The event, which contributed to the introduction of “Best of” in the music industry, is, as always, being run by Thiwa Sarajutha, the long-time editor of Season Magazine.

Smallroom’s Greasy Cafe and The Richman Toy have swept the nominations, each winning nods in four categories. Greasy Cafe is nominated for Best Male Artist while his two songs, “Pa Tid Pa Tor” and “9” from his latest album “Technicolor”, are up for Best Song, Best Recordings as well as Best Album. The country-rock band, meanwhile, is nominated for Best Duo or Group and the songs, “Rak Doo” and “Bin Thalalom” from “Tawan Lia Tood”, for Best Song, Best Recordings as well as Best Album.

The Richman Toy

Eight artists and bands could also win recognition, namely: Hugo, Pae Arak and The Pisat Band, Over Me, Slot Machine, Big Ass, Lomosonic, West of East, and Zero Hero. Rockers Big Ass, currently celebrating 20 years of success, could pull a triple, just as it did in the “Guitar Mag Awards 2018” last month.

Nominees for Best Instrumental this year are interesting. “Hope the Flowers” is Narongrit Ittipolnavakul’s solo project with instrumental songs in his post-punk style. He used music therapy to relieve his depression, and while his compositions are melancholy, they also convey hope. “Loneliness” is one of six nominees for Best Instrumental.

PC 0832/676 and Roxy, two bands from Chiang Mai, are also nominated for Best Instrumental. PC 0832/676 is an instrumental band playing a melting pot of post rock, math rock and jazz music, and gets the nod for “La Vitesse” and “Departed”, while Roxy, another instrumental outfit that focuses on alternative rock and fusion, is nominated for “Water 7” and “Handsome Jack.”

The award presentation ceremony takes place Grand Ballroom of Swissotel Le Concorde Bangkok tonight (April 18) at 6.

The nominees in the 11 categories of the 29th Season Awards are:

Natthawut “Max” Jenmana

Best Male Artist

Natthawut “Max” Jenmana, “Let There Be Light”

Tosaporn “Sin” Achawanuntakul, “Homepop”

Greasy Cafe, “Technicolor”

Hugo, “Dam Sanit”

Naake Thanapakkunladej, “Past Tense”

Rasmee Wayrana

Best Female Artist

Rasmee Wayrana, “Arom”

Nanthida Kaewbuasai, “17”

Mueanfun Manoonphol, “Mueanfun”

Ornaree Chularatana, “Un Jour”

Best Duo or Group

The Richman Toy, “Tawan Lia Tood”

Monomania, “Before the Dawn”

Pae Arak and The Pisat Band, “Wood and Steel”

Jetset’er, “Magic Moment”

Over Me, “Anatomy”

Slot Machine, “Spin the World”

Best Rock Group

Big Ass, “The Lion”

Lomosonic, “Anti-Gravity”

West of East, “Western Music on Eastern Player”

Zero Hero, “Hua Khamoy”

Adrenaline, “Psychopaths”

Best New Artist

West of East, “Western Music on Eastern Player”

Jelly Rocket, “Lucid Dream”

Bomb at Track, “Bomb at Track”

Tilly Birds, “Tilly Birds”

Coconut Sunday, “When the Night Seems So Long..”

Beatboyz Bangkok, “Beatboyz Bangkok”

Best Album

“Spin the World”, Slot Machine

“Dam Sanit”, Hugo

“Tawan Lia Tood”, The Richman Toy

“Technicolor”, Greasy Cafe

“Before the Dawn”, Monomania

Best Rock Album

“The Lion”, Big Ass

“Anti-Gravity”, Lomosonic

“Western Music on Eastern Player”, West of East

“Hua Khamoy”, Zero Hero

“Psychopaths”, Adrenaline

Best Song

“Dam Sanit”, Hugo

“Roi”, Pae Arak and The Pisat Band

“Sing Diew”, Over Me

“Rak Doo”, The Richman Toy

“Pa Tid Pa Tor”, Greasy Cafe

“Wan Nueng Chan Dern Khao Pa”, Natthawut “Max” Jenmana

Best Recordings

“Bin Thalalom”, The Richman Toy

“9”, Greasy Cafe

“Chan Oak Pai Ten Kap Pleng Thi Mai Khid Ja Fang”, Pae Arak and The Pisat Band

“Manut Muang”, Beatboyz Bangkok

“Sak Wan”, Natapol Srichomkwan

“Dek Phuying”, Rasmee Wayrana

Best Rock Song

“Jaruad”, Slot Machine

“Mai Kheed Fai”, Big Ass

“Sep Som Lom Hai Jai”, West of East

“Kaen Rak Asornrapit”, Lomosonic

“Na Sao Thong”, Zero Hero

“Yuenyan”, Over Me

Best Instrumental

“Loneliness”, Hope the Flowers

“La Vitesse”, PC 0832/676

“Departed”, PC 0832/676

“Running on Faith”, Naake Thanapakkunladej

“Water 7”, Foxy

“Handsome Jack”, Foxy

“Italian Grand Weekend: Vivere all’Italiana – Smooth Lifestyle, Urban Glamour, Live Music” is the wordy title of the event in the Fashion Hall that will also feature great Italian food and beverages, including coffee that absolutely has to be tried.

