Bar Music

[Wolf]

Salutations to all you music lovers/experts,

A friend of mine is opening a new bar on Sukhumvit. Big place, 6 to 8 pool tables - the works. Now the thing is that in most of the bars the music seems to be pretty much the same when you've been around here for some time. As much as I like a good song as anybody, I got so <deleted> bored with some venues just because of that, to the point that I started avoiding them. Now I've been asked to come up with music for the new place (for the record: I don't own or participate in the place). We'll stuff the computers, will try to explain to the DJ's how everything's supposed to work and in the end we should come up with some decent tracklists.

Thing is: What would you - given the choice - like to hear during a night out? House? Indie? Hip-hop? Metal? Reggae? Funk? Thai? Disco? R&B? Country? Or do you prefer a particular era, like let's say "80's"? Any artists (fom 50 Cent to ZZ Top and from A Perfect Circle to Frank Zappa) in particular? Can't use just my own collection - that would scare people away or get them heavily depressed.....

Let me hear your suggestions, please ("Hotel California" has been excluded).

Thanks!!!

[Totster]

Can't have a bar and not play Hotel California.. ( I suspect it'll be in the lease conditions)

Don't forget Zombie, I will survive, and that one by the Scorpians..

totster

[kayo]

Sixties & 70's Guitar Blues

(all the legends of Blues and Rock but be selective with tracks from Led Zep and like-minded bands)

modern stuff should be included, but often a good idea to use modern music that use recognizable riffs from past tunes.

speak with your public, but withhold a pinch of salt when doing so.

[PhilHarries]

Let me hear your suggestions, please ("Hotel California" has been excluded).

Thanks!!!

And "Wind of change" please and what was that one, played almost incessantly during the mid 90's, theme to Robin Hood?

What seems to work in the bars I, and many others, frequent both here in KL and in Thailand (Pattaya) is a good mix of 60's, 70's and 80's (you can throw a few 50's in as well). Variety is what I look for, don't mind tracks I don't like as long as there is frequent change in musical genre. Could always have a couple of nights set aside for a particular music type from say 10pm onwards.

Even the odd rap crap is tolerable as long as not too many.

Volume needs to be loud enough to hear but not so loud as to make communication all but impossible.

And please no Blunt the ####! Every time I hear "You're beautiful...." I want to rush out, get myself a gun and kill something.

[coldcrush]

Acid House....

[les Dennis]

I personally like to hear rock/indie, but can tolerate most music except jazz. I think the key is how it's played. There is nothing worse than a crap song being covered badly.

[solo siam]

I agree about Jazz, I just can't stand it and have often left bars when its being played non-stop, Its the only music type that effects me that way - I'd say to be safe you want 70's/80's and early 90's music.

[coldcrush]

That is a terrible thing to post... Jazz is the most beautiful music of all. It does tend to be that people just think jazz is some dixie music. Jazz is incorporated in alot of hits and hip hop these days. So if you must knock jazz maybe you should look deep within you music collection and you will find a remnant of it somewhere! I feel offended...I will just get my coat...

[solo siam]

Sorry but I just dont like Jazz, to me it sounds like something my grandmother would have listened to 50 years ago, its not that I don't get it, it just doesnt sound nice to my ears. For me music should do something, hype me up, calm me down, depress me, energise me... whatever.

I just listened to your Ahmad clip, it started out nice enough, but then theres just too much happening - take out the piano and it would have been mcuh better.

[mrbojangles]

Although i don't listen to it all the time, sometimes it's nice to hear abit of "chilling" music. Maybe something from the "Cafe Del Mar" selections

[britmaveric]

Why not vary it, no reason you can't play all sorts of music.

[coldcrush]

Why not vary it, no reason you can't play all sorts of music.

Well put brit. Cafe Del Mar incorporates alot of Jazz influences, also world music of all cultures. Being blinded by calling Jazz "Grandmas Music" is just being niave. Anyways you all have freedom of choice, unless you live in North Korea that is, so try and enjoy all music.

[Austhaied]

More of this stuff...

[November Rain]

I have the feeling this is going to be an unpopular suggestion, but rock & metal, from 60's to present time. Everything from The Doors, to T-Rex, to Free, to Deep Purple to Hendrix to Motorhead to Def Leppard to G 'n'R (of course!!) to Foo Fighters, Nickelback, Radiohead & Red Hot Chilli Peppers & everything in between!!!

