Beam on Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), celebrates the festival with a three-night party featuring international and resident DJs.

It gets off to a start on Friday (April 13) with High Klassified, a Montreal-based hip-hop producer named Kevin Vincent and a member of the hip-hop collective Alaiz Crew. King Khan, aka Khan Thaitanium, Tech 12 and Noxro also take turns manning the deck.

High Klassified’s music is a reflection of his life: every cut meticulously crafted with equal measures of heart and soul to create slowed, deep percussive beauty.

On Saturday (April 14), South Korean DJs take up the relay supported by Mae Happy Air and Patty Your Villain. The Main Room will be home to DJ Bowlcut, one of Seoul’s most prominent champions of energetic lofi house, leftfield, techno and bass music. He is also the chief music director at Seoul Community Radio, Korea’s leading platform for new electronic talent in the country.

For those who like hip-hop and R&B, Didi Hahn will be in the Dalmation Room. Hahn is a rising star and one of the forces behind Pute Deluxe, a music collective that hosts rooftop parties. She’s quickly becoming one of the most exciting selectors in Seoul’s underground, blending hiphop with darkling R&B, house music.

On Sunday (April 15), party with Yeti Out featuring Tom Yeti and Places + Faces. Yeti Out is a creative collective that originated in London in 2010. What started as music curation in nightclubs lead to festival showcases from Hong Kong to Vancouver, working with acts like BBC Radio 1’s Benji B, hiphop legend Young Guru to Jersey Club pioneer DJ Sliink. In Asia, they focus on the Shanghai and Hong Kong’s markets.

Tickets are Bt800 for three days with three drinks and Bt300 for one day with one drink available at http://www.TicketMelon.com/event/beamclub and at the door.

For more information and reservations, call (02)392 7750.

Sway, at Arena 10 in Thonglor Soi 10, hosts a “Sway Dry Songkran 2018” from Thursday through April 16. DJs Ehh Kay from Canada, T-Double E, Nutt Jumper, Golfindro, Tony B, Knatz, Nartee, MC Plato, and MC Diamond T as well as special guest DJs Bomber Selecta and DJ B will be in charge. Find out more at (02) 711 6052.

The Club Khaosan takes over from the water fights with a Songkran Gone Wild party from Friday to Sunday featuring South Korean DJs Siena, Aster and Sura.

Check it out by calling (094) 184 3189.

Snail Thonglor also goes for a Splash Down Songkran 2018 from Thursday through Monday with DJs Foam Berry, Tong Apollo, Benz, Startron, Tony Black, Dear Rerox, Ketchupboyz, Henri, Mongkiiz, Pyper, Underdog, Ruffianboy, T Double E Bangkok Invaders, Emergency, Axess, Poom and Indent Knatz, among others.

Tickets are Bt600 for two drinks on April 12 and 14, Bt400 for two drinks on April 13 and 15, and Bt35,000 for VVIP stage table per day.

Make a booking at (062) 589 9292.

Insanity Nightclub on Sukhumvit Soi 12 offers three days of three styles from Friday through Sunday at 10pm. The first is Furoshus & Q Hypeman from LMFAO, the two showmen spinning a few classic LMFAO and Redfoo hits as well as a mix of house, trap, hip-hop and pop.

On Saturday, Bonka, the Queensland’s DJ duo, will rock the floor while on Sunday, Cameroon-born, Australia-based DJ Charly T spins a mix of Afro beats, hip-hop, reggaetone and EDM.

Admission is Bt500 or Bt600 with one drink. Call (02) 653 2923.

The Chalermraj big band conducted by National Artist Wirach Yoothaworn will back up pianist Pom Autobahn, saxophonist Pusit Laithong, guitarist Jirapan Ansvananda and singers Patranit “Meiji KPN” Petooriyawet, Pasakorn “Spy” Rungrueangdechaphat, Natcha “Fangkhao The Voice 2” Jittanon and Namfah Kaewrattanasripho.

On the set list are favourites including “I Think of You”, “Secret Love”, “The Girl from Ipanema”, “Orange Coloured Sky” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”. Seats cost Bt700 and Bt1,000 at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3456.

Hose down a TV star

Actor Prama “Punjan” Imanotai, who plays Muen Ruang Rajabhakdi on the hit Channel 3 period drama “Buppesannivas”, will be getting wet at Water Festival 2018 at Asiatique The Riverfront from April 13 to 15. Drenching him will be Polycat, 60 Miles and Image the Voice.

