Finding the Groove: Live Music in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 11]

We start off with some good news! Throwing back to episode 2.18 and guest Sawang Srisom, a disabled rights activist, Greg is happy to report that the city just gave a huge chunk of change to to the BTS so that they can finally add elevators to all stations! Really, it’s about time - Bangkok’s disabled facilities are embarrassingly unsuitable.

Greg and Ed then get into the meat of the show - live music in Bangkok. After lamenting the scene compared to the U.S. and Canada, they chat about some of their favorite spots in Bangkok and give some recommendations. Greg pushes perennial podcast go-tos AdHere on Samsen as well as Brown Sugar on Phra Sumen, although he doesn’t have a very big list of favorites beyond that (having a kid will do that to you). Ed discusses the various ‘scenes’ in Bangkok from Thai pop, to indie, to jazz bars at high-end hotels. And - as an actual musician without child - Ed gives a much more comprehensive list of favorites than Greg: Soul Bar in Chinatown, Apoteka on Soi 11, and Nothing But the Blues on Thong Lor.

And when it comes to finding gig info online, it’s thankfully not the desert it used to be. Ed suggests Live Music Tonight, and Greg recommends E7BKKLive. Ed finishes his list with a shout out to Check Inn 99 on Sukhumvit 33 for its jazz jam, and Greg reminds everybody about Bangkok institution Saxophone Pub at Victory Monument.

Both agree that although the live music scene in Bangkok may not be world class, plenty of great music is out there if you are willing to look for it.

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