[Austhaied]

I have the feeling this is going to be an unpopular suggestion, but rock & metal, from 60's to present time. Everything from The Doors, to T-Rex, to Free, to Deep Purple to Hendrix to Motorhead to Def Leppard to G 'n'R (of course!!) to Foo Fighters, Nickelback, Radiohead & Red Hot Chilli Peppers & everything in between!!!

You hit the nail right on the head.. Couldn't have said it better myself.. Pure class.. There used to be a bar on sukhumvit soi 0 (under the bridge) that used to play all of the above , good fun atmosphere as well.. probably gone now, that was back in 2001...

[raro]

Frank Zappa you said? I'd love to see the house band trying Drowning Witch or The Black Page

as others suggested already...60s, 70s, and early 80s...after that music died and only bands that carried forward the spirit of the 60s, 70s, and early 80s are worth a mention, such as Foo Fighters and Chilli Peppers. Also Franz Ferdinand.

I'd play rather unknown songs of the well known bands, this brings back memories to those who know and those who don't know anyways don't care about the music played!

Early 70 Zappa btw. goes down very well with some beers as well! Is this a real poncho?

[eddie11]

Just stay away from crap cheesey pop.

[tasasc]

Well, with a big enough hard drive there's nothing to stop you experimenting with "Theme" nights.

Something along the lines of:

Monday - Rock/Blues/Metal

Tuesday - Soul/ R'n'B/Funk

Wednesday - Thai Pop

Thursday - Oldies night -50's- 60's- 70's

Friday - Hip-hop/House/Rap

The weekends could be open house (maybe buy one drink, get one request?).

Sufficient advertising to establish a customer base and a couple of months down the line would probably see the different night's takings indicate what should be left or changed.

You shouldn't lose sight of the fact that it seems to be primarily a pool bar, not a music bar. The volume level will be critical and not controlled by the D.J.s

(November Rain - see you there on Monday? )

(Raro - it's definitely a Sears poncho......)

[Austhaied]

Well, with a big enough hard drive there's nothing to stop you experimenting with "Theme" nights.

Something along the lines of:

Monday - Rock/Blues/Metal

Tuesday - Soul/ R'n'B/Funk

Wednesday - Thai Pop

Thursday - Oldies night -50's- 60's- 70's

Friday - Hip-hop/House/Rap

The weekends could be open house (maybe buy one drink, get one request?).

Sufficient advertising to establish a customer base and a couple of months down the line would probably see the different night's takings indicate what should be left or changed.

You shouldn't lose sight of the fact that it seems to be primarily a pool bar, not a music bar. The volume level will be critical and not controlled by the D.J.s

(November Rain - see you there on Monday? )

(Raro - it's definitely a Sears poncho......)

Think i would stay home wednesdays and fridays..

[November Rain]

Well, with a big enough hard drive there's nothing to stop you experimenting with "Theme" nights.

Something along the lines of:

Monday - Rock/Blues/Metal...

(November Rain - see you there on Monday? )

I wish!! I'm in Hua Hin, not Bangkok

Good idea about different nights for different types of music, everyone wins that way! Fraid I'm with Austhaied, though - Wednesdays & Fridays would be a no-no for me too (hypothetically speaking, of course)!

[tasasc]

I wish!! I'm in Hua Hin, not Bangkok

I wish too! You're just the 5585 miles closer to Bangkok than I am.

As Fleetwood Mac put it - oh well ......

[Wolf]

Honored members,

We're definitely getting somewhere! You're partially confirming my ideas (must be some old hands as yours truly) as well coming up with some interesting options. Think I'm going to experiment with the mellow stuff like St. Germain Des Pres Cafe, Hotel Costes, Cafe Del Mar and such during daytime. Night time: blow off the <deleted> roof - keeping in mind that people want to play pool. Theme nights: great idea, as well as trips down to Memory Lane.

Okay, come up with more artist/band/song names, please. Inspire me. Like, you're sitting in a bar and suddenly XXXX comes blasting out of the speakers and you're getting tears of joy/spontaneous hard-on/goose bumps/ misty eyes/stupid grin and what not..... What kind of band or song would that be?

I need input!!!

Edited February 14, 2007 by Wolf

[Austhaied]

Honored members,

We're definitely getting somewhere! You're partially confirming my ideas (must be some old hands as yours truly) as well coming up with some interesting options. Think I'm going to experiment with the mellow stuff like St. Germain Des Pres Cafe, Hotel Costes, Cafe Del Mar and such during daytime. Night time: blow off the <deleted> roof - keeping in mind that people want to play pool. Theme nights: great idea, as well as trips down to Memory Lane.

