Party over and my head hurts but we survived. Hopefully a good time was had by all. I know we gave away a ton of beer, the music was jamming and I saw a lot of grab ass going on. Thanks to all who came down. We appreciate the support in a big, big way. The whole party feel of the night was a reminder of some of the past mango nights. The mango will rise again.
Some new items on the guide:
I popped in the Magic Table the other night. Not too bad. I popped my review in as well.
Latest pyramid scheme in China is ant farming. Nice one.
Talked to the mamasan at Genesis the other night. She said the Fun House ceased to be fun so the owners gave up. The Land owners were supposedly just waiting for them to bail so they could raze that corner of Suk Soi 11 and build another condo. Yes. More condos. Less bars. Welcome to Bangkok.
The plan is for Genesis to close up at the end of high season. Then they will take over the space from the Pizza Zannottis and turn their corner into a club. Not sure the exact style or whether they will have girls or not. Genesis is like a tiny club where u can barfine girls. I think that model in a bigger venue might actually work. Stay tuned.
Tunnel was jamming on Thursday night. Good DJ and a nice crowd. I had a not so hot but decent looking girl come over to tell me she needed to butterfly because she wanted to get back at her boyfriend. I was buzzed and it was early in the night but should have taken the bait. Lonely girls looking to get even usually put out in a big way. I blew it. I did have the sense to get her number though and still may help her out on her quest. She will be known as breakupbird.
Ran into freebird. She has been out of town for a few months. Turned out she got her boobs done and hid out in the country until they tenderized. Nice. I just wonder who got to do the daily massages? Amzing Thailand. Some guys pays for her room, her partying and now her boobs while us locals keep her warm. To be clear I have not gotten in there post boob job but I am trying.
Dying to get a copy of this new book - Reefer Men.
Okay. On to the thrust of this post. I tried out the new club, Twisted Republic, on Thursday. I went in with an open mind. I honestly would have loved to find a new, jamming club that I could frequent. I should have known though that given the owner is the same as the Sin bar that my expectations should be kept low. Then I met I have met them but honestly - the place would have never even met even my lowest expectations.
Soi 11 could use a new club. Q bar is tired and full of itself. Bed is just too busy, expensive and sometimes full of too many pretentious people. I love the music there though and the place is fun. However competition is always good. Twisted should have been that competition but it is not too be. All a new club had to do was look cool, undercut on price, have better service, better music and let the girls in. Twisted looks cool. I will give it that. The place looks amazing. The service is fine because the place is always dead. On the rest they fail. They were playing hip hop at 11 pm on a Thursday night. Are they stupid? I can listen to hip hop at any place on RCA or the multiple little joints scattered across town. Everyone plays hip hop. Get a real DJ and play some dance music. I could have plugged in my ipod and played a better set than whoever was spinning Thursday night.
There were no women in the place at all and the only semi hot “girl” was a ladyboy. Clubs are a fickle beast but it is a pretty sure bet that an empty club will spiral the drain. Who wants to stay in an empty club? Not many people on Thursday night wanted to. The surest sign of this is was watching people hand their leftover drink tickets to people they don’t even know as they hastily exit the place. I wanted to find things I like about the place but apart from the look there really is not anything. The pours are decent but they should be for 240 baht. I don’t understand why the owner would not lower the prices, get a proper ladies night going and play good music. Seems pretty simple. An empty club is a dead club.
Before anyone chimes in that maybe the owner is trying to set some standards or get a certain crowd in let me share with you who they did let in while I was there. 2 different random white tourist couples who were wearing shorts and tshirts, wondered around the club taking flash photos like it was the Grand Canyon or something. Not so club like. Then they let in some dork with his birkenstocks and his “same same” shirt who had managed to barfine the ugliest thing he could find. I mean I sure hope that was not his girlfriend. Then they took over the dance floor pretending they were re-enacting the classic scene from Pulp Fiction. Again - not so club like. I could not take it anymore. Pounded my overpriced drink and headed to Silom.
Unless they do something soon this will be Sin bar 2. When I left at 12 there were more people at the Old German Beer House than in the club. That can’t be good.
