Aside from all the gay bars and venues, Chiang Mai is well catered for in terms of live music. There are many, many venues with live music of all types and ranging from the single guitar player signing folk songs too large well know bands visiting larger venues.
One of Bon Tong’s favourites is Guitar Man, situated right at the bottom end of Loi Kroh Road, near the river and not far from the Night Bazaar.
Guitar Man is popular with the ex-pat crowd as well as tourists. Every night sees different live acts playing with some occasional farang performers as well as local Thai artists and jamming sessions. They also do food including a farang selection and EXCELLENT Pizza.
Although not a Gay venue, Guitar Man is a very fun and welcoming place and quite a few gay ex-pats go there. Of course most welcoming of all is Bon Tong’s friend, the one and only Jeeb. Make up your own mind……..
Guitar Man Legend Jeeb
Another area with lots of live music choices is Santitham with plentiful small bars and restaurants with folk songs or other live music. The Bon Tong boys recently discovered an absolute gem whilst visiting Santitham Plaza Gay bar La La, a fun venue, popular with students and a lively Karaoke. Next door to “La La” (where former Gay bar Yum Boi Boi was located) a new bar has opened called “Chaophraya” which is a reggae ska music bar with a resident band called “Super Running Ska”.
The band is a selection of lively, not to mention good looking, young guys, several of whom have studied or are studying music. They play a range of instruments including Trombone, which is played masterfully, two trumpeters and bongo drums, as well the usual guitars and drums. They also have two singers. As the name implies, they play a selection of Thai Reggae Ska, and some international covers too, accompanied by non stop energetic dancing. With up to ten people on the small stage and the venue often packed with their friends, and girlfriends (sorry – sadly they are all straight and happy that way), the atmosphere can be great.
Super Running Ska in action
Another venue popular with the local gay crowd is “Nae Nae” This Thai food fish restaurant is located on the Super High Way near the Wat Jed Yod intersection (Heading south from Jed Yod traffic lights it’s at the next intersection left – Tewan Road – Right on the corner) Park on the superhighway and they have a couple of bridges across the small Klong you can use to enter. “Nae Nae” is simple, local, cheap and great fun. They have live folk music, with two guys playing guitar and bongo drums every night. Fish, barbecued and steamed, is the specialty and they have very cheap draft Leo beer available. It’s advisable to go with a Thai Speaker/reader as the English version of the menu is restrictive.
Like the other places mentioned, “Nae Nae” is not specifically a gay venue, but very gay friendly and the staff are welcoming and, well just go see for yourself……..
Lastly, if you want to do it large, go to Mandalay. This large Thai, almost Gay, disco (known locally as Mandagay) has a live band every night, usually loud Thai Pop or Hip Hop. Head there around midnight at weekends and you’ll find just about every Kathoey in town dancing there.
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