itting the rewind button, back in early 1986, a person wandering down Sukhumvit Soi 33 after dark would have needed a flashlight. No Nitespots, no restaurants, the Novotel was soon to be in the throes of opening... But then, out of the blue (or is it the black?) a lounge bar by the name of Renoir Club 1841 opened right in the middle of the Soi.. And true to its name, the motif was of that French Impressionist painter. Little did we know...
By the time Soi 33 had reached 'Critical Mass' as a Night Entertainment Area in 1999, and MIDNITE HOUR -somewhat tardily- 'took up the task', Soi 33 had a total of 16Nitespots stretched out over its long expanses : -
Christies Club Napoleon Club 'Our Lounge' Blue Sky
'Entertainment Club' Blue Power Shaft Phoenix Lounge
Vincent Van Gogh Mai 33 Massage Renoir Club 1841 Degas Luciano's Club Monet
Chelsea Bar 33 CenterLeo Club Bangkok 1994
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
As the Soi grew over the years, so did the number of 'Impressionist Artist' lounges & clubs. As a result, the Soi found itself having several similar-sounding nicknames - the one most popular was "Soi Dead Artists". Alas, nothing lasts forever, and as new construction changed the very face of the Soi these last few years, the numer of Nitespots began to drop off rapidly. This included several of the favorite Impressionist Artist clubs. The last of these themed lounges, the Goya Club closed down January 2020; the remaining Venues on Soi 33 being now almost exclusively Japanese. Follows is a review of those Impressionist-themed bars - now to be found only in a dark corner of the historical archives...
- The Impressionist Artist Bars -
The Monet Club
The Monet Club in its various iterations, neon signage, and locations within the Soi over the years . The top pic also shows the Dali-esqueClub Dali signage (after the Monet moved in next door). Often mistaken for the "Manet" (also an Impressionist painter), the proof of the pudding was from the Thai language spelling.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
The Renoir Club
The Renoir Club 1841 was the 'seminal venue' on the Soi - and for a number of years, the most successful. It paved the way for the follow-on Impressionist bars... After a brief close-down, it rebooted as Renoir 2015, however it did not survive for long...
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
The Vincent Van Gogh
The Vincent Van Gogh was the second of the Impressionist bars, arriving also in 1987, just after the Renoir...
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
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The Degas
The Degas, popular for a number of years, finally sold out to the Japanese...
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
The Dali Club
The Dali Club operated downstairs for the duration, later ceding part of their space to the again-relocating Monet. Upstairs they tried a Dali Pool, and then the Dali Coyote Club, neither of which lasted long.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
The Gauguin Club
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
The Goya Club
The Goya Club was the last remaining Impressionist bar, having closed December 2019 to make way for yet another JapaneseNitespot.
READER :
Pleasantly surprised to see your most recent issue had an old ad for the Club 99. Toward the last though, they didn't have much entertainment, that ad must be from a very old source. From the R&R days, though I wasn't in the service, I did spend some time there and on Surawong Road. The Club 99 ad you put up shows 'Marcial' as the house musician, and, I don't know if you go back that far, but wasn't a piano player by the name of Tony Aguilar the regular there?
MIDNITE HOUR:
We go back that far. Your letter is similar to others we have received - especially from those going back to the '60's. Tony Aguilar (and his two brothers, Narcing and Pepito) played piano and entertained for several years in the 1960's. "Imported" Filipino musicians and groups were a big thing in the clubs and hotels during that era. Each brother had a regular place where he usually played, but often had gigs at other venues. While it is possible that Tony did play at the Club 99, his 'home' venue was The Balcony near New Road / Surawong Road. While we are on subject, and in to answer several others' inquiries, Tony's daughter Christina Aguilar became a popular entertainer and recording star, far outshining any of the brothers. She shouldn't be confused with American singer Christina Aguilera (as she often is), although both Christinas are 'million-seller' recording stars who rose to popularity in the early/ mid-'90's.
READER :
Hi,
On your site there is a link box (small advertisement) called “F------ T--------”. It links to our site but the link is broken. If you want to link to us (thanks) the link should be to index page https://www.(redacted).com. Right now its a bad link thats bad for your site and possibly ours. Thanks very much.
MIDNITE HOUR:
Thanks for writing in. Bangkok Eyes currently has no link to your site, broken or otherwise. And there is a good reason for this. We give you the benefit of the doubt - we are not saying you have been intentionally disingenuous, rather just misinformed as to what is going on at your website. Some years ago, your webmaster agreed to a mutual exchange of links (we would carry your link on our home page, and you would carry our link on one subdirectory of yours). As the years went by, two things happened on your end - the first, your webmaster removed the link to our site without informing us. The second thing that happened is your webmaster, without informing anyone, updated your website, revising your directory and subdirectory names. The latter, as you may now have gathered, is the reason our links to your site (from our Archived editions from 2009 thru 2011) are no longer able to connect to your site. Or to say the same thing another way, you created your own 'broken' links by changing the urls to all of your web pages. In that your webmaster showed us no consideration by unilaterally, and unannounced, removing our link (which was the agreed-upon exchange-link), Bangkok Eyes considers this matter closed.