Maybe someone has had a better experience but everyone I talk to has shared the same opinions. My suggestion to the owner is stop sitting in your big corner booth with your mates pretending to lord over your empty club. It does not help the situation at all. Let’s hope they turn it around. We need more clubs. We need club competition.
I met four newbies to Bangkok the other day at the Duke. They asked me for the 411 on nightlife. I went through the naughty options first and as all newbies to Bangkok do they asked me where they can go for non-P4P options (these were “I never pay for sex” boys, give em time though). I told them about RCA and Slims and then went on to talk about soi 11 options. They stopped me and said they had been to Q-Bar and Bed which they said were okay. They went on to say that they first went to a club called Twisted Republic and it was horrible echoing much of what you said above.
Let’s see if TR can get it together though. It’s definitely not too late. Being that they are on soi 11 it seems they could try a Novotel/CM2 type club and draw in the before 2am freelancers. Spice on soi 11 hasn’t been able to do this but maybe TR can.
View all comments by pmmp
@pmmp - the newbies weren’t from Germany (But English) by any chance?
View all comments by AUK
I don´t understand how people can like those clubs.
You don´t recognise anything bcs the light is dimmed.
The girls are imho, mostly arrogant and getting more and more like western girls.
But its okay i think u are so interested in the clubbing scene bcs u live in Bangkok.
View all comments by Politicsx
“The girls are imho, mostly arrogant and getting more and more like western girls.”
politicsx - not quite that bad at the western women’s arrogance level yet but the attitudes are getting worse. and yes the crowds at those bars seem to be more pretentious.
View all comments by anon
When I read the title, I tought we would learn all about committing some new kind of sin, something really twisted.
Great was my disapointment.
The latest pyramid scheme in the USA is selling mortgages.
View all comments by hanuman
auk: No, they were Americans but I also met a guy who is half English and half German this week. Nice guy. Lost his wallet unfortunately. Okay, I will stop the drift off topic now.
View all comments by pmmp
Off- Subject.
Can someone remind me? How much do you tip at a massage joint if the price is posted? For exaple, if you have a balls massage for, let’s say, 1000bht and you get a BBBJ, how much, if anything, should you give the girl? I guess what I’m saying is when the service is obviously included in the price - how much do you tip, and when do you tip? See you sometime next week. Tim (Oakland, CA)
View all comments by Tim Oakland, CA
p - clubbing is a matter of taste. I love clubbing and it is not all about meeting girls. sometimes I take them with me. I like great dance music. although u can meet tons of girls in clubs. twisted is just a lame club that’s all.
tim - badboy. so off subject. usually she is not going to give u a bbbj until she has disclosed the price. at akane - where basic service is included I rarely tip unless the service was off the charts.
View all comments by smitty
Sounds like TR is begging for business and the last thing they need is a door policy that turns away customers!
View all comments by MSB
Sounds like they don’t know how to market. BKK is like the old Hollywood Club scene of the 90’s… with clubs fighting for the crowds, but once established it’s hard to knock down a top dog unless you have a strategy.
Drink Price, Ladies, and good music.. Yes all good but you also need a catalyst to make everything work.
Back in the day we had crews who’s job it was to pack in the club (by going into other clubs and poaching customers), in return they recd free drinks, admission and a piece of profits for a few months. I don’t know if the BKK scene would have to use the same tactic but there has to be more than an IPOD playing and letting only word of mouth being the only form of marketing especially if its bad words that are use.
Sounds like there is some profit to be made if the right people approached the owner…. P5 or P6?????
GL
View all comments by GoodLife
I completely agree with your review of Twisted. It is amazing that the prices are so high..did you look at the prices for bottles? Much more expensive than the other soi 11 clubs. Also mixers were expensive, I think they wanted to charge 480 baht for a glass of cranberry juice to go with our vodka…
Another point is the A/C in the place … the place is freezing cold and doesn’t make you want to hang around long. I mean, if it were packed with over 100 people, okay i can see setting it so cold, but when you have about 10 people in there including bar staff and you can almost see your breath…. and this from a guy who likes cold A/C.