A woman barista will be on duty turning cups of coffee into works of art.

Italian Ambassador Francesco Saverio Nisio will officially open the festivities on Friday at 6pm.

“Italy and Thailand have enjoyed long and cordial relations in terms of diplomacy, trade and cultural exchange,” he said this week.

“Music is an excellent medium to strengthen friendship and relations, regardless of the genre. And to highlight the cordial friendship and thriving cultural collaboration between two countries, we are delighted to present live performances by Slivovitz, a jazz group that is famous both at home in Italy and all over Europe.

“The Embassy of Italy in Thailand would like to thank Siam Paragon and Thai Airways for their continual support.”

Siam Paragon Development senior executive vice president Mayuree Chaipromprasith said the mall’s operators are “determined to create various special experiences for our patrons” and this weekend is planned “to further strengthen diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“Slivovitz will be playing their renditions of the compositions of His Majesty King Bhumibol, including ‘Love at Sundown’ and ‘HM Blues’, as well as timeless international hits such as ‘Fly Me to the Moon’, with vocals by Vitchayanee ‘Gam’ Pearkin.

“The festival also highlights ‘latte art’ as created by a talented barista, and we’ll have many noted Italian products to taste and buy.”

Slivovitz, founded in 2001, are known for melding Eastern and Western musical traditions. They’ve performed at Umbria Jazz, Mittel Fest, Young Jazz in Foligno, Teano Jazz and many such events, and in Berlin, Barcelona, Austria, at the Sziget Festival in Budapest, and in Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.

Their latest live album, “Liver”, was released this year on the Italian label Sound Fly.

Riccardo Villari plays acoustic and electric violin, Salvatore Rainone the drums, Marcello Giannini electric and acoustic guitar, Pietro Santangelo the tenor, alto and soprano saxophone, Vincenzo Lamagna the bass, Derek Di Perri the harmonica and Ciro Riccardi the trumpet.

Catch them free of charge Friday through Sunday at 4pm and 5.30pm.

The Toronto artist posted on Instagram a picture of himself with his back to the camera sporting a jacket that read “Scorpion” and “June 2018.”

Drake, who separately put out a picture of a necklace with a scorpion pendant, did not reveal an exact release date or other details.

He has often played with the traditional album format, instead putting out sprawling song collections marketed as mixtapes.

But one consistency in his prodigious output has been commercial achievement.

His song “God’s Plan” topped the US singles chart for 11 weeks — until being dethroned Monday by another of his songs, “Nice for What.”

His latest song was streamed in the United States more than 60 million times and downloaded 88,000 times in the week through Thursday, tracking service Nielsen Music said.

Drake, 31, has roots as a rapper but has increasingly gone in a pop direction and incorporated the infectious beats of Jamaican dancehall, most notably on his hit “One Dance,” which is the second most-streamed song ever on Spotify.

Patiparn “Mos” Patavekarn and Tata Young will share the stage at Impact Arena for “20th Mos-Tata” on April 21, their first professional get-together since the 1997 joint album “Mos & Tata”. They’ll be performing hits such as “Duay Rak Lae Platoo”, “I Believe”, “Rob Kuan Ma Rak Kan” and “Rak Kan Loei”.

Seats cost Bt1,200 to Bt4,000 at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3456.

Stick with the Script

Irish rock band the Script, who’ve shipped more than 29 million records, will be at Impact Arena on April 28, playing tracks from their latest album, “Freedom Child” along with older favourites.

Seats cost Bt2,000 to Bt4,000 at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3456.

Nu’est kids on the block

South Korean quartet Nu’est W, fresh from an appearance on the survival reality show “Produce 101”, want to “Double You in Bangkok” at the Impact Thunder Dome on April 28. The Nu’est subgroup’s debut EP “W, Here”, has sold more than 200,000 copies.

Seats cost Bt1,800 to Bt5,800 at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3456.

Bodyslam play for PSU

Prince of Songkhla University is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a concert at the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne International Convention Centre in Hat Yai on April 29. The lineup includes Bodyslam, Palitchoke “Peck” Ayanaputra and the PSU Chorus.

Seats cost Bt1,050 to Bt5,050 at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3456.

Bruno’s back from Mars

Grammy-winning singer Bruno Mars is returning to Thailand after a four-year absence with a pair of shows at Impact Arena on April 30 and May 1, part of his “24k Magic World Tour”.

Seats cost Bt3,500 to Bt8,500 at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3456.

London-born and raised, the multi-instrumentalist is known for true dance vibes that display a pop sensibility.

His debut release “Fast Car”, featuring talented young singer Dakota, is a certified global smash, achieving multi-platinum status with nearly five million units sold and 450 million streams on all platforms. The video has clocked 140 million YouTube views.

Remaining in the Top 5 in the UK for a sixth consecutive week, “Perfect Strangers” has amassed 3.2 million UK weekly streams and 330,000 daily UK plays, making the track No 4 on the UK Spotify Chart.

Jonas has also remixed tracks for the likes of Birdy and Coldplay.

Currently making his mark with spectacular sets at the renowned Ushuaia Club in Ibiza, this summer saw Jonas play to millions of people at some of Europe’s most illustrious gatherings, such as Tomorrowland and the V Festival.

Tickets are Bt800. Call (082) 308 3246 or (095) 248 3897.

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.