SWEDISH ROCKERS SMASH BANGKOK

Smash Into Pieces deliver a powerful performance in Samyan Mitrtown

- TATAT BUNNAG

Swedish rock band Smash Into Pieces made their long-awaited Bangkok debut on Aug 20, delivering an immersive, cinematic-rock show that laid bare both their ambition and adaptability.

Samyan Mitrtown Hall pulsed with anticipation and energy as Thai fans finally experienced the quartet firsthand. With the opening salvo of Flow and Wake Up, lead singer Chris Adam Hedman Sörbye's rich, soaring vocals collided with the twin-guitar onslaught of Benjamin Jennebo and Per Bergquist. It was powerful yet precise — a tightrope of minimalism and intensity, the kind of show that only a band used to balancing spectacle with practicality could pull off.

Ahead of their performance, Life spoke with the three members — Sörbye, Jennebo and Bergquist — about how they crafted a show that could land maximum impact despite logistical constraints.

Bergquist summed it up plainly: "It's actually slightly difficult and different from European shows, with the limited amount we can bring in, so it makes us focus on how to make the show minimalistic yet give the audience the best show possible. Also, luckily, we have APOC that can always entertain people."

That stripped-back yet high-energy spirit threaded through the evening. Where grand European productions rely on drones or elaborate staging, here the band leaned into what Bangkok can deliver - immediacy and proximity.

"I like how the venue isn't really too big. It can be like a club show with a small group of people," Bergquist elaborated. "Because people can really feel the interaction close to you. Today, we are more focused on how to be the best band we can be and giving people the best performance."