Wonderfruit is an annual gathering that explores wonder through art, culture, music, and nature taking place at The Fields at Siam Country Club, outside
Pattaya
Pattaya ( th, พัทยา, , ) is a city in Thailand. It is on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about southeast of Bangkok, within, but not part of, Bang Lamung district in the province of Chonburi province, Chonburi. Pattaya City ( ...
in
Chonburi Province
Chonburi (, , ) is a province of Thailand (''changwat'') located in eastern Thailand. Its capital is also named Chonburi. Neighbouring provinces are (clockwise from north) Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, and Rayong, while the Bay of Bangkok is to ...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. With an emphasis on experiences that explore the relationship between the mind and nature, the event features a farm, musical performances, art and architectural installations, talks, workshops, wellness activities, and feasts by renowned chefs. The event was launched in December 2014, produced by Thai-based production company Scratch First; the second iteration expanded from three to four days and took place a year later. Wonderfruit 2016 was originally scheduled for 15–18 December 2016. Due to a period of mourning in Thailand following the passing of His Majesty
King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; (Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Great ...
, however, it was postponed to 16–19 February 2017.
Wonderfruit returned later that year for its fourth iteration in its usual winter position over 14 to 17 December 2017.
December 2018 saw the event move a kilometre east of the original site, to a larger, more topographically diverse space; the fifth edition took place from 13 to 16 December 2018.
The sixth edition of Wonderfruit was staged from 12 to 16 December 2019, with a program stretching from midday Thursday 12 December to the afternoon of Monday 16 December, effectively spanning 99 hours without breaks. The festival announced it would return for its seventh year from 10 to 14 December 2020, before announcing a 12-month postponement to an undisclosed date in December 2021 due to travel restrictions and social distancing measures caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
The COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). Thailand was the first country to report a case outside China, on 13 January ...
. In lieu of a full gathering due to border closures, Wonderfruit created a smaller, localised event targeting domestic audiences in Thailand: Moobaan Wonder. The revised event was scheduled to be held across five weekends in December 2020 and January 2021, but ultimately ended after just two weekends following a resurgence of COVID-19 inside the country.
Notable musical acts have included
Richie Hawtin
Richard "Richie" Hawtin (born June 4, 1970) is a British-Canadian electronic musician and DJ. He became involved with Detroit techno's second wave in the early 1990s, and has been a leading exponent of minimal techno since the mid-1990s. He becam ...
,
Roots Manuva
Rodney Hylton Smith, better known by his stage name Roots Manuva (born 9 September 1972), is a British rapper and producer. Since his debut in 1994, he has produced numerous albums and singles on the label Big Dada, achieving commercial succes ...
,
Izzy Bizu
Isobel Bizu Beardshaw (born 28 April 1994), better known as Izzy Bizu, is an English-Ethiopian singer-songwriter signed to Epic Records. Bizu has garnered mainstream radio support from BBC Radio 1's Annie Mac and Phil Taggart and BBC Radio 1Xtr ...
,
Wild Beasts
Wild Beasts were an English indie rock band, formed in 2002 in Kendal. They released their first single, "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants", on Bad Sneakers Records in November 2006, and subsequently signed to Domino Records. They have rele ...
,
Lianne La Havas
Lianne Charlotte Barnes (born 23 August 1989), known professionally as Lianne La Havas ( ), is a British singer-songwriter and record producer. Her career began after being introduced to various musicians, including singer Paloma Faith, for who ...
,
Rudimental
Rudimental are a British drum and bass band, signed to Asylum Records, Atlantic Records and Black Butter Records. The band consists of Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden and Leon "Locksmith" Rolle.
They were nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2013, and ...
,
Young Fathers
Young Fathers are a Scottish band based in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2014, they won the Mercury Prize for their album ''Dead''.
History
Formed in Edinburgh in 2008 by Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and Graham 'G' Hastings, the group starte ...
,
De La Soul
De La Soul () is an American hip hop trio formed in 1988 in the Amityville area of Long Island, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative ...
,
Woodkid
Yoann Lemoine (; born 16 March 1983), known professionally as Woodkid, is a French music video director, graphic designer and singer-songwriter. His most notable works include his music video direction for Katy Perry's " Teenage Dream", Taylor S ...
,
Little Dragon
Little Dragon are a Swedish electronic music band from Gothenburg, Sweden, formed in 1996. The band consists of Yukimi Nagano (vocals, percussion), Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrik Wallin (bass) and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards).
Little Dragon's ...
,
José González,
Seth Troxler
Seth Troxler is an American DJ and record producer from Lake Orion, Michigan. His DJ work focuses on house and techno, while he has produced on the Wolf + Lamb, Crosstown Rebels and Circus Company labels, collaborating with artists Art Departmen ...
,
Fat Freddy’s Drop
Fat Freddy's Drop is a New Zealand seven-piece band from Wellington, whose musical style has been characterised as any combination of dub, reggae, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and techno. Originally a jam band formed in the late 1990s by mus ...
