1. Vibratosax

2. Echoslap Cajon

3. Vanilla Guitar

4. Shark 

Top Rehearsal and Recording Studios in Bangkok

E.Q. Studio

2755/2 Soi Chok Dee, Rama 4 Rd., 02-258-2880. BTS Phrom Phong (Exit 2). Open daily 10am-10pm. www.eqstudiomusic.com

Suited for: Rising young stars. 

Facilities: Three-room studio with a variety of amplifiers such as Eden Worldtour Made in USA, AMPEG SVT Classic + SVT 610 HLF and Fender Tone Master. Guitars and bass include the likes of Fender American Deluxe HSS Stratocaster and Gibson SG Special Faded. Drum kits, snare drums and keyboards available, too.     

Rates and room types: Normal room (B250/hr), VIP room (B300/hr) and demo mixing and mastering (B700/hr).

 

 

Guitar Lab Studio 

21/99 RCA Block D, Rama 9 Rd. 081-144-5255, 02-641-4183. Open daily 24 hrs. Facebook.com/guitarlabrca

Suited for: Pros

Facilities: This studio, which doubles as a guitar shop, provides two rooms for rehearsal. The house provides full band equipment, including amplifiers like Fender Twin Reverb and Aguilar Ag500SC + Cab 4*12. Drum kits include Tama Starclassic Maple, while the Roland RD700SX keyboard comes with the Roland KC550 amp.    

Rates and room types: Standard room starts from B250/hr and the big room from B350/hr. Demo recording can only be done in the big room at B600/hr.

 

 

Horizon Music 

442/21 Ladphrao Rd. 02-938-3647/8. MRT Ladphrao (Exit 1). Mon-Sat 11am-10pm. www.horizonthailand.com 

Suited for: Dream hunters.

Facilities: Five different rooms, with the recording room featuring the latest Logic recording software for Mac. Rehearsal room includes full band equipment like the Pearl ELX Ludwig drum kit, Peavey Hartke VX3600 bass amp and Marshall Line6 Peavey Laney guitar amp.      

Rates and room types: Studio for demo recording starts at B500/hr up to B2,500/6hr for mastering one full album. Rehearsal rooms start from B200/hr in the Ocean room, which is slightly smaller than the standard room. Standard-medium B230-250/hr and the biggest room at B300/hr.   

For $198 per person, you'll get a six-course set menu at Alkaff Mansion Ristorante, including a glass of Prosecco and the main highlight—Canadian lobster with green asparagus and lemon emulsion.

Au Chocolat is offering a three-course dinner menu ($70) available on New Year's Eve as well as New Year's Day. Highlights include the duck trip with greens, and seared tuna with orange prawns.

Enjoy fine Italian creations at Caffè B, featuring special lunch and dinner menus for $120 from December 26 to January 1.

At Catalunya, sample creations by Albert Adria, younger brother of the legendary Ferran Adria. Crowned as The Daily Meal’s International Chef of the Year 2013 and named as one of the 13 most influential people in gastronomy by TIME Magazine, this is one dinner service you won't want to miss ($488 per person).

Highlights such as Hokkaido scallop 'sashimi' with shaved myoga, Jumbo Lump crab cake with blue crab and basil aioli, as well as premium kobe beef, take center stage at CUT by Wolfgang Puck ($200-$250).

A seven-course festive menu ($198) featuring creations like royale oysters with caviar and red snapper 'en papiotte' by chef Jonathan Kinsella is on offer at db Bistro Moderne. Also, New Year's Day brunch will be available from 12pm-5pm.

Go crazy with Edge's buffet spread this New Year's Eve and savor specials like Alaskan king crab, French oysters, Iberico ham, salt crusted whole salmon, and more ($288).

It's no ordinary New Year's Eve dinner at Gattopardo as chef Lino Sauro serves his final few meals at the restaurant's Fort Canning premises before moving to its new home at Tras Street. Expect fine Italian plates like risone pasta with braised octopus and bone marrow and the signature Gattopardo seafood stew ($188).

Dine at Hai Tien Lo for traditional Cantonese creations with a contemporary twist. Expect fine plates like double-boiled Buddha Jumps over the Wall and wok-fried rice with abalone ($168 per person, minimum of two diners).