The Patpong Museum continues to grow in popularity and numbers of visitors, yet there are still the several who ask of us, 'Where is it?' This month we feature their new, bolder signage - and a map showing the Museum's exact location. Also, last month, we noted the closure of the Candle Light Studio located on the 3rd level above the Bar Bar fetish bar, and noted it would become "something". Well, it has - it has become the Patpong Museum (an annex) - a multi-purposed studio-gallery-function venue (this month - a photo exhibitgion by Mauro D'Agati). See both Patpong Museum locations on the map below.
Follow The Yellow Brick Road
(Your personal map to the Patpong Museum)
PATPONG 2
Due to a crackdown by the Sign Gestapos some time ago, the Bada Bing turned off, or removed, its neon, going under the name of its parent Venue, Twilo. (After that crackdown, the only evidence of 'Bada Bing' was the placards the door girls were holding up to lure customers). But, as time passed, 'sign-creep' saw the Bada Bing name becoming more and more prevalent. Today, the 'transformation' seems to be complete - they are now turning on the old neon (that which was not removed in the original crackdown)... Gotta' let the train roll on...
Having been around for more than 20 years, the Sam's 2000 is finally getting some signage up that is 'out there' where people can see it. May they keep on keeping on...
SOI COWBOY
The @ Corner also has nailed up some new neon. Lookin' good...
The Rajah Hotel compound has a new Nitespot - the Goody Massage. But if it weren't for the masseuses working the signs and buttonholing passersby kerbside, no one would know it was there. One needs to walk in and around behind the giant tattoo parlor (which is always empty) to find it. May they continue to slip 'n slide....
Some months back, Banana Bar on 4 found a place upstairs for the then-homeless Banana Room Club (an orphan from the Soi Twilight closure). Now the Banana Room Club has taken over both the 2nd level and the ground floor. All is status quo ante...
The Exotic Bangkok massage moved from Soi Lemongrass over to the adjoining subsoi Hana. It moved into the Liola massage digs, which is now closed. It remains to be seen what will become of the previous Soi Lemongrass shophouse, if anything....
SOI 22
The Thai Candy massage has reopened, again in subsoi Lemongrass, this time all the way at the back of the soi. So, it's back to full-rub-a-dub-dub...
SOI 22
The chain-massage parlor Footjoy House lasted only one month before giving up the ghost. Soon to open in its place is the Iyashi Barber & Massage, unless of course, there are more massage parlor musical chairs that we are not privy to...
SOI 22
The Bar Black Pinky is just that - dark. Last month we promised a better photo, (below) but it is hardly 'better'. A dark place. Located deep in the Soi, may they somehow beat the 'location-location-location' odds...
SOI 22
The B52 Bar opened newly in subsoi Starlight, taking over the recently closed The Flower Club digs (we wonder where the two Flower Club cats went - the ones that were always asleep on the front table....). Note: this is the relocated B52 from the now nearly extinct Queen's Park Plaza. (Before that, the B52 relocated from Washington Square..... and before that, Cowboy Annex [Asoke Plaza]). ...Talk about a 'survivor'...
Last month we covered the opening of the One For The Road. We noted it was a single-shophouse... well, that has changed - they have claimed some additional streetside table space, and are offering a 'happy hour' special (but who isn't?). The times we have been past, they have always been busy. May their candle continue to burn...
The Soi 7 Plaza continues to expand rapidly - pushed to a great extent by the closing of Queen's Park Plaza (in progress for the last 3 months). The map immediately below shows the current status (21 Night Enertainment Venues) as per our 31 January 2020 survey. The map does not show where several of the lots are currently occupied by non Night Entertainment Venues, such as restaurants or other shops.
Below are photos of the Nitespots opening since our last report. Their names are evidenced by their neon. The only Venue not shown is the Nice 'N Easy, which has had a soft opening a couple of days ago, but does not yet have any neon nailed up... See their location on the map.
SOI 7 PLAZA
SOI 7 PLAZA
SOI 7 PLAZA
SOI 7 PLAZA
SOI 7 PLAZA
SOI 7 PLAZA
SOI 7 PLAZA
SOI 7 PLAZA
SOI 7 PLAZA
Nitespotscurrently having closed during January 2020 :
*Crazy Cats - CLOSED. Never got past a 'soft opening' - its real estate was immediately absorbed by the new Players.
What had been happening by drips and drops (the closure of Queen's Park Plaza) has turned into a torrent. Our current survey showed only Monkey Business, Rumours, Lek Massage and Popeye2 still open (with Rumours and Lek Massage having electricity, the other two operating by candle-light). We note that the rest of the Night Entertainment Area is in various stages of demolition, and we anticipate that closure will be 100% complete within days (see report next month).
