading the whole album. It’s so different and foreign. They’re not famous; they are just different. If it was a month ago and I saw this on my YouTube suggestion list I probably wouldn’t have listened. It’s like this door that opened up, letting me into this whole new level of music.
Gallery Al Fresco
Street art is polarising and controversial. While some regard graffiti as vandalism, it’s undeniable that there are really beautiful pieces of art out there, many of them even delivering a political or social message. I’m no expert on street art and frankly only really know Banksy, who everyone else knows too, but I can honestly say that I find good graffiti really enjoyable. I believe that a few rogue murals here and naughty graffiti there spices up a city’s appearance in a very special way. After all art is significantly influenced and inspired by the culture and the vibe of its city. Over the past couple of months of my summer here in Chiang Mai, I have come to really appreciate the al fresco art of this city.
Rising From the Ashes: a Photo Exhibition of Japan Post War
Although Japan may seem like one of the countries leading in both innovation and technology, have you ever wondered what they went through to get to this point? The “Metamorphosis of Japan After The War” is a photography exhibition of Japan during the post war period brought to you by Japan Foundation and Chiang Mai University Arts Centre and curated by Tsugo Tada and Marc Feustel. The exhibition is a collaboration of 11 of Japan’s Most talented photographers including Ihee Kimura, Yasuhiro Ishimoto, Ken Domon, Eikoh Hosoe, Hiroshi Hamaya, Kikuji Kawada, Shomei Tomatsu, Takeyoshi Tanuma, Shigeichi Nagano, Ikko Narahara, Tadahiko Hayashi.
Under My Gender: An Emerging Artist’s Fantasy
As we develop an understanding of the world through the problems we face, it’s our human reaction to resort to our fantasies; fantasies that we fight so hard to make reality despite hardship. Emerging artist Thepmetha Thepboonta, a graduate from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Chiang Mai University, gives us a glimpse into his fantasy in his first solo art exhibition “Under My Gender” at Seescape Gallery. As an activist for bisexuality through his artwork, Thepmetha will be opening up his work for viewing for the whole month of July.
European Union Film Festival @ SF Cinema
For years, SF cinema has been marking themselves on the map as one of the largest cinema companies in Thailand, populating malls and other venues across the country. However, what some of us may not realise is that it is indeed SF themselves who often organise special film festivals – offering up a range of world cinema titles from Asia to Europe.
Wow, What A Year!
Chiang Mai International School (CMIS) has not always been known for its musical performances. We’ve always been recognized as a strong academic school with a long history of athletic prowess, dramatic performances and spectacular art displays. Only recently, however, the music program has really come into its own. The secondary school instrumental music program at CMIS got off to a strong start in 2010, under the leadership of Mr. Chuck Sahagian, when the CMIS Parent Teacher Group (PTG) purchased a variety of musical instruments. Since then, the school has continued to support the program by investing in improved facilities, new equipment, and greater opportunities for students.
Boonthavorn’s Forty Year Legacy
The atrium of the 20,000 square metres Boonthavorn showroom is a lush green open-aired space centred around a lively dancing fountain. It was here that we met Wiwat Thayanuwat, CEO and founder of this colossal and wildly successful home supply business. A spry gentleman in his early seventies, a smiling Wiwat greeted us, offered us refreshments, posed for our photographer, told a staff member to change locations of his favourite Charlie Chaplin mascot to face shoppers, as well as organised the location for our upcoming interview.
John Gallery: intriguing tourists for nearly four decades
Having not ventured out of the states until this summer, I was quickly greeted by an overwhelming wave of culture shock the minute I stepped foot in Chiang Mai. I was overwhelmed by its hectic and stressful traffic, overwhelmed by the amount of food options offered at every corner, and most of all, overwhelmed with the diversity of Chiang Mai while I observed a mix of locals and tourists from all over the world walking the streets going about their day. After I settled into my hotel, I found myself with a full day before I started my summer job writing for Citylife, so I decided to hit the streets to see just how much culture shock I could experience.
Dublin Literary Awards: Kan Jitpakdi-Ryu
Citylife has been hosting the northern chapter of the Junior Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand for 10 years. Each year we send letters out to as many schools as we can in the north asking Thai nationality students between the ages of 14-18 to send us an 800 word essay on a theme which changes annually. This year’s theme was World with No Boundaries. This month we are featuring the essay “World with No Boundary” by 17-year-old Kan Jitpakdi-Ryu, who came third place in the northern regional finals. The winners from central and southern regions competed in Bangkok last month, with the national winner being awarded two return plane tickets to attend the Senior Dublin Literary Awards Ceremony in Dublin, Ireland.
