See also: Some other amazing live music venues

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This is one of the most professional-looking spots among Chinatown’s new-wave of shop-house bars-slash-art spaces. It even has air-con (rare in these parts). The soundtrack is classic Central luk krung. Unlike, say, Studio Lam, whose traditional molam music centers on instruments such as kaen and pin, the band here highlights ra nad (wooden xylophone), sor au (alto fiddle) and ja kae (similar to a lap guitar)—the kind of sounds you hear in traditional khon plays, only performed in a more casual manner. Thursday nights are reserved for classical guitar, while the house band, Samneang Tep, performs every Fri-Sun from 8:30pm onwards. Outside band hours, the owner throws on a good mix of instrumental luk krung music that dates back to the 1940s. Also, they do a good line of home-infused ya-dong (traditional herbal Thai white spirit), either as shots (B200) or mixed with cocktails (B280).

 

Opened in April, this Ari bar goes back to basics with standard booze, a focus on live music and good ol’ Thai drinking food. On the daily lineup you’ll spot familiar faces from the Stu-Fe family like The Bucket and Kingkhong & The Chum, so you can expect lots of Thai ‘90s tunes mixed with some Thai and international pop hits on Fri-Sat. During regular hours, the owner gets all nostalgic and plays his collection of ‘80s-’90s alternative music. The decor is industrial—bare red bricks, exposed ceilings, vintage bulbs—while the short food menu turns out beer-friendly, tasty dishes like the deep-fried king mackerel with spicy mango salad (B170), fresh prawn in spicy dressing (B160) and yum sam krob (crispy fish salad, B140).

 

Located on the rooftop of Ekamai Shopping Mall, above the late-night party institution Dark Bar, Baan Puen lives up to its name, which literally translates to “a friend’s house.” Here, the low-key decor is matched by wallet- friendly price tags. The owners look to offer a folksy, toned-down alternative to Ekkamai’s hi-so clubs with a focus on live indie music that reminds us of the dearly- departed Stu-Fe. One of the partners is the guitarist in the pop band August, and you can expect to see him pop up to the stage and jam with his musician friends on occasion. Two bands from the Tigger Twins’ stable, Blue Shades (blues) and Young Man and The Sea (folk rock), perform here every Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Friday is typically reserved for Thai-international pop covers, while Saturday and Sunday are all about reggae/ska, funk and disco music.

 

Run by the guy behind the live music institution Parking Toys, this spacious venue gets top marks for its open-air, Marrakesh-inspired bar, retro furnishings and music. The place opened with the Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band’s album launch last November, and regularly plays host to the molam, luk thung and Thai roots music of the Hifi Thai Country Band. But just like the original Parking Toys, rock runs in the blood here. Monday nights serve up the guitar and synth sounds of The Jackle; Tuesday it’s the folk rock of Sweety P; Wednesday is guitar and cello from Pack Man and garage rock from Run Ran Run; Thursday is reserved for Mrs. Slave’s acoustic jams and Mommy Daddy’s Irish rock; Friday starts with soul music from The Grass Roots and Run Ran Run; Saturdays welcome new house band Young Man and The Sea, Mommy Daddy and the hardcore rock of Founder and CEO; and, finally, Sunday gets all experimental with 3 Doors and the Sunday Drown.