But true, the place looks nice and design, would be cool if it could pick up and be another soi 11 choice. For now forget it.
Powers
View all comments by Powers
p - it is way overpriced and I think that will keep the crowds away indeed. It was damn cold in there and since it was also empty it makes for a pretty non-fun place. Question is will they fix it?
View all comments by smitty
“Question is will they fix it?” - is a question naive to the point of - well, it’s pretty damn naive. Is the Thai philosophy of “if it’s broke, don’t fix it” completely unknown to you? But anyway - the answer is NO THEY WON’T FUCKING FIX IT.
View all comments by Pants Elk
pe - keep in mind the owner is english - not thai and I think if it stays dead they may have to do something. we shall see…
View all comments by smitty
Had two freinds (ex titanium) working there and they both left because of the late closing hours (sometimes 4am), so maybe we have all been in there too early?
The one time I went it was a aptly described above, adn I gave away my remaining drink tickets.
Disagree on the Hip-Hop deal, it’d be nice if a club got back to playing decent hip-hop at least once a week (it takes all kinds, I can’t do dance unassisted). In the last 6 month I’ve only heard it in strip bars.
View all comments by Dazza
dazza: I wouldn’t rely on a late night play from TR. Same owner as Sin Club which has gone down as the most inconsistent after hours club in recent history. Being a farang you’re asking for a good araping if you want to do after hours. I really wish it was different and it’s not fair to the TR owner either but fair actually has a different meaning here. Unless he has given ownership to the right people I would guess same as it was with Sin.
View all comments by pmmp
d - I am okay with hip hop if it good but I think for big clubs they need to diversify since onr can hear hip hop everywhere. I get the point though and agree people have different tastes. Still an empty club is doom.
They may go late but if I go in at 11 and it sucks I won’t stick around to find out. I also probably won’t chance going there at 1 or 2 and pay 500 baht to get in and it is lame or closes early. Seems like they need to sort out what kind of place they are or they won’t get the crowds.
View all comments by smitty
The place is terrible, the people are worse but they do have a sweet sound system. I was there for one of their parties when they first opened and every jackass there was the typical Hi-So wannabe with the ex-Q-Bar freelancer girlfriend at his side. It is so funny to see these guys rolling around with girls I shagged 5 years ago when they were still in their prime. The other thing was the owners completely shit attitude as I was introduced to him through a mutual friend but he couldn’t be bothered to give more than the asshole head nod. I was one of 50 people there and from what I have heard since, 50 was a huge night so he better learn some manners. At least I found out early that I will not be back.
View all comments by billybobbkk
One good thing is that Bed has not been charging a cover charge in the last few months I have been there. Perhaps to give another edge over Twisty. Bed has been rocking as per usual
View all comments by But Different
billybobkk hit it spot on. The owner did exactly the same thing when a friend of mine introduced us. He seemed to say with his lack of acknowledgement, “I don’t need people like you in my place.”
View all comments by T-Bird
b - I am pretty sure that is incorrect on bed not charging a cover. If u eat dinner there they don’t or sometimes they have specials but they have a charge every bight which includes 2 drinks. They are busy - so they can afford it.
t - twisted will come to resemble the 2floor bar across from the ball n hand in sin towers. Empty and then closed for exactly the reasons u are stating.
View all comments by smitty
s - I think it is true about Bed and the cover charge. Recently on weekends the cover charge has been 700 baht, 2 “free” drinks. But on Sun, Mon, Tue, Thurs they haven’t been charging cover. Not sure about Wednesday night which is model night. That’s been my experience anyway.
This is in direct contrast to Qbar and Twisted that charge cover every night. Qbar even charges a cover on its dopey, Monday night lounge/elevator music night - it’s the only way they can ensure people stay for 2 drinks. No wonder it has jumped the shark.
By the way (not intended for Smitty who undoubtedly knows!), if you get a bottle and keep it behind the bar, you never have to pay cover at these places. Plus, you can buy the bottle at the door on cover charge nights and not pay the cover that night either.