,
Submotion Orchestra,
Chris Levine
Chris Levine (born 1960) is a UK-based artist, working in the field of light art.
Chris Levine is a light artist with a multi-disciplinary approach that harnesses a diverse array of technology with the intention of revealing the ways in which l ...
x
Jon Hopkins
Jonathan Julian Hopkins (born 15 August 1979) is an English musician and producer who writes and performs electronic music. He began his career playing keyboards for Imogen Heap, and has produced but also contributed to albums by Brian Eno, Co ...
(the iy_project),
The Faint
The Faint is an American indie rock band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, the band consists of Todd Fink, Graham Ulicny, Dapose and Clark Baechle. The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer and included Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes, with whom T ...
,
Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of Kazu Makino (vocals, keys/rhythm guitar) and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace (drums/keys and lead guitar/bass/keys/vocals, respectively) that formed in New York City in 1993. ...
,
Goldie
Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is a British music producer and DJ.
Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musician in th ...
,
Four Tet
Kieran Hebden (born September 1977), known as Four Tet, is an English electronic musician. He came to prominence as a member of the post-rock band Fridge before establishing himself as a solo artist with charting UK albums such as '' Rounds'' ( ...
,
Floating Points
Sam Shepherd, known professionally as Floating Points, is a British electronic music producer, DJ, and musician. He is the founder of Pluto Records, co-founder of Eglo Records and leader of a 16-piece group called Floating Points Ensemble.
Bi ...
,
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol by Robert "3D" Del Naja, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws, Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall.
The debut Massive Attack album ''Blue Lines'' was release ...
's
Daddy G
Grantley Evan Marshall (born 18 December 1959), also known by the stage name Daddy G, is a British DJ and a founding member of the band Massive Attack.
Biography
Born in Bristol to West Indian parents, Marshall joined the Bristol music scen ...
,
Busy P
Pedro Winter (born Pierre Winter; 21 April 1975), also known by the stage name Busy P, is a French record producer, DJ, record label owner, and former artist manager. After being the manager of Daft Punk from 1996 to 2008,[Breakbot
Thibaut Jean-Marie Michel Berland (born October 5, 1981), known professionally as Breakbot, is a French musician, record producer and a DJ who has been signed with Ed Banger Records since May 2009.
Career
Breakbot studied at Supinfocom, a compu ...]
, Acid Pauli and
Nightmares on Wax
George Evelyn (born 15 January 1970), better known by his stage name Nightmares on Wax or DJ E.A.S.E., is an English DJ and record producer from Leeds. His music has been released by Warp Records. He is based in Ibiza. Nightmares on Wax were or ...
. Controversy was caused in the first two years with no-shows from billed performers
Chet Faker
Nicholas James Murphy (born 23 June 1988), known professionally as Chet Faker, is an Australian singer and songwriter. In 2012, as Chet Faker, he issued an extended play, '' Thinking in Textures'', and signed to Downtown Records in the United S ...
(2014) and Yasiin Bey aka
Mos Def
Yasiin Bey (; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), previously and more commonly known by his stage name Mos Def (), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. His hip hop career began in 1994, alongside his siblings in the s ...
(2015).
In addition to music, the event places significant emphasis on art and culture. The event features projects like Musicity, which, together with the music historian Nick Luscombe, reinterprets the sounds of Bangkok's most iconic spaces and landmarks, and Wild Minds, a series of guided meditative soundscapes by Howie Bee that looks to unlock the inner qualities of the mind. There are numerous site-specific installations representing Wonderfruit’s ethos on-site as well.
Significant sustainable architecture projects have been contributed by Ab Rogers from Ab Rogers Design in the UK, who designed and built a communal dining hall called Theatre Of Feasts and a natural onsen called Bath House. Adam Pollina worked on several builds across the site over the years, and Gregg Fleishman returns annually with a new iteration of a geometrical structure called Solar Stage. That said, regional designers and architects are featured more prominently in The Fields, such as Boonserm Premthada who often works with materials like elephant dung, and MPD Studio, a design team known for their impressive use on bamboo for concepts.
A design competition held in 2019 saw designers, architects and creators from all over the world submit ideas for a sustainable pavilion. Alongside architectural design, local and regional artists' thoughtful art installations make up much of The Fields' aesthetic.
History
Wonderfruit was created by founder Pranitan “Pete” Phornprapha with Thai musician and co-founder Montonn “Jay” Jira in an effort to bring the festival experience to Thailand, with an emphasis on arts and awareness.
The son of the founder of Think Earth, Pete was inspired by the environmental projects of his father’s organization but wanted to merge fun with social responsibility, and to solve environmental problems in a relevant, contemporary way.
He aimed to combine quality curation and social interaction in a platform that could engage audiences.
Pillars
In 2014 and 2015, Wonderfruit was structured around six "pillars": Arts, Music, Farm to Feasts, Health & Wellness, Talks & Workshops and Natural Adventures.
