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This column is for self-study or classroom use and gives guided help with reading the wide variety of writing styles and topics that appear as feature articles in the Bangkok Post. The lessons include background information, skill-building practice and vocabulary explanations. March 23, 2004 Creating anticipation INTRODUCTION
Bangkok is increasingly making its mark on the world stage and this is reflected in the growing number of major international artists who are attracted to perform here. Our feature this week anticipates the arrival of American indie band Incubus. However, this excerpt contains more than just information about the forthcoming concert. It is written with a particular audience in mind and Nick Grossman has included some of his own musical opinions to make it livelier. This is quite common in feature articles, though not in news reports. Aiming for the right audience First of all, see if you can identify the target audience of this feature. A target audience is the typical age range, gender and social group who would be interested in reading the article. You may find it helpful to highlight a number of words or phrases that only certain people would be familiar with. Who would these people be? Secondly, on a separate sheet of paper, create two columns entitled ‘facts’ and ‘opinions’. In the first column, list as many straight-forward facts (objective points) as you can spot in the text and, in the other column, write down quotes that you consider to be opinions (subjective points) of either the writer or someone else featured in the article. When you have done this, discuss with your friends what kind of effect the mixture of fact and opinion has on the way a reader would view this article. For instance, would a person who likes indie music, but is not a huge fan of Incubus, consider attending this concert after reading the article? Why or why not? Your own preview If you have time, you could imagine your favourite band is coming to play in Bangkok and write a preview of the concert. Try to use some of the techniques in Nick Grossman’s article to excite your target audience. Mix your article with objective and subjective points but remember not to appear too enthusiastic as you may put off many of your readers. Keep it informative and interesting. OUR STORY FROM THE BANGKOK POST
Incubus promises high-octane show PREVIEW: Chart-topping band to play BEC Tero Hall as part of their first-ever Asian tour NICK GROSSMAN It’s not every day, every month, or, let’s face it, every year, that Thailand hosts a rock band of international acclaim that is also at its popular peak worldwide. The biggest names to grace our great concert venues in the past 12 months, from Santana to The Pet Shop Boys to The Pretenders, might have put on excellent shows, but they all come from the Rolling Stones’ school of geriatric rock. And then you had the cancellations by Limp Bizkit, Blue (thank God) and Craig David further weakening the concert schedule. But this month Bangkok will host a band of the moment. Californian rockers Incubus, whose new album A Crow Left of Murder debuted last month as No. 2 on the Billboard chart and sold 331,000 copies in its first week, is soon set to take BEC Tero Hall by storm. It’s the first-ever Asian tour for the metal-funk crossover quintet who are flying high from the critical and commercial success of their latest album. Most famous for their 2001 melodic smash hit single Drive, Incubus has taken on a new bassist (from The Roots) and returned to their original hard-rock roots with A Crow Left of Murder. “It’s like our old stuff,” said drummer Jose Pasillas in an interview with real.time. “But we really try to encompass anything that we like, from The Police to Bjork, anything and everything that’s good music to us.” Pasillas makes a point of downplaying any comparisons to other hard rock sensations like Linkin Park or Korn, with whom Incubus has toured extensively over the years. And for good reason. Incubus songs, with their acrobatic guitar riffs, potent drumming, solid bass lines and punchy, Anthony Kiedes-like vocals are far more complex than those relatively one-flavour bands. As A Crow Left of Murder attests, the band has a lot more range, mixing up post-grunge rock, thrash, rap-metal, and grinding alt-metal, and featuring hip hop beats from their band DJ. Asked to describe Incubus’ brand of music, Pasillas responds, “It’s pliable, like mashed potatoes.” Whatever that means... Formed back in high school in 1991, they’ve gradually made a name for themselves, mainly through nearly non-stop touring in the United States. Having created a loyal local following in southern California who were enthused by their spirited live shows, then signing with Epic/Immortal, the band’s hard work is now paying huge dividends. While for the average Thai, Incubus may not be a well-known name, the current media blitz on Channel V and MTV is attempting to change that in preparation for the concert. And for young Thai rockers who are immersed in the international scene and are undergoing a renaissance of sorts under the immense popularity of hard-rock bands Korn, Linkin Park, and Limp Bizkit, Incubus presents a model of success. Now with a few nights in Tokyo and stops in KL, Seoul and Manila, Incubus has gone global. Will the threat of terrorism, used as an excuse for cancellation from other bands such as Limp Bizkit, stop Incubus? Drummer Pasillas was disconcertingly diplomatic. “Well, it’s up to the band,” he says, adding that they didn’t have any worries yet. “We’re excited to get there,” says Pasillas. “Live shows are what we love the most.”	SOME VOCABULARY HELP acclaim praise and approval for something, especially an artistic achievement geriatric old age debuted made its first public appearance to take by storm to make a strong impact crossover changing from one style of doing something to another melodic pleasant to listen to, tuneful encompass to include a large number or range of things downplaying to make people think that something is less important than it really is acrobatic involving or performing difficult acts or movements with the body riffs a short repeated pattern of notes in popular music potent having a strong effect on your body or mind punchy having a strong effect because it expresses something clearly in only a few words attests to show or prove that something is true pliable easy to bend without breaking enthused to make someone feel very interested and excited blitz something which is done with a lot of energy undergoing a renaissance a situation when there is new interest in a particular subject, form of art, etc. after a period when it was not very popular disconcertingly made to feel anxious, confused or embarrassed diplomatic careful with words

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Last modified: March 22, 2004