Learn more at http://www.WaterFestivalThailand.com and the Facebook page.

Together we dance

DJs Hardwell, Alan Walker, Marshmello, GTA, Carnage, Gold Fish, Martin Solveig and Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano will be taking turns lining up the EDM tracks at the Together Festival at Bitec in Bang Na on May 4 and 5. Grab a pass at http://www.TogetherFestival.net or http://www.TicketMelon.com.

About that panther

Rock band Retrospect will be putting on a concert called “Heart of the Panther” at Live Park on Rama IX Road on April 21. Yes, it has something to do with a prominent businessman being accused of hunting and killing a big cat in a wildlife sanctuary. Part of the proceeds will go to the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

Get a ticket for Bt1,300 at http://www.Eventpop.me and more information at http://www.RetrospectRock.com.

Luk thung summit in Korat

Record label Rsiam is putting its luk thung singers Bew Kanlayanee, Baitoey, Kratae, Luangkai, Nui Suweena, Off Dokfah and Bew Pongpipat onstage at the Lee Wattana Market in Nakhon Si Thammarat on April 7. It’ll be broadcast on “The Big Show” on Sabaidee TV Channel 141.

It is an undeniable fact that BNK48 – Thailand’s answer to Japan’s hugely successful girl group AKB48 – is leading the hottest new trend in music in the Land of Smiles. They’re garnering so much attention that it’s pulling the industry out of its stagnant soup and injecting some life into it again.

“Idol girl groups” are suddenly all the rage here, even if they’ve been popular in Japan and South Korea for years. BNK48 have some catching up to do, but they made mighty strides at last week’s twin soldout “Starto” concerts at Bitec in Bang Na.

Each of the shows pulled in 5,000 otaku, to borrow something else from Japan. That’s the term for people with obsessive interests.

The hustle began outside before the concerts, where hundreds of otaku – especially young guys, not surprisingly – formed a long queue to buy BNK48 merchandise. There were T-shirts screened with “Starto” and “BNK48”, baseball caps, key chains, wristbands, penlights and campus cards, and there was a spot nearby designating for trading and selling the stuff you’ve already collected.

Some of this stuff fetches amazingly high prices. Three sets of six early photos of band member Jan could be had for Bt20,000. A complete set of six rare early photos of Cherprang were going for Bt30,000. If the Cherprang pictures were autographed, you’re looking at Bt300,000.

Should that sound overpriced, check out the sales tags on some of the key chains and pins. There’s a lot of variation in the prices, though, because, let’s face it, the ladies of BNK48 are not equally popular.

The packed concert hall had separate segments for people who’d paid for seats and those who were happy to stay standing (and dancing). More than 5,000 purple light sticks starting waving around as a roar went up with the appearance onstage of the BNK48 “A-list” of 16 senbatsu.

These were the frontwomen, to coin a word, the 16 members selected to sing on the “A” side of singles and hog the limelight in public. Cherprang is the band’s “captain” and led Tarwaan, Pun, Orn, Kaew, Jan, Jennis, Pupe, Kaimook, Mobile, Namneung, Jane, Satchan, Jaa, Music and Noey through a rousing rendition of “Shonichi” (“Wan Raek”).

Then 10 “undergirls” (their term this time) joined the senbatsu onstage. These are the ones from the B-side of the singles, such as “Aitakata” (“Yak Cha Dai Phop Ther”), which figured on the soundtrack of “Shoot! I Love You” from Project S the Series, and “Oogoe Diamond” (“Kor Chob Hai Roo Wa Chob”).

They whipped through these, produced a surprise birthday cake for Kaew and sang “Namida Surprise”, and finished off with a weepy Pun reading a heart-wrenching letter. The lyrics in part go “Happy birthday, it is your birthday cake. Pray and blow out your candles, then enjoy your party!”

After all that intensity, the 26 members of the group needed a break from singing, so they took turns introducing themselves, as if the otaku had no idea who each and every one of them were. The girls use “catchphrases” by way of introduction. Each has an individual set of words and gestures designed to get the fans frenzied.

The music resumed with “Party ga Hjimaru yo” (“Party Dai Rerm Khuen Laew”), “Dear My Teacher” and “Doku Ringo wo Tabesasete” (“Apple Arb Yapis”).

“Dear My Teacher” isn’t exactly a respectful tribute to educators. It hints at a forbidden sexual relationship between teacher and student, over which the student ends up needing some consolation.

Girls being girls, they danced and flicked up their skirts for “Skirt, Hirari” and then settled down for more schooling in “Classmate”.