In 2016, Wonderfruit announced a slight alteration the original list: Music, Arts, Family, Farm to Feasts, Wellness & Adventures, Talks & Workshops. In 2018, the pillars became Music, Art & Architecture, Family, Farm to Feasts, Talks & Workshops, and Wellness.
Moobaan Wonder
Following the postponement of Wonderfruit 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic in Thailand, Wonderfruit management announced a separate, local-targeted event in the same grounds as Wonderfruit. The new event, called Moobaan Wonder (Moobaan/หมู่บ้าน is the Thai-language term for 'village'), was scheduled to take place over five weekends in December 2020 and January 2021. The event was billed as "A season-long village festival celebrating Thai art, culture, and nature". Each weekend was to be open from mid-afternoon Friday to late in the night on Sunday.
Moobaan Wonder began with the first weekend from December 4–6, 2020, and concluded the following weekend from December 11–13, 2020. The remaining three weekends were unable to proceed due to a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand and subsequent social distancing measures implemented by the regional authorities of Chonburi, where the event was being held.
In a post to Facebook on December 20, 2020, Wonderfruit initially indicated that the final weekend of the event would go ahead at a postponed date. By February 10, 2021, the event was unable to be postponed and the remaining weekend was cancelled.
The two staged weekends of the event featured performances by local musicians, including Dogwhine, DOTT,
Hugo
Hugo or HUGO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese
* Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback
* Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on a ...
, Koish, Kota Taki, Marmosets, Mighty NP, Sarayu, Sunju Hargun, Supersonic, Takamichi, Tiffany's Show Pattaya, Burin Boonvisut, Looktoong Trio feat. Singto Numchok and Surachai Sombatcharoen, Pichy, Rabbitdisco, Sabai Sabai Radio, Slum Disco Soundsystem, The Jukks, Transport, Venn, Wong Echo, Twopee Southside, and Yellow Fang.
Art, architecture, food, family activities, and workshops featured heavily in the Moobaan Wonder program.
Line-up 2019
Music
International artists included
Four Tet
Kieran Hebden (born September 1977), known as Four Tet, is an English electronic musician. He came to prominence as a member of the post-rock band Fridge before establishing himself as a solo artist with charting UK albums such as '' Rounds'' ( ...
,
Floating Points
Sam Shepherd, known professionally as Floating Points, is a British electronic music producer, DJ, and musician. He is the founder of Pluto Records, co-founder of Eglo Records and leader of a 16-piece group called Floating Points Ensemble.
Bi ...
, Acid Pauli,
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol by Robert "3D" Del Naja, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws, Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall.
The debut Massive Attack album ''Blue Lines'' was release ...
's
Daddy G
Grantley Evan Marshall (born 18 December 1959), also known by the stage name Daddy G, is a British DJ and a founding member of the band Massive Attack.
Biography
Born in Bristol to West Indian parents, Marshall joined the Bristol music scen ...
,
The Turbans
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
, Antal, Alfa Mist,
Craig Richards,
Gidge,
Photay, Sarathy Korwar, and
Brushy One String
Andrew Chin, better known by the stage name Brushy One String, is a Jamaican singer and bassist.
Early life
Andrew Chin is the son of Jamaican reggae singer Freddie McKay. According to Chin, the idea of playing a guitar with a single string ...
. Stages and time slots were offered to record labels and other festival brands as 'takeovers', wherein the operator of the takeover selected the musical performances for the venue or time. Notable takeovers included
Ed Banger Records
Ed Banger Records (sometimes referred to as Ed Rec) is a French electronic music record label founded by Pedro Winter in 2003 as a division of Headbangers Entertainment. It focuses on house music, particularly French house, as well as alternati ...
' curation of the Forbidden Fruit stage with
Busy P
Pedro Winter (born Pierre Winter; 21 April 1975), also known by the stage name Busy P, is a French record producer, DJ, record label owner, and former artist manager. After being the manager of Daft Punk from 1996 to 2008,[Breakbot
Thibaut Jean-Marie Michel Berland (born October 5, 1981), known professionally as Breakbot, is a French musician, record producer and a DJ who has been signed with Ed Banger Records since May 2009.
Career
Breakbot studied at Supinfocom, a compu ...]
& Irfane,
Myd, and Yasmin; ZudRangMa Records' takeover of Neramit stage with local and regional world and soul performers; Rainbow Disco Club's takeover of the Forbidden Fruit stage with Japanese artists; a Red Bull 3Style turntablist showcase at SOT stage; and local DJs playing alongside
Colleen "Cosmo" Murphy as part of 'God Save The Queer'—an LGBT-friendly party hosted by Bangkok
ball
A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used f ...
group Go Grrrls and Korean queer club night Shade Seoul. Local performers at the event included DABOYWAY,
Chalermpol Malakham
Chalermpol Malakham (also written Malakam, th, เฉลิมพล มาลาคำ) (b. 10 October 1962 in Surin Province — ), is a singer from the Isan area of Thailand. Known mostly for the Luk Thung and Mor lam styles, he is also ...
