Although this year started off on the wrong foot with the cancellation of two major live music events, Bangkok 100 Rock and Melody of Life, it seems Bangkok’s music scene, like the economy, might still actually have some life in it as the year comes to an end. Melody of Life finally made a comeback, GreenSpace One World Party brought in some world-class (if slightly unknown) artists, while 80 indie outfits rocked out three stages at the Kod Indy Festival. The trend looks set to continue with Fat Festival and gigs from UK punk legends the Buzzcocks, American grungers Green Day and Placebo all in the pipeline. That’s all well and good but what about the everyday scene? Sure the city is awash with cover bands, but you really need to dig a little deeper if you want to find venues playing something other than the usual Thai hits. But whatever your taste, be it ska, blues, indie or metal, then there are places to listen to it live. We show you where, with our roundup of the best live music venues in town.
Brick Bar
1/F, Buddy Lodge Bldg., Khao San Rd., 02-629-4702. www.brickbarkhaosan.com.
Great for: Ska stomping
The vibe: An institution of backpacker-ville, Brick Bar is a destination watering hole for both local and foreign party animals in need of some serious dancing. Squeeze (literally) into this two-story brick tavern and get ready to sweat buckets as you hop and bop along to thumping, fast-paced ska and reggae tunes while getting liberally soused (and often doused) on beer.
The band: Witness a daily rotation of house bands from Joy Boy to Big Daddy and Liva De Puillet. But the highlight is definitely Teddy Ska Band, who takes the stage nightly at 11:30pm and set the crowd on fire with their up-tempo, two-tone tunes and, of course, the singer’s signature “Thaaaank YOUUUUU!”
The crowd: Dek naew, students, young professionals and a handful of expats.
Hit: The crowds are always in high spirits and that proves pretty infectious. You can also just show up in flip-flops and shorts and no one would care. It’s the place to have fun and dance the night away.
Miss: You have to show up pretty early on Friday and Saturday nights to get a space of your own. And the stage isn’t visible from every table.
Rock Pub
Hollywood Street Building, Phayathai Road, BTS Ratchathewi. www.therockpub-bangkok.com.
Great for: Rock gods
The vibe: You can’t fail to spot this venue thanks to its totally over the top mock Gothic castle front. In fact, the inside is almost a letdown after such ostentation. What you get instead is a gloomy almost cave-like space where dark woods dominate the long low-ceilinged boxy room. At the far end, there’s a good sized stage and a decent space for some moshing. A few scattered TV’s offer reruns of live concerts by rock greats and you can also chill out on the street-side tables while still listening to the music inside.
The band: Depends on the night from the hard rock/heavy metal of Munson and Outro, to 70s/80s Rock n Roll classics by Mundee and punk/grunge greats by St Jimmy. Two bands play every night of the week though there are also special one off gigs including regular performances by guitar legend Lam Morrison.
The crowd: A more mature mix of Thais and expats make up the regulars.
Hit: Despite its small size, this place has good acoustics and a friendly atmosphere. It also offers music not normally heard anywhere else.
Miss: Seriously, a mock castle is never, ever a good look.
Ad Here the 13th
13 Samsen Rd., Banglamphu, 08-9769-4613, 08-1456-9513. Open Mon-Sun 6pm-midnight.
Great for: Delta Blues
The vibe: With the closure of Tokyo Joe’s, this is now one of the last bastions of Blues music in Bangkok and it takes its role seriously. A narrow little glass shophouse facade conceals an equally tiny space that’s crammed with bric-a-brac. The walls seem to be filled with everything from classic album covers to postcards and money. Somehow, they also manage to squeeze in a few plastic tables and chairs, a bar, some drums and a couple of amps.
The band: The excellent three-man house band play most nights and are often joined by local and international musicians who drop by for a jam (Joe Cummings, Lonely Planet’s writer, is a recent visitor).
The crowd: Super friendly band of regulars—be warned they will chat you up, and the occasional lost backpacker.
Hit: The house band really can play. Hot, sweaty and definitely different this is live blues music at its intimate best.
Miss: Don’t expect comfortable seats and your own space: this place is cramped and basic.
Lollipop
1 Soi Mahannop 1, Mahannop Rd., 08-1899-7778. http://lollipopbar.hi5.com. Open daily 6pm-1am.
Great for: Indie introspection
The vibe: Tucked in a small alley off Mahannop Road, not too far from the BMA office, Lollipop’s two-story wooden house will put a smile on your face with its eye-pleasing pastel paint and a colorful gravel yard. Inside there’s no stage just a reserved area for the band, a small bar and plenty of whimsical retro furniture. Head upstairs if you’re in the mood for a game of pool or want a more private area to sit and chat.
The band: Make it there on any given night and you’ll get to hear covers of rarely-heard indie pop and golden oldies from the house band.
The crowd: People with an indie inclination and arty types.
Hit: The old Lullabar’s formula still pretty much applies to its new incarnation: a homey vibe, full-flavored gaab gleam and cheery, feel-good tunes.
Miss: The location is a bit tricky to find. Also, look elsewhere if your idea of a live music venue involves head banging and body surfing.
The Tube Bar
Coco Walk (opposite Asia Hotel), Phayathai Rd., 08-6331-294. BTS Ratchatewi. http://thetubebar.hi5.com. Open Mon-Sat, 6pm-1am.