Okay, come up with more artist/band/song names, please. Inspire me. Like, you're sitting in a bar and suddenly XXXX comes blasting out of the speakers and you're getting tears of joy/spontaneous hard-on/goose bumps/ misty eyes/stupid grin and what not..... What kind of band or song would that be?

I need input!!!

After my herb pizza i would say. Shine on you crazy diamond by Pink Floyd.. Then after a few red bulls i would say "Blood sugar Sex Magic" (the whole album/CD) by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers..

[britmaveric]

80's theme music: cure, depeche mode, souxi and banshees, gogo(s), peter murphy, new order, clash, janes addiction, pixies, blondie ect

[mulphy]

I have the feeling this is going to be an unpopular suggestion, but rock & metal, from 60's to present time. Everything from The Doors, to T-Rex, to Free, to Deep Purple to Hendrix to Motorhead to Def Leppard to G 'n'R (of course!!) to Foo Fighters, Nickelback, Radiohead & Red Hot Chilli Peppers & everything in between!!!

november rain ,

the playlist you just mentioned is very similar to the type of music we knock outevery night at my place and the customers love it.

we get told repeatedly that we have the best music in pattaya , recorded of course , not live.

i think , given the average age of thailands ex pat community and tourist , this is the stuff they want to hear.

i had a bar full last night singing along to every song.

i also find play too much hip hop , rap or dance and your customer simply walks out the door.

[November Rain]

I have the feeling this is going to be an unpopular suggestion, but rock & metal, from 60's to present time. Everything from The Doors, to T-Rex, to Free, to Deep Purple to Hendrix to Motorhead to Def Leppard to G 'n'R (of course!!) to Foo Fighters, Nickelback, Radiohead & Red Hot Chilli Peppers & everything in between!!!

november rain ,

the playlist you just mentioned is very similar to the type of music we knock outevery night at my place and the customers love it.

we get told repeatedly that we have the best music in pattaya , recorded of course , not live.

i think , given the average age of thailands ex pat community and tourist , this is the stuff they want to hear.

i had a bar full last night singing along to every song.

i also find play too much hip hop , rap or dance and your customer simply walks out the door.

Bangkok has or might have it, Pattaya has it... and I'm in Hua Hin! Sob! Actually, we do have a live rock pub, but the band (although really good) only play certain songs & artists. No Doors, Def Leppard, T-Rex, metal of any kind and the only more recent band they cover is Nirvana.

I need a rock fix! If they ever get this ferry service sorted, I might be over. What's the name of your place?

[ya5702]

Salutations to all you music lovers/experts,

A friend of mine is opening a new bar on Sukhumvit. Big place, 6 to 8 pool tables - the works. Now the thing is that in most of the bars the music seems to be pretty much the same when you've been around here for some time. As much as I like a good song as anybody, I got so <deleted> bored with some venues just because of that, to the point that I started avoiding them. Now I've been asked to come up with music for the new place (for the record: I don't own or participate in the place). We'll stuff the computers, will try to explain to the DJ's how everything's supposed to work and in the end we should come up with some decent tracklists.

Thing is: What would you - given the choice - like to hear during a night out? House? Indie? Hip-hop? Metal? Reggae? Funk? Thai? Disco? R&B? Country? Or do you prefer a particular era, like let's say "80's"? Any artists (fom 50 Cent to ZZ Top and from A Perfect Circle to Frank Zappa) in particular? Can't use just my own collection - that would scare people away or get them heavily depressed.....

Let me hear your suggestions, please ("Hotel California" has been excluded).

Thanks!!!

1. Oldies/Evergreens

2. Classic Country

3. Rock and Roll

4. Blues

[retirednavyman]

How about comfortably numb by Pink Floyd?

[loong]

What a refreshing idea, a bar owner actually interested in what prospective customers would like to hear. So many places play the *rap that the staff want to hear at a volume that cuts out any possibility of conversation.

Some of the stuff I like to hear............

Bob Marley

UB40

Stevie Wonder

Eric Clapton

Fleetwood Mac

Simple Minds

Climax Blues Band

John Lennon

Happy Mondays

U2

[Patsycat]

Red Hot's

Style Council

Van Morrison

etc. etc.