, Chris the Pianist, DOTT, Nannue Tipitier, Twopee, Supergoods, The Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band, Valentina Ploy, Young Bong, The Richman Toy, and Mattnimare.
British radio host and record label owner
Nick Luscombe Nick Luscombe (born 30 January 1966) is a British radio DJ, having presented various self-selected new music shows since 1999 for the likes of XFM, BBC 6 Music, BBC World Service, Tokyo FM, InterFM, NME Radio, Samurai FM and Resonance FM.
His ''Fl ...
brought his Musicity Global initiative to Wonderfruit in 2019. Local musicians and members of the
Erased Tapes
Erased Tapes Records is a London-based independent record label focusing on releasing avant-garde and experimental electronic music.
History
The record company was established by Robert Raths in early 2007 in London, with the release of Ryan L ...
record label from abroad were selected to record sounds on location in Bangkok and compose original songs from the sounds. The songs were then performed on the Theatre Stage. Participating performers included
Rival Consoles
Ryan Lee West, known by his stage name Rival Consoles, is a British electronic musician, living in London. All of his albums and EPs have been released by Erased Tapes Records.
Biography
West was born in Leicester. He learned to play guitar in ...
, Hatis Noit, Midori Hirano,
Douglas Dare
Douglas Samuel Charles Dare (born 6 June 1990) is a British singer-songwriter, based in London.
Biography
Dare is from Bridport, Dorset, England. He is the son of a piano teacher and he studied music at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Ar ...
, and
Daniel Brandt
Daniel Brandt is a German composer, drummer, and filmmaker from Wiesbaden based in London and Berlin. He is a member of the ensemble Brandt Brauer Frick and also records as a solo artist for the British record label Erased Tapes.
Biography
Bran ...
& Eternal Something.
Sustainability
Wonderfruit banned the use of single-use cups for 2019. All attendees were required to bring their own cups to the festival, in an effort to remove some 200,000 cups from being wasted during the event (claimed).
The 2019 event was awarded the Greener Creative Award for 2020 in the annual A Greener Festival Awards.
Art & Architecture
Many of the structures debuted in 2018 remained for 2019. A new space, Living Village, was unveiled for the 2019 edition, designed by Ab Rogers Design studio.
The space was the setting for Living Stage, a new stage decorated with rPET fabrics. The art program featured installation works by international and Thai artists, including ADRUNNOGNT, Animali Domestici, and Tentacles x Stu.Dio Ke.Th. Jay Plodpai x Spark Industries and ZEIGHT created light-based work, and performance pieces were executed by Lordfai and Nice Monster. b 2019 also saw the return of A Singing Sea by Satit Raksasri.
An open call design competition, ‘Super Green, Super Clean, Super Lean’ attracted entries from around the world. The winning design, titled Woven House, was made with bamboo and naturally-dyed fibres. The winning design was selected by a judging panel of international architects.
Farm to Feasts
Wonder Feasts were provided by 80/20, Haoma,
bo.lan and chef Rishi Naleendra of Cloudstreet in Singapore, and three female chefs from Thailand: chef Aoom of Koei Trang, Chef Tanya of Tanya’s Homemade Eatery, and Chef Beer of Blackitch. Wonder Kitchen returned for 2019, with an omakase service by Chef Randy of Fillets and an historic Isaan tasting menu by Weerawat “Num” Triyasenawat of Samuay & Sons.
Talks
Scratch Talks 2019 featured topics including adventure, cannabis legalisation, sex and relationships, gender identity, and alternative proteins. Blind pilot Divyanshu Ganatra spoke about adventuring over adversity, fa’afafine storyteller Amao Leota Lu discussed gender, a panel of industry representatives and activists discussed plastic pollution, and landscape architect
Kotchakorn Voraakhom
Kotchakorn Voraakhom ( th, กชกร วรอาคม, born 1978) is a Thai landscape architect and chief executive officer of Porous City Network, a social enterprise that looks to increase urban resilience in Southeast Asia. She is also ...
spoke about sustainable architecture.
Line-up 2018
Music
International artists included Goldie, who played with The Ensemble, as well as Nightmares on Wax, Stars and Rabbit, Kweku Collins, Costlywood, Carmen Rizzo & Huun Huur Tu, Howie Lee and KNOWER. Local Thai acts included Mendy Indigo, Sirintip and Job2do. The DJ line up featured CYK, Alixkun, and Sisi Jesse You, Fleetmac Wood, Craig Richardson, Horse Meat Disco, Bobby Pleasure and Cobletone Jazz.
Art & Architecture
A focus was placed on the aesthetics of the stages and platforms for content. The Theatre Stage was built from hemp by mpdstudio. Late night dance stage The Quarry was reimagined for 2018 with a network of flexible panels made from recycled material designed like a canopy. Ab Rogers built the Eco Pavilion into a landscaped amphitheatre to host Scratch Talks under handmade cotton umbrellas.
The same studio was responsible for the Bath House, a cluster of floating islands built from bamboo, suspended over the natural lake.
