Thailand has been a destination for Asian artists looking to expand their markets. From J-rock to K-pop, fans in Bangkok have been able to listen to their fill. Rock band Slot Machine wants this to be a two-way conversation and the members say they'll begin it this year by being the first Thai band to play a major stage at Fuji Rock Festival.
"We are so proud of that," lead singer Karinyawat Durongjirakan says in the group's dressing room following a show in Bangkok's spacious Muang Thai GMM Live House, situated on top of the world's sixth largest shopping mall. "We want to make the audience go, 'Wow, this is from Thailand! This is what Thai people can do?' "
Slot Machine's Sunday morning set at the Red Marquee stage is part of a bigger push. Already one of the biggest rock bands in Thailand, Slot Machine will also plays festivals in Taiwan and South Korea this month. The band has just released an album called "Spin The World," a collection that lays out its international intentions. It's sung in English and, in a move Korean groups have used to great success, features production from a seasoned Western name — Steve Lillywhite, who has worked with groups such as U2 and The Rolling Stones.
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