Live Music Venues in Bangkok
If you enjoy live music and are not into the club scene. Bangkok can be a bit of a disappointment. Few bands pass through the city and live venues are in short supply. One saving grace is Saxaphone. This atmospheric bar-cum-restaurant has been serving up great food and putting on cool music for over 20 years. Some of the city’s best jazz, blues and reggae musicians play here on a nightly basis. Three bands play daily from shows start at 9 p.m. but the bar opens at 6 p.m. 3/8 Victory Monument, Phayathai Road, close to Victory Monument BTS station, Bangkok www.saxophonepub.com
Another couple of reliable venues are Brown Sugar and Admaker. Brown Sugar has been a haunt of jazz fans for years and when it first opened on Soi Sarasin at the back of Lumpini Park, it was the only bar. The strip is now lined with trendy bars and clubs but Brown Sugar remains my favourite. It has a ramshackle charm and the unique ambience. Local jazz musicians play nightly. There’s also a decent menu of snacks and main meals. The nearest BTS station is Rajdamri.
Another popular joint just around the corner on Soi Langsuan is Admaker. This lively bar-cum-restaurant gets a good mixed crowd of Thais and Westerners coming to tuck into good food and listen to local Thai bands. The nearest BTS station is Ploenchit.
Sukhumvit Soi 26 is home to Tokyo Joe’s, Bangkok premier blues bar. The venue open at 5 p.m. daily and you can chill out to live music from 9.30 p.m. Food is available. www.tokyojoesbkk.com