Keyaki offers a New Year's Eve dinner set menu featuring a range of traditional Japanese New Year dishes, like Ozouni (clear soup with rice cakes) at $208 per person (inclusive of a glass of Champagne).

Pairing festive offerings with a stunning view is KU DÉ TA, whose New Year's Eve menu ($288) includes lobster tempura, spicy miso black cod and wagyu beef sirloin.

Book your spots for dinner at Lawry's ($159), featuring menu highlights like dark cherry chicken & foie gras, scallop wrapped in smoked bacon, and of course, the signature roasted prime ribs of beef.

Get your Japanese food fix at Mikuni this New Year's Eve with the Oomisoka dinner ($265). Creations on the menu include the Mikuni-style Ozouni soup with chicken, rice cake and seaweed, yuzu soya-marinated grilled cod with black bean and mushroom, as well as almond sponge with yuzu cream, azuki red bean and matcha ice cream.

Noti offers a five-course menu paired with free flow of Champagne, wine, beer and soft drinks at $180 per person. Highlights include handmade tagliatelle with Boston lobster and suckling iberico pork.

Tuck into French cuisine at OCF. For $128, you can enjoy classic creations like Maine lobster terrine with Oscietra caviar and king oyster mushrooms with foie gras shavings.

Celebrate the New Year with an Italian feast at Osteria Mozza. Go for the four-course tasting menu ($188) featuring burrata with caviar, sunchoke agnolotti with black truffle and vanilla panna cotta with mixed berry compote.

Fancy some fine Indian fare? Punjab Grill has a New Year's Eve menu ($148) featuring pan seared black cod with kaffir lime sauce on a bed of octopus and mint pilaf, tava grilled greens, butter chicken, and its signature dhal.

If you love buffets, go for the spread at RISE. Offering both lunch and dinner buffets on New Year's Eve as well as New Year's Day (from $68), you can grab favorites from the different food stations such as the Western carving station, the sushi and sashimi station, the cheese station, and the dessert bar.

Stellar at 1-Altitude has two seatings to choose from: from 6pm-8:30pm, it's $168 for a three-course meal that features creations like wagyu tataki and a deconstructed baked alaska, and from 9pm-12am (countdown!) it's $282 for a four-course feast, including items like caviar and US prime rib.

The Royal Mail's New Year's specials include starters like Alaskan king crab claw, main courses like squid ink and saffron tagliatelle, and sweet treats such as Mont Blanc—all part of the four-course menu available New Year's Eve and New Year's Day ($88).

Usher in 2014 at Senso Ristorante & Bar and indulge in their seven-course menu ($182) featuring plenty of foie gras creations and other items like lobster medallions gratin.

Alternatively, ring in the New Year, 200 meters above the ground at Sky on 57 and enjoy either a seven-course ($328) or eight-course ($388) menu showcasing chef Justin Quek's signature foie gras xiao long bao, Santa Barbara sea urchin with spanner crab and more.

Tumi makes sleek suitcases, but it’s the utilitarian Alpha Bravo carrier, made with super-tough ballistic nylon, featuring useful compartments, that we’re lusting after this season. $570 from #B1-127 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave., 6222-1611, www.tumi.com.

In a beautifully veneered walnut shade, Ciseal’s molded plywood tablet stand holds up your iPad, Kindle, books, magazines and every possible reading material for easy viewing. $130 from Hip Van (www.hipvan.com).

They say good things come in small packages. Percy & Reed’s miniature hair products in the Marvelous Moisture gift pack is a brainless stocking stuffer that promises to keep hair hydrated, soft and glossy. $30 from Sephora (#01-05/06 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, 6509-8255, www.sephora.com).

Gloster Cloud Dual Height Coffee Table, $1,700 from Danish Design Co.
Lift-top panels can be raised to dining table height so you or your guest won’t have to stoop too low to dine in front of the TV.

Seleti Sending Animals Shelf, $9,987 from Fred Lives Here
This kitschy cow-shaped storage unit holds your kitchenware and even features a small flip-down countertop for food preparation.

Foscarini Solar Low Table, $2,172.10 from Xtra
Designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, this gorgeous hemispherical table is also a floor lamp that can be tilted (while remaining stable) at different angles to create different moods.