British artist Sean Rogg continued his art series, The Waldorf Project, at Wonderfruit with FUTURO-X, a festival-wide experiment in empathy engineering.
Farm to Feasts
Wonderfruit 2018 saw the entry of new dining space Wonder Kitchen to the food program. The smaller venue featured popular Chiang Mai chef Phanuphon "Black" Bulsuwan and TV chef Chudaree "Tam" Debhakam who each hosted chef's table-style dining for around 30 diners. The Wonder Kitchen also featured a zero-waste bar. Wonder Feasts returned in a new Ab Rogers-designed dining hall, the 'Theatre of Feasts'. Wonder Feasts were offered by chefs
Duangporn "Bo" Songvisava and Dylan Jones of bo.lan; chef
Garima Arora
Garima Arora is an Indian chef. In November 2018, she became the first Indian woman to win a Michelin star.
Early life and career
Arora grew up in Mumbai, and is of Punjabi Arora family. She initially pursued a career in journalism before be ...
of Gaa; chefs Chalee Kader (100 Mahaseth), Prin Polsuk (Samrub for Thai) and Weerawat “Num” Triyasenawat (Samuay and Sons); and chefs Paolo Vitaletti (Appia) and Jarret Wrisley (Soul Food Mahanakorn).
Talks
Scratch Talks 2018 included topics as diverse as technology, sustainability, urban farming, biotechnology, waste management, and mindfulness. Ashoka Finley of ConsenSys discussed blockchain, Lance Diaresco of Google, ran a meditation seminar, and serial entrepreneur Constant Tedder presented Earth.org, explaining how it tracks climate change with satellite imagery.
Wellness
Wellness was given further prominence in the program thanks to a new, expanded area for Wellness dubbed 'Wonder Garden'. Orgasmic yoga, gong baths, and massage therapies were among the highlights.
Line-up 2017 (December edition)
Music
Richie Hawtin
Richard "Richie" Hawtin (born June 4, 1970) is a British-Canadian electronic musician and DJ. He became involved with Detroit techno's second wave in the early 1990s, and has been a leading exponent of minimal techno since the mid-1990s. He becam ...
,
Roots Manuva
Rodney Hylton Smith, better known by his stage name Roots Manuva (born 9 September 1972), is a British rapper and producer. Since his debut in 1994, he has produced numerous albums and singles on the label Big Dada, achieving commercial succes ...
,
Songhoy Blues
Songhoy Blues is a desert blues music group from Timbuktu, Mali. The band was formed in Bamako after being forced to leave their homes during the civil conflict and the imposition of Sharia law. The band released its debut album, ''Music in Exile ...
,
Gui Boratto
Guilherme Boratto (born 1974 in São Paulo) is a Brazilian electronic music producer. In the 1990s, he was a member of Sect.
His debut solo album ''Chromophobia'' was awarded the title of Mixmag Album of the Month. Regarding why he chose the nam ...
,
Craig Richards (DJ)
Craig Richards (born 1966, Bournemouth, England) is a tech house DJ, also known as part of Tyrant alongside Lee Burridge and, initially, Sasha.
Richards studied illustration at Saint Martins School of Art in London and is also a photographer ...
, Bangkok's More Rice and Hong Kong’s ALTN8, Sarayu, Nicola Cruz,
Chronixx
Jamar Rolando McNaughton (born 10 October 1992), popularly known as Chronixx, is a Jamaican reggae artist. His stage name replaced the name "Little Chronicle" which he was given because of his father, the singer "Chronicle".Jackson, Kevin (2014) ...
with Zincfence Redemption,
Izzy Bizu
Isobel Bizu Beardshaw (born 28 April 1994), better known as Izzy Bizu, is an English-Ethiopian singer-songwriter signed to Epic Records. Bizu has garnered mainstream radio support from BBC Radio 1's Annie Mac and Phil Taggart and BBC Radio 1Xtr ...
,
Wild Beasts
Wild Beasts were an English indie rock band, formed in 2002 in Kendal. They released their first single, "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants", on Bad Sneakers Records in November 2006, and subsequently signed to Domino Records. They have rele ...
,
Khun Narin
Khun Narin is a psychedelic music ensemble based out of the Phetchabun Province in Thailand. Led by Khun Narin, the group is known locally for their impromptu improvisational performances situated at backyard parties and parades. The group compris ...
and his Electric Phin Band,
Yeasayer
Yeasayer () was an American experimental rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2006. The band consisted of Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, and Anand Wilder. They announced their split on December 19, 2019.
History Formation
The band's thr ...
, All Thidsa, Be Svendsen, Bobby Pleasure, Boonhugsa, Crew Love Takeover, Curtismith, CYRK, Eduardo Castillo, Gapi and the Thai Dub Mafia, Hernandez Brothers, Kingkong and The Chum, Marmosets, Matt Sassari, Mimi Love, Nerve, Side Effect and Singto Numchok.
Arts
Artistic creations were curated based on their adherence to Wonderfruit’s sustainable ethos and many were selected for their choice of and use of recycled or sustainable materials.
