Jam

Jam took home the top spot from the BAD Awards for Best Live Music Bar in 2024. This venue has been a bit of a roller coaster in the last year. Roaring back after Covid, things took a dark turn when troublesome neighbors had the joint closed for live events. But it didn’t take long for Jam to make its comeback. Punk, techno, metal, experimental, even occasional karaoke—it’s all on at this under-the-overpass dive. This isn’t just where Bangkok bands play. It’s where Bangkok bands are born. This (mostly) standing room only, cozy bar covered in band stickers is the spirit of live music in Bangkok—long may it reign. 

41, Charoen Rat Soi 1, 093-592-9902. Open Wed-Thu 6pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 6pm-late; Sun 6pm-midnight.

Speakerbox

Photo: Speakerbox / Facebook

The locals at Speakerbox love this venue above all others. Real music happens here—whether it’s expats playing Rolling Stones covers or Japanese punk—and the venue is tailor made for intimate, wild shows. You might go one night for a mosh pit and the next for jazz or psy trance. Every weekend, Speakerbox packs the house for its music, cheap beer and cocktails, and a venue that delivers proper sound and ambience. Every city should have a Speakerbox.

1000, 40 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), Open Wed-Sun 7:30pm-late.

Studio Lam

A little dive, a little music bar—Studio Lam is an institution for the formerly wild spirit of Sukhumvit. Between Thonglor and Phrom Phong, this bar could easily just be considered a live music venue in its own right, but it’s also a fun little oasis from the glitz of the modern Sukhumvit where you can pop in for a few beverages. It’s more divey on the outside than in, and you never know what acts you’ll find here. 

3/1, Sukhumvit Rd., 02-261-6661. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-late.

DeCommune

If you’re giving out points for “cool” for live music venues, DeCommune takes the cake. This venue brings in both DJs and live acts to create what is probably the most stylish live music space in town—always a party, never off-key. When DeCommune moved from Thonglor to Phra Sumen, it reinvigorated the underground music scene. For a lot of local acts, this is the first big stage they play. 

1-2/F, 469 Phra Sumen Rd., 093-117-1123. Open Tue-Sun 5pm-late.

Crimson Room

It’s Langsuan so you know it’s chic, stylish, and a little bit high end. You come to this bar for the music you know and high-end drinks from the team behind Rabbit Hole. This venue skews bright, moody, and art deco. On the stage you’ll find low tempo melodies and foot-tapping tunes that set the tone of the night but don’t overpower conversation. 

87, Langsuan Rd., 062-259-2525. Open daily 6pm-late.

Noise House Lat Phrao

One of Bangkok’s newer live music spots, Noise House Lat Phrao is bringing live tunes to an area of the city that badly needs it. Experimental acts, old favorites, up-and-comers—Noise House is another spot that’s giving live music acts in Bangkok a chance to make a mark. Like Jam, it’s not just about the venue. This is a place where Bangkok’s music scene lives. The single-room live music venue opened its doors at the end of August and offers everything from repairs on music gear to underground tunes. If you’re looking for cheap covers and pop tunes, go elsewhere.

137, Lat Phrao 101 Rd., 098-965-9350. Open daily 10am-12am.

Immortal Bar

Alright, metal heads. This one’s for you. Immortal Bar is one of the only heavy metal live music bars in town, hosting both international and local acts blowing your ears out. In addition to a pretty chill interior on a quiet night, the outside area is a fun place to have a beer even when there isn’t headbanging.

65, Soi Damnoen Klang Nuea, 062-829-7854. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-late.

Blueprint Livehouse

A big space, high-ceilings, and good acts. Blueprint Livehouse draws big acts for a concert atmosphere on the second floor of Flow House. Their standing-room-only gigs feature a lot of local talent in a performance space that puts the band first. A lot of Thai bands will get their start here, and it’s the best spot in Khlong Toei to get your fix. 

2/F, Flow House, 120/1 Sukhumvit 26. Open Tue-Sun 7:30-11:30.

Black Cabin

Hidden behind grungy brick walls, this is where you will find unsung local talent playing some of Bangkok’s best live music—showcasing everything from soul and funk to Brit rock and beyond. Keep on the lookout for special nights that pay tribute to different genres, like hits from Y2K—the best pop from your walkman in the 2000s—or British radio hits like Kings of Leon, Radiohead, and Incubus. Dark, chic, and sharp, Black Cabin also packs in good drink deals.

33, 1 Rama 4 Rd., 081-599-9365. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-midnight.

Fatty's Bar and Diner

Fatty’s took home Best Dive Bar at the BAD Awards 2024 for their loyal crowd and their wings—but if we’re honest, the music is the draw. That tiny stage by the door hosts a lot of local and out-of-town acts that blow the door open (or sometimes just for people who want to go out and smoke). If you’ve got a lot of music and a little Wisconsin in your blood, Fatty’s is the place to be.

598/66 Asoke-Din Daeng Rd., 02-245-2965. Open Tue-Sat 11am-midnight; Sun 11am-10pm.