- Powers
View all comments by Powers
While I think that the place does have potential for greater things, however, I do feel that his attitude could have been better. The place from what I saw was empty. Perhaps this would not be so if more people were made to feel more welcome. Making a profit is obvious motivation for opening a bar, but in order to do so, basic hospitality should also be taken into consideration.
View all comments by T-Bird
p - well my bad. I have not been in a while but I can never remember not paying cover so it would be a change. A welcome one at that but I wonder how much they have raised prices to compensate?
q bar is lame. My whole point of discussing twisted was to project that there was such an opportunity for a new club on soi 11 but twisted has totally dropped the ball.
on bottles - I almost always open a bottle at the clubs. Cheaper, u get better service, usually a table and free re-entry.
View all comments by smitty
tbird - agreed. the attitude is bad and the vibe is bad. Hence no customers. One would expect the owner to fix things but I think he is the one projecting that attitude to begin with.
View all comments by smitty
Smitty- Yes, I agree with you. I must say though, the staff were quite eager to please, and service was decent. The only thing that bugged me was that they looked quite bored and at times a bit “worried (?)”.
View all comments by T-Bird
Another point about Twisted is the entrance just doesn’t seem very inviting. The building looks good, the design looks good, but there is something about the way the short little red ropes are set up, the narrow space between the sidewalk and the entrance, the steps, the door, the way the cashier is set up there, the bouncers… Not sure what I would change or how, but somehow it doesn’t seem to draw people inside.
s- All I know for prices at Bed is that Absolute Blue is 2,800 and Red Bull mixer is 140 baht. The tonics are free, as is the ice.
- Powers
View all comments by Powers
p - I love the door itself and the way it looks but agreed on the rest of the entrance is funky.
my general comment is getting the bottle is always better than individual drinks.
View all comments by smitty
You all sound like a bunch of lady boy lovers throwing a hissy fit, billybobbkk i bet the twisted group are glad you dont return you sound like a right knob, what do you expect the owner to do give you a bottle of the finest champagne and kiss your ass? i dont think so son, yeah he might have give you a nod to say hi but from what i read of what you have to say i understand that nod !!! I have never been to any club and expect any thing from the owner, and believe me i have been to many of clubs and partys, the stress levels that go in to organising a club of this level must be massive….
You have to give the club time and then pass negative judgement if you must, great things take time so give it time.
I have left my comment because reading all of yours has reduced me to. Happy clubbing you expert ravers!!!!
Good luck twisted im sure you”ll be rocking soon.
Perry
View all comments by pel
p - get over yourself
I am sure twisted will be as busy as the now closed sin club on soi 4. or maybe as rocking as the sin rooftop bar.
u seem to discount the power of the customer. if people go into a club and feel not welcome or feel like the owner and his mates are giving off an air of superiority - then the club will suffer. as it is currently doing. funny thing is when u google about the place u find mostly negative reviews. wonder how that happened.
no one is expecting anything from the owner but if he is going to sit on the corner all night he should try to make people feel welcome.
u should probably do more research on the place and his past exploits before coming here and spouting off.
View all comments by smitty
I have never been to any club and expect any thing from the owner, and believe me i have been to many of clubs and partys, .
p - but have you been to THIS club? It would be interesting to hear why you think it is such a great club, as opposed to why you think the owner is misunderstood.
I was at CM2 last night, it was busy after 1am but it had a very ho-hum vibe. I don’t quite remember who handed it to me, but I picked up a card from Twisted that gives me free entry + 1 guest and then 50% off my first order excluding bottles. So I guess Twisted is at least starting an effort to get customers into the place!
- Powers
View all comments by Powers
p - agreed but if one’s club were busy one would not need to hand out discount cards. My feeling is twisted should have just been cheaper and better from the start than the other 2 on the soi and they would be rammed.
View all comments by smitty
Clearly smitty you are a wasted talent as your intellect on clubs is vast, i look forward to visiting your new club projects in the future!!
Like the profile pic so fucking cooooollll, bet your a master of reggae also.
View all comments by pel
perrywinkle - who looks like the bigger ass here? I assume most readers are going to think it is u.
this is how you start your comments here:
You all sound like a bunch of lady boy lovers throwing a hissy fit, billybobbkk i bet the twisted group are glad you dont return you sound like a right knob, what do you expect the owner to do give you a bottle of the finest champagne and kiss your ass?
nice way to make friends.