Architectural additions included The Quarry, by artist and designer Adam Pollina and architect/bamboo supplier and contractor Thor Kaichon. The previous iteration’s Solar Stage by Gregg Fleishman was redeveloped for 2017.
Talks & Workshops
Activities emphasized self-improvement and environmental awareness and included permaculture, orangutan conservation, crystal healing and a raku ceramics workshop by Thailand Young Farmers.
The event’s series of seminars, Scratch Talks featured speakers including
Dianna Cohen
Dianna Cohen is an American visual artist and activist. She is the CEO and co-founder of the Plastic Pollution Coalition The Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) is an advocacy group and social movement organization which seeks to reduce plastic po ...
of
Plastic Pollution Coalition The Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) is an advocacy group and social movement organization which seeks to reduce plastic pollution. PPC operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the umbrella organization Earth Island Institute.
Positions
PPC ass ...
,
Bea Johnson
Béa Johnson is a US-based environmental activist, author and motivational speaker. She is best known for waste free living by reducing her family's annual trash down to a pint and for authoring the book ''Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to ...
- author of Zero Waste Home, activist and paddle boarder Shilpika Gautam and Dr. Arne Fjortoft of Worldview International.
Wellness & Adventures
Wellness sessions included yoga workshops, gong meditation and power naps. The program for more active participants included Muay Thai and capoeira,
as well as a range of fitness sessions with instructors from Guava Pass.
Line-up 2017 (February edition)
''Wonderfruit 2016 (originally scheduled to take place 15–18 December 2016) was postponed due to the national mourning period following the death of
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; (Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Great ...
, King Rama IX of Thailand. The festival took place from 16–19 February 2017 with some revisions to the lineup.
''
Music
Lianne La Havas
Lianne Charlotte Barnes (born 23 August 1989), known professionally as Lianne La Havas ( ), is a British singer-songwriter and record producer. Her career began after being introduced to various musicians, including singer Paloma Faith, for who ...
,
Rudimental
Rudimental are a British drum and bass band, signed to Asylum Records, Atlantic Records and Black Butter Records. The band consists of Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden and Leon "Locksmith" Rolle.
They were nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2013, and ...
,
Young Fathers
Young Fathers are a Scottish band based in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2014, they won the Mercury Prize for their album ''Dead''.
History
Formed in Edinburgh in 2008 by Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and Graham 'G' Hastings, the group starte ...
,
Buke and Gase
Buke and Gase (formerly spelled Buke and Gass) ( and ) is a Brooklyn-based musical duo named after the musical instruments invented and built by founders Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez; the ''buke'' is a six-string former-baritone ukulele and the ...
,
Kate Simko
Kate Simko is an American composer, electronic music producer and founder of her ensemble London Electronic Orchestra.
Simko has scored various feature-length films, including "The Atom Smashers" (Ghostly International), "We Believe in Dinosau ...
and London Electronic Orchestra,
Simian Mobile Disco
Simian Mobile Disco are an English electronic music duo and production team, formed in 2003 by James Ford and Jas Shaw of the band Simian. Musically, they are known for their analogue production. Ford is also known for his production work.
...
,
Nicole Moudaber
Nicole Moudaber is a Lebanese/British event promoter, record label founder, radio personality, and DJ/ producer. She is the head of her own imprint MOOD Records and runs an award-winning weekly radio show, In The MOOD.
Biography
Nicole Moud ...
, Headless Horesman, Yaya, Eric Volta, Sabo, YokoO, Wolf + Lamb,
Norman Jay
Norman Jay MBE (born Norman Bernard Joseph on 6 November 1957) is a British club, radio and sound system DJ. He first came to prominence playing unlicensed "warehouse" parties in the early 1980s, and through his involvement with the then-pira ...
, KMLN, Marc Antona, Akimbo, Superglasses Ska Ensemble, Yena, Sahai Hang Sailom, Srirajah Rockers, At Adau, Luna City Express, Noxro and Uone.
Art
Arts included Solar Stage, created by geometric architect Gregg Fleishman,
and Farm Stage, which was designed by Thor. Kaichon and PO-D Architect and inspired by traditional rice farming ceremonies and decorated with harvested rice; it stood in the middle of the Wonderfruit farm.
Theatrical performances included a puppet show, pyrotechnics and circus acts,
and Friday night saw the event's first LGBT-friendly party, hosted by eminent Thai drag queen,
Pangina Heals
Pan Pan Narkprasert ( th, ปันปัน นาคประเสริฐ; born July 22, 1988), known as Pangina Heals, is a Thai drag queen and judge on '' Drag Race Thailand'', who later went on to compete on '' RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs th ...
.
Installations included "Dancing Muntjacs" by Joel Stockdill and "CYM Temple" by Basurama, both of which were made from recycled materials.
Wonderfruit's creative designer,
Adam Pollina
Adam Pollina is an People of the United States, American comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work on Marvel Comics' ''X-Force, Rise of Apocalypse, and Angel: Revelation, Charlemagne at Defiant, Rai: Fallen World, and Wrath o ...