We noted last month the closure of the last Impressionist Painter Bar,Goya, and that the Tokyo would be opening in its place. And that is what now has happened. And as also mentioned last month, we can now refer to Soi 33 as just another JapaneseNight Entertainment Soi...
SOI DEAD
ARTISTS (Sukhumvit 33)
Closed last month, the Club Kitty has reopened. Our surmisings that it was just having a long New Year's holiday were borne out... May they continue to continue...
One of the unsung survivors on Soi Eden is Mikes Corner Bar (and Mike's Sport Bar add-on) - on the ground floor of Maxim's Inn, all the way at the end of the Soi. May they survive the vicissitudes...
Bangkok Eyes goes back in time to see
Who was New - And Who was Through
in the Expat Night Entertainment World
How many of these old 'Oases'
Do you remember ?
Patpong I
February 2000
**No changes that month / year.
-
(Total Nitespots that month: 33 )
Patpong 2
February 2000
* The Bua Luang Swing added "Pub" to their sign and to their activities. They were located on the 2nd level of the Patpong Museum stairway, directly opposite Foodland. No Nitespot occupies that real estate today.
(Total Nitespots that month: 57 )
Soi Cowboy
February 2000
* The New Agogo Duck dropped "Jukes" (the original name) from their neon. Those digs are currently occupied by Shark.
(Total Nitespots that month: 34 )
Cowboy Annex [ ~June 1998to 04 February 2005 ] (Asoke Corner + Asoke Plaza)
- NEW This report - Attaining Critical Mass.
February 2000
*Below is a listing of Nitespots open at this report.
-
- Je Taime
- Moon
- Siam Smile Bar
- Barbie Bar
- "Karaoke" - NEW
- Sakura Bar - NEW
- Oasis - NEW
- Tup Tim Siam Massg - NEW
- Sawasdee - NEW
- Black Ant - NEW
(Total Nitespots that month: 10 )
Nana Plaza
February 2000
*On the second level Agogo 2000 opened in what is today the Mandarin.
*On the 3rd level Mai's Bar (a small beer bar on the walkway) reclosed for the final time.
(Total Nitespots that month: 41 )
Soi Katoey ( Silom Soi 4 )
February 2000
*The Space Pub opened newly in the shophouse just next to the Telephone Pub, closer to Silom Road. Today home to The Stranger.
*The Club opened newly in what was the Rome Club (Annex - across the Soi)..
*Icon 2000 opened in the old Rome Club.
*On the second level Pharaohs Karaoke reopened above the Sphinx. Both these venues are now occupied by Fork & Cork.
(Total Nitespots that month: 17 )
Soi Dead Artists ( Sukhumvit Soi 33 )
February 2000
*Our Lounge closed in the Peep In Park (Now the S 33 Compact Hotel).
* Deep in the Soi the 33 Center closed. (A massage parlor operated within.) Today, that space being utilized by Demonia and Akane Fashion Massage,
* The Vif Ve Japanese Pub, also located deep in the Soi, closed its doors.
(Total Nitespots that month: 19 )
Buckskin Joe Village (~ December 1988 to 9 June 2006)
(Also called Tobacco Road, Soi Rot Fai, 'The Tracks' , Machim [Thai] & Soi Zero)
February 2000
* The Kiss Me Bar bar beer 'closed its doors'.
* The Love You Bar bar beer reopened.
(Total Nitespots that month: 18)
Washington Square (~ April 1999 to April 2014)
February 2000
*Studio 22 opened newly downstairs in the Washington Cinema building (upstairs in the old theater was the Mambo Cabaret Show.)
-
(Total Nitespots that month: 16)
Clinton Plaza
(Originally ''Entertainment Plaza'')
[ ~February 1999to June 2003 ]
November 2000
*White House A Go Go - REOPENED - Outside just behind Main Building.
*Nuch Bar - CLOSED - Outside against outer wall. - *Nuch Snack Bar - CLOSED - Outside, against outer walls.
(Total Nitespots that month: 22)
''13 Night Market'' Entertainment Area"
(Originally 'Old Thermae Compound')
[ April 2000 - March 2005 ] (dates corrected this month)
Graffiti #1154
Glass Eye-Out
5 ft high x 9 ft - main pic
Graffiti #1155
Log Surfing
10 ft high x 32 ft
Graffiti #1156
High, Wet, Dark
34 ft high x 32 ft
Graffiti #1157
Spidermobile
5 ft high x 9 ft
Bangkok Eyes is an historically based news outlet, and as such, all graphic excerpts herein are considered,
under current legal precedents and
prevailing interpretations, 'Fair Use' under Copyright Law. Copyright of any original artwork resides exclusively with the artists.
Bangkok's original site !
The MIDNITE HOUR Graffiti Page is prepared by Staff Contributor "Boge" Hartman.
(Boge's photo, above, is not a graffitiper-se, although there are those who have insinuated....
-
Ed)