I don’t have any clubs. I think the club business is effed in bangkok. I work with people who have or have had clubs so I know the racket. I have some bars and I think I know mostly what I am talking about but I don’t claim to be an expert.
U seem to come on here and immediately write off people’s personal comments about the place. whatever. all these people are lying. big deal. they are the customers that won’t frequent the club and won’t encourage their friends to go to the club. the internet is a pretty powerful place these days but most club and bar owners seem to forget that.
I wish twisted well. if u had read the post u might have seen that. however for now the place is usually empty and any of my friends who have tried it don’t speak very highly off it. these people also know who the owner is and about his other places that are dead or already closed. those places speak for themselves.
I am the bastard child of bob marley. thanks.
View all comments by smitty
“clubage” . . . .. Yeah. Clearly, some things really never change.
Bet Perry’s dropped at least 1000 baht corkage to store his 1.5 litre of duty free Grey Goose at this joint.
(”Can’t get it in Bangers. Can I keep it here? After Prague, it’s the only vodka I’ll touch,” Perry brays in a dodgy Oxbridge - - hint of Jaggeresque cockney - - from his kneeling position as he dabs away at his left eye and chin and checks the red velvet rope for, um, stains)
Perry’d like to get back in to have a few more sips without paying the cover . . . figured a blowie for the owner on this blog (signed Perry) might clinch it. (Same owner who blew that Sin set-up, re-tooled and then with this Perry-attitude, blew it again
WTF So what am I missing here?
Uncool people are icky? We don’t need their money? That it?
Even Q Bar found a way around THAT one. Made a ton.
It’s cool to run clubs with no income. No spenders?
OK. Perry’s next post tell use that red ropes went out with ice cream colors and the sleeves of your un-constructed jacket pushed up to mid forearm.
View all comments by Prufrock
It’s funny how these weirdos find their way onto the blog, calling us ladyboy lovers. Luckily they quickly fade into obscurity.
View all comments by hanuman
Pel,
Thank you so much for your eloquent response. You are a jackass and obviously do not have a unique though in your head if the best you could come up was “ladyboy lovers throwing a hissy fit”. I wanted Twisted to be great and had high hopes for the place but was really let down. Like I said in my first post, they have a great sound system and had some real potential with me. My friends and I dropped somewhere in the range of 15,000 B the night we went and I do not expect anything more than what I paid for. That being said, when the owner is there and makes himself known as the owner, I would think he would be cordial at the very least. Bangkok is a small world and when a nightclub gets a bad reputation for any reason it does not take much for it to fail miserably.
Aside from my own personal experience and opinion about the place, look at it from a business standpoint. I live in Bangkok and have yet to see one advertisement or even a mention of the place anywhere but here. I am not saying I know the nightclub business, but Q-Bar and Bed are promoted and advertised everywhere and I have to assume that their success has at least something to do with the amount of marketing they do. I would also say that all of my dealings with the owner of Q-Bar have always been positive as he is always friendly.
The posts here are opinions and nothing more so find something better to do than put someone else down for their opinion. If you are so bored that you want to try and bash on someone, at least try to be the least bit witty because your first showing here was lame at best.
View all comments by billybobbkk
I guess this thread isn’t so much about much anymore, but for the record, Monday night at Bed Supperclub the cover charge was back — at 600 baht for 2 drinks. First night of the smoking ban, too, and they have opened a little outside terrace behind the DJ to accommodate the smokers.
- Powers
View all comments by Powers
still a worthwhile thread with good info. I was sure this bed thing was a fluke - sometimes if u are there early or real late they don’t charge the cover but rarely.
funny thing is now the smoking thing will not get enforced for another few months at least. If at all me wonders.
View all comments by smitty
Was at Bed last night, Wednesday Model Night. Cover charge 700 baht for 2 drinks. The place was plenty busy but not overflowing. They are enforcing the smoking ban === cannot smoke inside but they have a terrace in the back.
- Powers
View all comments by Powers