, built the event's first moving art installation - Wonder Kar, which traveled around the site.
Family
Family-friendly offerings in the dedicated kids' zone included games and crafts.
Talks & Workshops
Interactive activities included martial arts and parkour with local experts and there were talks on subjects including sustainability, Bitcoin and blockchain technology.
Wonderfruit's series of seminars, Scratch Talks, took place in new venue, Rainforest Pavilion and speakers included Trash Hero Thailand and Michaelangelo Moran - co-founder of
Go-Jek
PT Gojek Indonesia (stylized in all lower case and stylized ''j'' as goȷek, formerly styled as GO-JEK) is an Indonesian on-demand multi-service platform and digital payment technology group based in Jakarta. Gojek was first established in Indo ...
.
Wellness & Adventures
Wellness sessions included yoga workshops, gong meditation and power naps. The program for more active participants included Muay Thai and capoeira,
as well as a range of fitness sessions with instructors from Guava Pass.
Farm to Feasts
Food offerings included raw vegan dishes by Chef Daphne Cheng, cheesesteaks by Full Moon Food Truck, lobster rolls, sashimi and organic Thai omelets. The Wonder Feasts banquet series featured lunch by Cocotte, a reggae brunch by Jarrett Wrisley of Soul Food Mahanakorn and Paolo Vitaletti of Appia, dinner by former Thai Iron Chef contestant Chef Panupon "Black" Bulsuwan - part of F.A.C.T. Collective, and a return from Chef
Gaggan Anand
Gaggan Anand (born in Kolkata, India) is an Indian chef and the owner and executive chef of the progressive Indian restaurant Gaggan in Bangkok, Thailand.
Biography
Anand was born in Kolkata, India to Punjabi parents. He was initially more in ...
, who was joined by chef Daniel Chavez of Singapore's Ola Cocina del Mar.
Line-up 2015
Music
![Sunset_Wonderfruit_2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Sunset_Wonderfruit_2015.jpg)
Jon Hopkins x Chris Levine (iy_project), Submotion Orchestra,
Rhye
Rhye is an R&B musical project of Canadian singer Mike Milosh. It originally consisted of him and Danish instrumentalist Robin Hannibal. They released the singles "Open" and "The Fall" online without much detail, which led to speculation about ...
,
Lucent Dossier Experience
Lucent Dossier Experience (whose name loosely translates to "a collection of glowing light") is a Los Angeles cirque style interactive, avant-garde circus, electronic rock band, performance troupe and entertainment company performing worldwide. T ...
,
Goldroom
Josh Legg, known professionally as Goldroom, is an American electronic musician.
Background and career
Legg grew up in Wellesley, Massachusetts and studied psychology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He and classmate Kyl ...
,
Com Truise
Seth Haley, known by his stage name Com Truise, is an American electronic musician. His stage name is a spoonerism of the name of American actor Tom Cruise.
Biography
Prior to 2010, Com Truise had released music under the pseudonyms Sarin Sunday ...
,
Daedelus, Greasy Cafe and
“Pu” Pongsit Kampee,
Electro Guzzi, Polycat and Win from Sqweez Animal,
with Thai folk music (performed at the Morlam Bus, presented by Jim Thompson Arts Center).
Art
The main Living Stage was designed by
Coachella Coachella may refer to:
* Coachella, California
* Coachella Canal, in California
* Coachella (festival), an annual music and arts festival in California
* "Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind", a 2017 song by Lana del Rey
See also
* Coachell ...
and
Burning Man
Burning Man is an event focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance held annually in the western United States. The name of the event comes from its culminating ceremony: the symbolic burning of a large wooden effigy, referred ...
artist Joel Stockdill, and featured spiralling bird structures either side of the proscenium.
Gregg Fleishman, the designer behind the Temple of Whollyness At Burning Man 2013,
built The Playground, incorporating climbing frames, slides and a
Headis
Headis is a mix of table tennis and the heading of association football. It is played at a regular table tennis table so it combines tactical elements of table tennis and the legwork of tennis. In mid-2016, the 11th Headis World Championship was he ...
pitch on which guests played the German game - a hybrid of table tennis and football.
Thai installation artist, “O” Witaya Junma created an interactive bubble blower,
and Blossom Poetica by French-Laotian artist Aligna featured flowers sculpted from aluminium cans and other discarded materials.
Design
Local and international designers showcased and sold festival gear at A Taste Of Wonder, the day-to-night fashion market.
The Wonder Salon offered hair and makeup treatments.
Food
At the Theatre of Feasts, Wonder Feasts were presented by
Gaggan Anand
Gaggan Anand (born in Kolkata, India) is an Indian chef and the owner and executive chef of the progressive Indian restaurant Gaggan in Bangkok, Thailand.
