I decided to try and go but I didn't understand how or where to buy a ticket. I got a facebook page and a picture of the bands to preform and went to a 7-11 store where I had bought a ticket to a concert in the past. The people in the store were wonderful and really tried to help me but tickets were not for sale via 7-11. They did point me to a QR code that I already had for a line group. Line is a messaging app that is widely used in Thailand. Line is about the same as the WhatsApp but everyone seems to prefer Line in Thailand. The two things you need to have in Thailand is Line and Facebook to have any hope of finding things that are happening around Thailand. The third thing I would be lost without is Google Translate.
I joined the line group and then using google translate figured out I had to send a message in Thai with the text buy one ticket and then send 499 Baht or around $17 to a bank account number. After doing this I received a message asking for my name and phone number and what I think was my ticket. It felt a bit like some sort of scam. I would be upset about getting scammed out of $17 but didn't know any other way to get a ticket and the stuff I had seen on Facebook said there would not be tickets for sale at the concert.
I booked a hotel for the day of the show and the day before I rode a bit over half way to Lopburi and stayed at a hotel in the city of Suphan Buri. The day of the show I rode the rest of the way to Lopburi and did not have any idea of where the concert would take place. I was hoping that my hotel in Lopburi would be able to point me in the right direction but as I was getting close to city I heard music and saw people selling folding chairs on both sides of the road. I went in to the parking area walked up to a desk pointed to the picture on my phone of the band lineup and said "Here" in Thai. They told me yes and at 4 in the afternoon. I am always surprised when things work out and when I understand something said to me in Thai.
I checked into my hotel and took a bit of a rest before heading to the concert. With the last band going on after 1 in the morning it was going to be a late night for me. I am not good at waiting around. I knew I didn't need to get there before 6:30 or 7 but couldn't help myself and showed up at the field around 5. I bought one of folding chairs just outside the parking area and went up to the desk before the entrance. I handed the lady my phone opened up to the line chat. She took my phone typed in something in Thai and handed me my wrist band that was my ticket. I am not sure if me exchanged a word but it had not been a scam and I had my ticket.
At the entrance someone put my wrist band on for me and I passed through security. Security seemed to be checking peoples pockets and bags but I guess with me being a big fat ugly old foreigner I was trustworthy enough so I passed through without any checks. The pictute is what greeted me after entering.
This is the lineup for the concert. I did not make it all the way to the end of the show and left just before the last band was going to come on stage about 1:30. I stayed for about 8 hours and got rained on a bit and the field was a bit muddy. One of the people I was setting next to lent me a umbrella when the rain was at it's heaviest and he took pity on this old man when I returned from the toilet and pasted my chair, he caught me and lead me back to my seat or I might still be wonder around that muddy field.
I only knew one band but enjoyed most of them and I didn't expect to hear my favorite Thai song or which happens to be the only Thai song I recognize. It is the Rocket Festival Song by Joey Phuwasit. The video is not great but I was thrilled to hear this song live and am now following Joey Phuwasit on Facebook.
I got back to the hotel around 2 and was covered in mud. Walking around in a muddy field wearing flip flops was not a great idea. They seems to get stuck in the mud and then flip mud everywhere when they come loose. I did my best to not track mud through the lobby of the hotel going to my room but am sure I left a bit of a trail.
I rode back home the following day and didn't even visit the Lopburi Criminals I encountered back in 2008.
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