Enthusiastic applause and screams greeted Kaew as she sat at the piano to play “Anata to Christmas Eve” and again after she sang a duet with Tarwaan.

Jennis, Music and Noey wore glittering gold sack dresses for the sexy phrasing of “Kiss wa Dame yo”, and Kaimook, Korn, Orn and Cherprang did “Hoshi no Ondo” (“Unhapoom Khong Duangdao”).

The reassembled BNK48 next performed “Aozora no Soba ni Ite” (“Fah See Khram”) and “Sakura no Hanabiratachi”. Cherprang explained that the latter was perfect for saying farewell to members as they departed after graduation.

The screams hit a crescendo at the first few notes of the hit “Koisuru Fortune Cookie”. BNK48 showed off the dance style called onigiri – it involves a hand motion that looks like you’re patting rice together and rolling it into balls. And they followed that up with their self-titled anthem. “BNK48” doubles as a bit of Thai tourism promotion. Then came “365 Nichi no Kamihikouki” (“365 Day Kap Khruangbin Kradat”) – and “River”, a new track being performed live for first time.

Repeated shouts of “BNK, BNK, BNK” got the girls back onstage for an encore, which turned out to be another round of “Koisuru Fortune Cookie”, but this time everyone in the place was ready to dance the onigiri with them.

Sebo K launched his DJ career in early-90s Berlin playing on the city’s first UK-style breakbeat and Jungle nights. By the middle of the decade Sebo K had fallen under the spell of state-side artists like Mood II Swing and Boo Williams and his growing love for Chicago and NYC House began to reveal itself within his club appearances throughout the city.

Sebo K has been a resident DJ for internationally renowned Berlin club Watergate since 2002. Through his own Scenario nights that take place in clubs all over Europe and his relentless international touring schedule, a growing legion of fans both close to home and further afield has been captivated by his unique mix of the old and the new.

Instant classic tracks like “Rancho Relaxo” with Anja Schneider, “Diva”, “Moved” featuring Prosumer and his Remixes for Nina Kraviz have established him as a producer and in 2015 he started his own vinyl only label Scenario Music.

He’ll be supported at Glow by Andrea. Entry is Bt350 including one drink.

For more information and table reservations, call (086) 614 3355.

Zinc first became known with 1995’s hip-hop/jungle fusion “Super Sharp Shooter” and went on to produce drum and bass, breakbeat and more recently UK garage, house music and bassline.

His career as a DJ and producer follows the evolution of hardcore from its house roots through ragga and hip hop-styled hardstep. A long-time host of pirate radio stations, including Rinse fm while it was a pirate, he was one of the first drum and bass producers to score with the 2-step garage market courtesy of his 1999 single, “138 Trek”.

His productions have been relatively popular outside the drum and bass scene, most notably in the breaks genre under the pseudonym Jammin.

He was worked as part of the Ganja Kru and True Playaz collectives, often in association with DJ Hype and ran the Bingo Beats record label, which released both drum and bass and breaks records from 2002 to 2008. In 2011, Zinc collaborated with A-Trak to release “Stingray”.

Pichy & Tul, DJ Dragon and DeLorean provide the support for the gig, which gets underway at 9.

For more information and table reservations, call (088) 419 7380.

The 79-year-old singer, best known for the hits “Lady” and “The Gambler,” has been “working through a series of health challenges,” his management said in a statement.

“His doctors fully expect the outcome to be great, but they have advised him to cancel all performances through the end of the year to focus on recuperation,” it said.

Rogers, whose easygoing ballads have won him a fan base well beyond the country world, spent much of the past two years on a tour that culminated in a star-studded farewell concert in October in Nashville.

He scrapped dates that were to include two nights at the Beacon Theatre in New York and an appearances at the Stagecoach country festival in California.

“I didn’t want to take forever to retire,” Rogers said in the statement.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to say farewell to fans over the course of the past two years,” he said, adding that he could “never properly thank them for the encouragement and support they’ve given me throughout my career.”

The Texas-born singer came to prominence through his collaborations with Dolly Parton and his appearances on film and television programs, especially “The Muppet Show.”

He has found mainstream appeal by bringing rockabilly and jazz touches to his light country songs, as well as by recording popular renditions of Christmas favorites.

Rogers, who has been married five times, said when announcing the final tour that he wanted to spend more time with his family including twin sons who are now 13.

While primarily active in the United States, he is the namesake of a chicken restaurant chain that remains active in Asia and the Middle East after closing down at home.