Biography
Anand was born in Kolkata, India to Punjabi parents. He was initially more in ...
of Gaggan (voted number one in Asia on
The World's 50 Best Restaurants
The World's Best 50 Restaurants is a list produced by UK media company William Reed, which originally appeared in the British magazine ''Restaurant'' in 2002. The list and awards however are no longer directly related to ''Restaurant'' magazine ...
list in 2015 and 2016),
and
Bo Songvisava
Duangporn "Bo" Songvisava (born ) is a Thai chef and restaurateur. She and her husband, chef Dylan Jones, owned and operated Bo.lan, a restaurant in Bangkok's Sukhumvit neighborhood. In 2018 Songvisava was profiled on the fifth season of the docu ...
and Dylan Jones of Bo.lan.
Cocktails designed by mixologist Shingo Gokan were served in hidden bar, The Shingo Shack.
Talks & Workshops
In 2015, Wonderfruit introduced Scratch Talks, a new series of seminars by international speakers. Talks included “Creativity at the Source” by Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag, and “Unleash your Legend” by
Dream Rockwell
Dream Rockwell is a Canadian-born public speaker, stage director, and event producer. She has worked in cirque, rock music, EDM shows, and concert tours. She specializes in interactive theatre as well as immersive events and festival production.
P ...
- founder of Lucent Dossier Experience. John Hardy, founder of
Bali’s Green School and
Melati and Isabel Wijsen of Bye Bye Plastic Bags also delivered talks and eco-friendly workshops. A number of additional craft workshops took place in The Sharing Neighbourhood, including traditional skills and techniques,
as well as meditation, self-defense, breathing exercises and foundational yoga at the Goddess Camp.
Activities and Experiences
Circus skills including hoop and poi were taught by Samui Circus Camp,
and guests had the opportunity to be ordained as a Latter-Day Dude Priest by the Church of
Dudeism
Dudeism is a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle inspired by "The Dude", the protagonist of the Coen Brothers' 1998 film ''The Big Lebowski''. Dudeism's stated primary objective is to promote a modern form of Chinese Taoism, outlined in ''Tao Te ...
.
Champion free runners, Team Farang taught their skills to youngsters, among other child-friendly activities including a kids’ disco, foraging workshop and traditional kite-making, plus storytelling, magic, and a puppet show in Camp Wonder. Natural adventures included swimming in the lake and a boot camp set on an obstacle course.
Line-up 2014
Music
De La Soul, Little Dragon, Woodkid, José González,
Jamie Jones Jamie Jones may refer to:
* Jamie Jones (DJ), Welsh DJ, producer and two-time DJ Awards winner
* Jamie Jones (footballer) (born 1989), English professional footballer for Wigan Athletic
* Jamie Jones (snooker player) (born 1988), Welsh professional ...
, Damian Lazarus,
The Gaslamp Killer
William Benjamin Bensussen (born November 7, 1982), better known by his stage name The Gaslamp Killer, is an American alternative hip hop producer and DJ based in Los Angeles, California.
Career
He grew up in San Diego, California, where he beca ...
,
Francesca Lombardo
Francesca Lombardo (born August 27, 1978) is an electronic music producer and DJ from Castiglione delle Stiviere, Castiglione Delle Stiviere in the Lombardy region of northwest Italy. At age 13, Lombardo joined the Conservatorium of music in Italy ...
(Live),
Andrew Ashong
Andrew Ashong is a British-Ghanaian soul singer-songwriter, DJ and record producer from Forest Hill, London, Forest Hill in South London. He spent his teenage years searching for records and by 16 he was DJing and working on his own productions ...
,
Nick Mulvey
Nick Mulvey (born 4 November 1984) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. He played the hang as a founding member of the band Portico Quartet. In 2011 started his career as a singer-songwriter releasing the EPs ''The Trellis'' (2012) a ...
,
Hercules and Love Affair
Hercules and Love Affair is a dance music project created by American DJ, singer, composer, musician and producer Andy Butler in 2004. Consisting of a rotating cast of performers and musicians, the band work within the genres of house music, dis ...
, Seth Troxler, Fat Freddy's Drop,
Craig Richards, Subb-An,
Soul Clap
Soul Clap is an American DJ and production duo from Boston, Massachusetts. Active in the club scene since 2001, the group has released a number of mixtapes, EPs, singles, and albums. In 2012 they released their first full-length album, ''EFUNK. ...
, Citizen,
Pillow Talk (Live),
Ali Love (Live), Boris Rubin, Sunju Hargun,
and local Thai acts
Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band, Burin Boonvisut, Apartment Khun Pa and Yellow Fang.
Art
Offerings included work by Thai architect, Duangrit Bunnag.
Food
Food and beverage providers across the event included Never Ending Summer, Quince, Burnt Ends, Smokey Trails and the Bangkok Farmers' Market. The on-site farm offered tours and foraging workshops and Siam Winery offered wine tasting sessions.
Address and Location
Wonderfruit takes place in The Fields at Siam Country Club, 50 Moo 9, Pong, Bang Lamung, Chonburi 20150, Thailand.
References
{{reflist
Music festivals in Asia
Music festivals in Thailand
Festivals in Thailand
Counterculture festivals
Transformational festivals
Music festivals established in 2014