Stockholm Sofa Sleeper, $4,710 from BoConcept (#04-01 Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd., 6736-0777)
Turn your couch into a comfortable bed for overnight guests with this convertible and customizable two-seater.

Gateleg Dining Table, $549 from Crate & Barrel
Seating up to four people when fully extended, this classic slim piece is just 24cm wide, making it easy to stow away till your next party.

Barraka
Robertson Walk’s nightlife is somewhat dominated by Wine Connection, but sometimes you just want a change of scenery. Offering a little competition is tapas bar Barraka, where a pretty sizeable range of cava, rosé, whites and reds start at $6 a glass; you can also knock back beer (from $7/glass), sangria ($10/glass) and summery cocktails (from $14) in their massive alfresco seating area (no need to squeeze).

District 10
The recently revamped District 10 is now all grown up and a lot more focused on classy Old World wines, plus there’s a brand new Antinori Room—a private dining area that’s named after one of Italy’s top wine companies. Naturally, you want the good stuff here. A bottle of Antinori wine will set you back at least $88, so go all out and get the chef to customize a pairing menu. It’s great for those hard-to-impress dates.

Ginza Lion
This new­ and first Singapore outlet of Japanese beer hall chain Ginza Lion mainly serves Sapporo on tap (from $8.50/glass)—nothing special, right? Wait till you see them serve it in a bizarre, extra-large, boot-shaped glass. You can also throw back beer cocktails like Red Eye ($15), a curious combo of Sapporo and tomato juice. Pair these with bar chow like fried soft shell crab ($12) and BBQ pork ribs ($24).

more bars in Robertson Quay

Cool art exhibitions are opening every week in this Little Red Dot of ours. Not only that—next year’s Singapore Art Week will feature more than 60 independent exhibitions, alongside mammoth art fair Art Stage. Perhaps most excitingly of all, five new independent galleries have just opened with more on the way (Pearl Lam brings her Shanghainese style to Gillman Barracks from January). Here we take a look at these new arrivals and peek ahead at what’s to come.

28th Fevrier

What: Run by former photographer Dominic Khoo, the 8,000 sq. ft. art gallery is luxury and artistry personified. It was just a couple of months after Khoo decided to close down his former space at Jalan Kilang Barat (which in November held the Super O Season pop-up parties) that he reopened at this picturesque spot. “I still wanted to push the idea of art and I wanted a space where viewers can see the works through a more realistic setting, where the pieces are placed at home,” says Khoo.

Who: Never mind that it boasts a rather chi-chi setting  (customers get to rest on the luxury sofas and sip on tea or coffee while they browse), the art pieces here are an infectious mix of street art influenced works and charming one-offs, including rare early works by Samantha Lo a.k.a. SKLO and Parisian Kongo ($20,000 upwards). Images from Khoo’s photography collection, of celebrities like Maggie Cheung and Lindsay Lohan, are also on sale ($6,888 upwards), as are one-off furniture piece by Italian brand Manoteca ($11,888 upwards).

Why: The friendly atmosphere and warm ambiance makes you want to come back again and again.

Where: 6 Kay Siang Rd., 6366-4642.

When: Open Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 1-6pm.

Barnadas Huang

What: The latest gallery to open in Dempsey is the sister gallery of Spain’s Barnadas Huang, a 1,500 sq. ft. space that offers some of the best in European art. “We brought the gallery to Singapore because we thought there was a gap in the market when it came to contemporary European art,” says partner Abigail Wong.

Who: A staple of both veterans and emerging European artists, including names like Fernando Adam, Jesus Curia, Marc Jesus, Joan Longas and Gabriel Schmitz. Currently on show is The Real Barcelona. Works are priced from $500 upwards.

Why: Apart from one-off shows, there has never been such a huge and diverse collection of European artists under one roof in Singapore.

Where: 22 Dempsey Rd., 6635-4707, www.barnadashuang.com.

Pythagoras • The latest work by talented artist and filmmaker Ho Tzu Nyen is built around the notions of veils and ventriloquism to brilliant effect, consisting single channel videos and sculptures. Through Dec 15. Michael Janssen Gallery (Gillman Barracks), #02-21, 9 Lock Rd., 6734-8948. Free.

