Thursday evening I went to a Carabao concert near my home in
Mae Jo. Think of a blend of Santana, The
Eagles, and Buckwheat Zydeco and you’ll have an idea of how their music sounds.
We went to the concert in typical Thai style: eight people on three motor bikes. There was plenty of food and alcohol
available before and during the show.
Drugs are a no-no and will land you in trouble pronto. It was great fun and the weather was perfect,
maybe 60F, with lots of dancing – Thai style – which is much more loosey-goosey
than dancing styles in the US. If you
are ever in Thailand and have a chance to attend one of their concerts, do it!
From Wikipedia: Carabao are a Thai rock band which is
very popular in Thailand and other Asian countries. The group was formed in 1981 by university students
Yuenyong Opakul (Aed) and Kirati Promsaka Na Sakon Nakhon (Keo or Khiao) who
met while studying at Mapúa Institute of Technology in the Philippines.
The word carabao is Tagalog
meaning "buffalo", a symbol of fighting, hard work, and patience.
They are known for their Phleng phuea chiwit or 'songs for life'. This kind of music came to prominence through the protest songs of the
1970s political upheaval in Thailand, especially from the band Caravan. Carabao have blended the acoustic/folk
style of 'peua chiwit' with other forms of Thai music,
western rock and country music, and various kinds of world music like Latin music and reggae,
earning such labels as 'ethnic rockers' and 'Kings of 3Cha.'
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| Some of our group, including my friend Sohm, his wife, two youngest sons, niece, and myself. |
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| More people from our group. |
You can find links to Carabao's music on YouTube.
