Where To Spend The Evenings In Samui 2012?

[spacedcowboy]

Hi can anyone recommend any nice places to spend the evenings in Samui in 2012.

I'm ideally looking for live (Western/Thai) music venues with a friendly atmosphere, not interested in lady bars.

Feel free to PM me.

Cheers

SpacedCowboy

[phetphet]

Cafe Mambo? On corner of Soi Green Mango, and also Bondi, on the next corner, often have live bands. Also, coming in October, is the Samui Jazz Festival.

[carmine]

Billabong and Emerald Bar both in the Fishermans Village do live music, but best to check out because not every night

[robsamui]

Hi.

Ask us again when you get here. Things change all the time and, actually, it's a kind of couch potato question, wouldn't you agree?

R

[tornado40]

Cafe Mambo? On corner of Soi Green Mango, and also Bondi, on the next corner, often have live bands. Also, coming in October, is the Samui Jazz Festival.

I'm returning to Samui in October and enjoy Jazz - any details of dates/venues would be appreciated

[phetphet]

Cafe Mambo? On corner of Soi Green Mango, and also Bondi, on the next corner, often have live bands. Also, coming in October, is the Samui Jazz Festival.

I'm returning to Samui in October and enjoy Jazz - any details of dates/venues would be appreciated

http://www.samuijazz.com

[tornado40]

Cafe Mambo? On corner of Soi Green Mango, and also Bondi, on the next corner, often have live bands. Also, coming in October, is the Samui Jazz Festival.

I'm returning to Samui in October and enjoy Jazz - any details of dates/venues would be appreciated

http://www.samuijazz.com

Thanks - that's great. I'll head down to Chewang on 19/20 Oct

[spacedcowboy]

Hi.

Ask us again when you get here. Things change all the time and, actually, it's a kind of couch potato question, wouldn't you agree?

R

I'm here but it all seems a bit quiet, I've trawelled around Chaweng, so no Couch potato here just thought I might be missing something.

[robsamui]

[Chuckle - apologies!

I had a mental picture of you sitting somewhere in Idaho on a cold wet night and drifting through the internet onto ThaiVisa . . .

Essentially, you'll find Samui lacking when it comes to live music - even things to do at night are limited in scope. Plus the fact that it's now low season and things are generally quiet everywhere.

AFAI am aware of there is now no live resident band anywhere. I went to Penang (Malaysia) a while ago and was amazed at the Filipino band in the local pub - utterly superb musicians and singers and a joy to listen to. Plus the sound balance and volume was perfect. Bars and pubs in Chaweng, Bang Rak and Mae Nam occasionally feature live bands but the bands tend to be local hobbyists who appear together for a month or so and are never seen again. Tropical Murphy's in Chaweng used to run a resident band upstairs several nights a week but (you'll need to check this) I think that's finished now. For something more middle-of-the-road, look in at Red Snapper, Chaweng. They have a Latin combo who are very talented musicians but this is more upmarket-lounge in style. Also check out Rocky's resort outside Lamai. Every Sunday (?) they feature a quite brilliant jazz-based trio (sax, keyboard, female vocal) who can be rated at international standard - very impressive individually and collectively.

Other than that there's only the now-and-then appearance of bands like Carabao or the annual jazz festival - music is something that Samui really lacks on a regular basis. I suppose it's simply because the visitors to the island hugely outnumber the residents - someone here on a 9 or-10-day holiday won't know what's on around the island and are content to spend their evenings locally.

It's also worth a wander along the strip of Fisherman's Village - especially on their walking street night (Friday??) when several impromptu bands appear and seem to plug-in to the nearest lamp-post. The musical quality might not be the best but the atmosphere is great fun. Plus there are several established bars/pubs who regularly put on music - check out Billabong (Surf Club) and the excellent singer/guitarist (either Mark James or Chris Fretwell, I forget. Sometimes they play together - one of the best combos on the island. You'll need to go along and check!) Chris Fretwell has quite a few YouTube videos if you want to hunt around . . .

Hope that triggers a few trips!

Cheers

R

Edited September 2, 2012 by robsamui

[spacedcowboy]

[Chuckle - apologies!

I had a mental picture of you sitting somewhere in Idaho on a cold wet night and drifting through the internet onto ThaiVisa . . .

Essentially, you'll find Samui lacking when it comes to live music - even things to do at night are limited in scope. Plus the fact that it's now low season and things are generally quiet everywhere.

AFAI am aware of there is now no live resident band anywhere. I went to Penang (Malaysia) a while ago and was amazed at the Filipino band in the local pub - utterly superb musicians and singers and a joy to listen to. Plus the sound balance and volume was perfect. Bars and pubs in Chaweng, Bang Rak and Mae Nam occasionally feature live bands but the bands tend to be local hobbyists who appear together for a month or so and are never seen again. Tropical Murphy's in Chaweng used to run a resident band upstairs several nights a week but (you'll need to check this) I think that's finished now. For something more middle-of-the-road, look in at Red Snapper, Chaweng. They have a Latin combo who are very talented musicians but this is more upmarket-lounge in style. Also check out Rocky's resort outside Lamai. Every Sunday (?) they feature a quite brilliant jazz-based trio (sax, keyboard, female vocal) who can be rated at international standard - very impressive individually and collectively.

Other than that there's only the now-and-then appearance of bands like Carabao or the annual jazz festival - music is something that Samui really lacks on a regular basis. I suppose it's simply because the visitors to the island hugely outnumber the residents - someone here on a 9 or-10-day holiday won't know what's on around the island and are content to spend their evenings locally.

It's also worth a wander along the strip of Fisherman's Village - especially on their walking street night (Friday??) when several impromptu bands appear and seem to plug-in to the nearest lamp-post. The musical quality might not be the best but the atmosphere is great fun. Plus there are several established bars/pubs who regularly put on music - check out Billabong (Surf Club) and the excellent singer/guitarist (either Mark James or Chris Fretwell, I forget. Sometimes they play together - one of the best combos on the island. You'll need to go along and check!) Chris Fretwell has quite a few YouTube videos if you want to hunt around . . .

Hope that triggers a few trips!

Cheers

R

10'oclock already, back in the hotel nothing happening music wise in Chaweng off further a filed tomorrow to visit some of the places you mentioned

[Virt]

You said that you wanted western/thai music, so not sure this suits you, but when we visited Samui in July, Samui Rock Cafe down at Chaweng food market on lake road, each sunday has live music from 8 or 9 pm.

It's a Thaiband called The Black Roses that play cover numbers and it's mainly rock music, but also do numbers by request if they know them.

Their lead guitarist is pretty darn good and the atmosphere at the cafe is great.

Maybe worth a visit?