A Way of Life • Photographs from the Leica Collection • Outstanding photography exhibition featuring original prints by the legendary Henri Cartier-Bresson, Constantine Manos, René Burri and Klavdij Sluban, among many others. Through Dec 31. Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Place, 6332-7798. Free.

The Art of Collecting • The showcase includes 19 masterpieces by European masters such as Botticelli, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Monet, Modigliani and Picasso. Through Dec 31. Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris, Fort Canning Centre, Cox Terrace. $12-15 from SISTIC.  

Surreal Reality • Impressionistic black-and-white photographs by American Rodney Smith, whose famous piece from 1995, “Don Jumping Over Hay Rool”, is a testament to his wonderful compositions and craft.  Through Jan 5 2014. Fost Gallery (Gillman Barracks), #01-02, 1 Lock Rd., 6694-3080. Free.

Singapore Biennale 2013 • This year’s much-anticipated edition of the Singapore Biennale brings together the best and most thought-provoking pieces from around Southeast Asia and farther afield. Through Feb 16 2014, 10am. Bras Basah Bugis Precinct. $10. www.singaporebiennale.org.

Art Stage Singapore
No self-respecting art fan should miss this one. There will be more than 100 galleries from all over the world participating, with a strong focus on the Asia Pacific region. Apart from the best in contemporary Asian art, keep a look out for big-name works from Brit greats, like Tracy Emin and Damien Hirst. It’s like Art 101 all over again.  
Jan 16-19. Halls D,E,F, Level B2, Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, 10 Bayfront Ave., www.artstagesingapore.com. $33 (day-pass) $63 (season-pass).

ART IN MOTION (AIM)
Art enthusiasts will have the chance to experience the best in contemporary art from 14 participating galleries, located around Bugis, Bras Basah, Gillman Barracks and Raffles Hotel Arcade, including Chan Hampe Galleries and Art Plural. You’ll get to gallery hop for free, and there are dinner parties and cocktails, in-between tours, to look forward to.  
Jan 18-19. Sign up at www.agas.org.sg/aim_event.acv or email [email protected].

Kiko Escora
The talented Filipino artist Kiko Escora depicts the dichotomy between paint and charcoal, through his intricate exploration of contours, shadows and tones, resulting in a series of drawings of human figures in various state of ennui. This long-awaited show by the flamboyant Escora is one that we’ve been looking forward to for years.
Jan 10-16. The Drawing Room, #01-06 Gillman Barracks, 5 Lock Rd., 6694-3289, www.drawingroomgallery.com. Free.

see all exhibitions at Singapore Art Week 2014

Days We Met
This photographic exhibition from local collective 5ive Foot Way features work they’ve shot, produced and edited, of the streets both in Singapore and abroad. It is striking, thought-provoking and a window into their undeniable love for the photographic process.
Jan 8-24.Objectifs, 56A Arab St., 6293-9782, www.objectifs.com.sg. Free.

The Sanctuary of the Topsy Turvy
A showcase of wonderful, quirky photographs by 42-year-old Japanese artist Yuki Onodera. Created over the past decade, the pieces are imbued with a dichotomy of sense and wonder, as well as curiosity and insight, and feature a hip, collage-like aesthetic.
Jan 15-Feb 28. 2902 Gallery, #02-02, 222 Queen St., 6339-8655, www.2902gallery.com. Free.

Herb & Dorothy 50 x 50
Directed by Megumi Sasaki, this insightful “road movie” traces the efforts of art collectors Herb and Dorothy Vogel, who donated their entire 2,500 artworks to museums across 50 states in the US, featuring rare interviews with the couple as well as interviews with curators, visitors and other famous artists. Masaki’s earlier film Herb & Dorothy, made in 2008, will also be screened as a companion piece.
Jan 18, 4:15pm, 9:15pm; Jan 19, 4:15pm. Herb & Dorothy is on Jan 18, 2pm, 7pm; Jan 19, 2pm. Screening Room, The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, Singapore 179429, +65 6336-3021, www.theartshouse.com.sg. $12 from the website or venue.

see all exhibitions at Singapore Art Week 2014