Great for: Groupies
The vibe: An intimate hole-in-the-wall with crazy cartoons on the brick walls (like Super Mario’s pixelated fire-spitting flowers) and retro touches in the décor and the seating. A small stage plays hosts to bands who—shock horror—actually play their own tunes.
The band: Tube Bar acts as a space where established and up-and-coming indie outfits can perform. Previous lineups include Gene Kasidit, Pump Apartmentkhunpa, 25 Hours, Lomosonic, Stylish Nonsense, Abuse The Youth, Tabasco and The Standards. During breaks, DJs spin a variety of eclectic sounds. Day Tripper’s DJ Ooh spins rock, indie and electro (Mon, 8-11pm), Mind The Gap (Wed, 9-midnight), Retro Vision (Thu 9:30-11pm), The Messi and Papa Morgan (Fri, 8-9:30pm, 10pm-midnight) and Kanoon Band (Sat, 10-11pm).
The crowd: Music lovers and band groupies.
Hit: The variety of the lineup and the location right at the foot of BTS Ratchathewi.
Miss: It can get pretty cramped on band nights.
Parking Toys
17/22 Soi Mayalap, Kaset-Navamin Rd., Bang Khen. 02-907-2228. Open daily 7pm-1:30am.
Great for: Electro vibes
The vibe: Don’t be fooled by Parking Toys’ unlit entrance, once you step inside, you’ll be transported into a big loft decked out with vintage knickknacks like quirky toys and retro chandeliers. There’s a small counter bar and a patio area which gives off the vibe of a sexy harem.
The band: The excellent house bands lay down jazzy tunes in the early evening (6-8pm) then rock outfits, including the seven piece electro-rock band Mahajamreon and rock diva Sukanya Miguel, crank out their own distinctive tunes as the evening wears on.
The crowd: Young bachelors, university students and the occasional 40-something rock fans.
Hit: The nightly lineup, seven days a week, the better than average house band and the food.
Miss: Its far-out location and inconvenient parking.
Prachathip “Singh”Musigapong
Guitarist of Sqweez Animal
Where do you usually hang out?
I spend most of my days at home working on our second album. RCA and Shades of Retro are where to find me at night.
Why is it so hard to find a bar with decent, if not good, live bands?
Every pub I go to seems to have bands that perform the same sets of songs. It’s always been like this in Bangkok. The same sets of songs, same versions, they don’t seem to change their playlists. I guess that’s what most people want to see live when they go out. Pubs need to provide this cliché otherwise they won’t survive. That’s boring for me.
Who’s your favorite local artist that can put on a killer show?
If we’re talking about small shows in pubs and not big concerts in big venues, I would say Mahajamroen at Parking Toys.
Why do you think we don’t usually get to see cool bands in Bangkok?
That’s easy. No one buys the CDs, so cool bands from abroad don’t know if they are popular or even have fans here!
Which bands are you hoping to see in Bangkok?
The list of bands I wanna see won’t fit on this page or the whole magazine. If I had to pick one, it’d be Foals.
Any places for live music?
Parking Toys, Brick Bar, Brown Sugar and Cosmic Café.
Matt Smith
Lead singer of The Standards, and co-organizer of PopScene, monthly club night
What’s the live music scene like in Bangkok?
There seem to be two sides to the scene, the developing and thriving underground and the distinctly shit corporate. New music is pretty much the best it’s been for a very, very long time, this has made local bands and musicians realize that playing in a covers band isn’t cool. They’re now sitting down and penning their own tunes. Along with better sounding bands comes more of a market for promoting them. Underground event organizers are doing a cracking job of promoting new music, a much better job than the big organizers who don’t have a fucking clue about music and are still happy to have some past-it “reggae” cock sing the same song he’s been singing for the last 20 years headline their festival.
Do you think there are enough good live music venues?
There are lot and they all have a booming sound system, it’s just that most have a cover band playing every night of the week. They’re full of punters that don’t know any different so why should the owner care to try something different. It’s frustrating, but places like Zest, Common Ground and The Tube are doing their best.
Why do you think good current bands don’t come and play in Bangkok?
I think the cash and the venues are available. But the big event organizers and sponsors haven’t got a clue. The big execs want to get involved in picking who plays. Their suits don’t even fit them, they’ve got pot bellies, what do they know about rock and roll anyway?
For upcoming gig info and news of the next PopScene check out www.myspace.com/thestandardsmyspace
Tat Bunnag
Vocalist/guitarist of Basement Tape from Panda Records
What do you think of Bangkok’s live music scene?
It’s growing and getting better. There are heaps of great bands in Bangkok, but not enough small live venues for original music. But there are always new places opening for live music—bars and gallery spaces—and the underground music scene is quite strong and varied.
Why don’t we get to see cool bands in Bangkok?
Because most promoters wait to bring in very big names, like Oasis or Incubus, because they want to make sure all the tickets will sell. But they have no idea that those bands are so boring! Actually this year we got to see some really good acts like Battles, Handsome Furs and Observatory, but they only played at small venues.
Which band would you love to see in Bangkok?
The laming Lips, Broken Social Scene, Dr Dog and Land of Talk.
Any worthy places for live music?
Try Copper on RCA, or The Tube every Wednesday.
