More Carabao (in Bangkok)

[Long Gun]

As some of you may know, Aed Carabao has a big 'Songs For Life' club, Tawan Daeng, or now, I think, Carabao Daeng, in Klongtan, opposite Isaan Tawan Daeng which is more of an Isaan workingman's club, cheap as chips, variety show, good night out. We saw Carabao play a stormer there a few years ago and when a mate e-mailed to say he had booked a table at Tawan Daeng for a Carabao gig, I assumed it was the same one.

Took a couple of colleagues for dinner in Thonglor, short taxi ride away, and afte several concerned SMSs we arrived 5 minutes before showtime to find ..... an empty club, or about 20 people watching a band that definitely wasn't Carabao.

 

One of the staff assured me that they were playing in Ratchada and wrote directions for the taxi driver in Thai. Fortunately, I phoned to explain where we were and was told it was actually at the big German brewhouse, Tawan Daeng, in Rama III! So, a 30 km taxi ride and we stil got there before the band started!

If you've not been to this particular venue it's a massive beer hall, seats about 1500, and it was packed to the gills, many of the crowd being a little more affluent than your average fan, I think. Great beer there, anyway, which they sell in various sized containers, including these 5 litre ones that they plonk on your table and fill your glasses from. Anybody remember Party Sevens?

First hour was very odd, as the band played a whole string of quiet stuff and there were too many distractions for it to be particularly absorbing, with people charging around all over the place with beer and food, but the 2nd AND 3rd hours were much better, especially after Lek came on.

 

Predictably great night after that, the crowd relaxed as the beer disappeared and there were enough people who were really into the band to create a good atmosphere, though it was nothing like that created in his own club. Good value though, 3 hours plus for B50! Somebody else paid for all me beer too!

I'm not sure of the names of some of the other band members in these pics so if anyone can check them and let me know, I'd be grateful. As they appear, I've got Aed, Lek & Aed, Aed, Mee, Aed & Thierry, Aod, Aed, Aed

I've got a few little video clips too, just with the cheapo camera I used with the pics but they look OK so I'll try to do something with them later.

[Old Hippie]

More details on his club please, location etc...and is it o.k. for farangs...? Thanks.

[Long Gun]

It's on Pattanakarn, which I think is an extension of New Petchburi Road. District is Klongtan and it's near the end of Suk 71 and an expressway entrance. Taxi drivers will almost certainly know it if you give them Tawan Daeng and Klongtan.

 

I think Carabao only owns the venue on the left as you travel from Petchburi, next to a flyover. The name, as I said, may actually now be Carabao Daeng as there seemed to be posters for the drink all over the place last night. It's quite a big club, slightly raised seating as you head towards the back. Songs for life bands changing every hour. Young crowd, a lot of students getting drunk and dancing on the tables by the end of the night. Better in a group though I am sure you would soon become part of one anyway. Definitely farang friendly in the past, be surprised if TRT has changed things that much.

 

Across the road, literally is Isaan Tawan Daeng which is great too, but very different entertainment wise, with the usual troupe of singers, rock bands, dancers, comedy troupes and that scary dwarf man-woman. Small area for dancing and looking up skirts in front of the stage. Cheap food and booze and farangs always seemed more than tolerated. Mainly seems to be itinerant workers letting their hair down and despite excessive alcohol intake I have never seen any trouble there. You will almost certainly be dragged to the dance area by drunken men.

[Old Hippie]

Drunken men asking meto dance? that's nothing new in this town (SFO). More so when I was younger, thinner with hair, oh god I was really cute "trophy boy" back then...oh god what happened to my youth, my looks...erah, o.k. Thanks, for the info, I am wondering if this is the place I posted about a long time ago...I was once taken to an Issarn club way out (Though I remember it being in or near On Nut), by a bunch of bar girls...great time, even if I don't understand the words...

 

There was a web sight that had translations of Carabao's songs...powerful stuff. WTFG told me there is often violence at his bigger shows. She said "...whiskey, tech students, strong song, strong music, strong ideas..." which is true I guess...

[Guest]

Yo, I checked out Tawan Daeng in April with a buddy and was VERY impressed, for one they had a selection of GOOD made-on-site beer, O.M.G.what a treat in Asia! There were a couple good bands and the food was above average. It definatly does not cater to farangs, but it is well worth the effort to search out this place. Not any obvious working girls which I also found a plus. Don't ask me where it is.... ? I found it listed in Metro, I think. Cheers.

[Long Gun]

somchai_ said:

Yo, I checked out Tawan Daeng in April with a buddy and was VERY impressed, for one they had a selection of GOOD made-on-site beer, O.M.G.what a treat in Asia! There were a couple good bands and the food was above average. It definatly does not cater to farangs, but it is well worth the effort to search out this place.

 

Not sure what you mean by that, Somchai, do ou just mean that there weren't many there? Given that it is marketed as a German Brewhouse, has proper beer and a selection of Thai and German food - sausages, pig knuckle etc, I would have said they cater to farangs more than most places.

 

This is definitely the Rama III Tawan Daeng, the others do NOT offer those beers or the European food.