Bring Back Vinyl With NEO Entertainment Gallery
When you hear the words vinyl, record player, or the crackling sounds of yesteryear, you may consider them passé and soon to be obsolete in this digital audio world. Surely these are things you only hear down in your grandparents’ basement or in a museum. You may even reminisce fondly over DJs of the 90s, scratching away over tracks played on minidisks and what not. But did you know that right now, vinyl and record players are making a huge comeback, a format favoured by young and old. Pressing factories are re-opening and a new era of modern and high-tech vinyl is on the rise.
A Permanent Chiang Mai Home for Contemporary Art
This July will see the north of Thailand’s first contemporary art museum opening in Sankampaeng. A fitting home for one of the country’s largest private collections of contemporary art. Chiang Mai has been producing arts and crafts for over 700 years, and for the past few decades, has been home to some of Thailand’s most exciting artists.
Superstar Panda
I’m sure everyone is finally sobering up after this year’s Songkran celebration and looking forward to the peace and quiet that we enjoy so much here in Chiang Mai. However, all of that peace and quiet will have to be put on hold on May 7th when Chiang Mai receives yet another influential Thai DJ into our fair city at what could be one of the most unlikely of venues.
Dublin Literary Awards: Inferno or Paradise? by Natanin Rachapradit
Citylife has been hosting the northern chapter of the Junior Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand for 10 years. Each year we send letters out to as many schools as we can in the north asking Thai nationality students between the ages of 14-18 to send us an 800 word essay on a theme which changes annually. This year’s theme was World with No Boundaries. This month we are featuring the essay “A World with No Boundaries: Inferno or Paradise?” by 17-year-old Natanin Rachapradit from Naresuan University Secondary Demonstration School, who came second place in the northern regional finals.
Dublin Literary Awards: The Fool by Linda Michel
Citylife has been hosting the northern chapter of the Junior Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand for 10 years. Each year we send letters out to as many schools as we can in the north asking Thai nationality students between the ages of 14-18 to send us an 800 word essay on a theme, which changes annually. This year’s theme was ‘A World with No Boundaries’ and the winning essay was written by Linda Michel, 17, of Nakorn Payap Internatoinal School. Her essay was titled The Fool. Over the next two months we will feature the other runners up. Linda won a 10,000 baht cash prize as well as three return plane tickets to Bangkok to attend the national awards ceremony where she competed against winners from the central and southern regions. The national winner, from central Thailand, received two return plane tickets to attend the Senior Dublin Literary Awards Ceremony.
A Podcast Interview of Don Linder, Writer of Award Winning Film The Last Executioner
Chiang Mai resident Don Linder, spent many months interviewing Chavoret Jaruboon, known as Thailand’s Last Executioner, who executed 55 people, including one woman, with a machine gun. Chavoret worked at Bang Kwang Prison in Bangkok and was the last person in the country assigned to perform court-ordered executions by gun before Thailand switched to lethal injection, the method still used today.
Imperial Mae Ping Welcomes Biggles Big Band
Set in the heart of the Night Bazaar, the Imperial Mae Ping sits majestically amongst the bustle on a vast property, attracting tourists and locals alike. The modern Lanna style hotel offers up a fantastic range of facilities, from full service accommodation to multiple dining venues. This month however, on March 11th, Imperial Mae Ping is playing host to something a lot more special.
A Brush of Art Before Bed? The Grand Opening of Art Mai? Gallery Hotel by Compass Hospitality
On the February 13th, Citylife was invited along with hundreds of special guests to enjoy the experience of the exciting Art Mai? Hotel set on soi 3 Nimmanhaemin. If you are an art lover then this is a must-stay hotel for you (rooms come with easels!), but even if you are a simple appreciator, then this hotel will impress.
360 Degrees Different
With a background in architecture and design, 57 year old Yuttana Piyatrakul is a businessman from Chiang Rai who has spent the last few years attempting to innovate architecture. “When famous historical inventors found electricity or invented the car, most thought they were crazy,” he said while introducing his designs. “But now we use them every day — and that is what I am trying to achieve. I want to move the building industry forward. It has been stagnating for years.”