Pentatonic Rock Bar: Refuge in a Sea of "Same Same"

"Sud-yod" is the Thai equivalent of "awesome." When I hear the word, it makes me think of my favourite place in Chiang Mai. 

Before I get to that, here’s a little context:

There’s no shortage of live music venues peppered around the city. Some of my favourites include The Brasserie, Boy Blues Bar, Inter Bar, and the North Gate jazz club. On nearly every night, in any of these places, you can see musicians performing anything from jazz to punk. 

Unfortunately, Chiang Mai has its share of dance clubs that cater to the average 20-something westerner.  I say “unfortunately” because it connotes an objective truth: these places exist in nearly every city in the world. They are, as the Thais say, "same same," and are virtually interchangeable. Also (if you can pardon a generalization), a visitor can regularly expect to see the same type of clientele. They tend to have the same types of conversations, buy the same terrible beverages, and do the same types of lubricious things on the dance floor—all with unapologetic indiscretion. 

One of the most popular places for nightlife in Chiang Mai is an L-shaped walking area with an open-air dance club in the middle. This spot is known as the “Zoe corner." Here there are several bars and clubs, featuring a mix of dance/hip-hop, reggae, more dance/hip-hop, and some rave-ish electronica.

Fortunately there is also the Pentatonic Rock Bar—a place for refuge in a sea of predicable social attractions. Located on the edge (perhaps a good metaphor) of the Zoe corner, this place features live rock music every night. Most of the bands play covers, and they play them awesomely.  Of course, rock is a very broad genre, and venue features the full spectrum.

One evening in February, I was enticed to go to the Zoe corner with some friends. While exploring the area, I walked by a small venue and heard a band covering “Aneurism” by Nirvana. This is a lesser-known song, so needless to say I was already impressed, and the night was still young. Later I saw a band cover “Sugar” by System of a Down and “I’m Broken” by Pantera, among many other epic 90s hard rock/metal tunes. Everything was played immaculately. My jaw dropped, and I felt at home. 

Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I grew up on a diet of heavy music. I sometimes forget about this part of myself while learning and working in certain environments, but its still there; it always will be.  Yes, I still play guitar, but as a high school History and English teacher, my guitar-playing roles are a bit limited, and there is often little time or energy left to play during most days. However, you can’t change the things that fuel you, but you can take advantage when sparks lead to flames. After a few conversations with the bands, I found myself being invited on stage regularly to play Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Pantera, etc.

Jamming some Rage

What makes this place feel even more special is that it harbours a tight-knit community of local and foreign clientele, many of which are close friends with the bands and the bar’s owners. Still, the staff and bands welcome me as if I belong there, and the same applies to anyone who walks through the door.

During subsequent visits, I heard songs I had loved yet had forgotten, such as “Between Angels and Insects” by Papa Roach (a grossly underrated song inspired by Fight Club). I also heard a house band cover "Where is My Mind" by The Pixies—another song with a Fight Club connection. One band even covered some No Doubt songs with shockingly accurate pronunciation and energy. 

The music at Pentatonic isn't exclusively North American; Thai rock songs and European metal are also regularly played.

The house bands (Project Mayhem, Lords of Rock, Peace Flower, Gain, and Rock A Fellas) are all just plain great, as are the special guests. Last year, Pentatonic featured a guitar competition; last month, they it had an all-night tribute to Nirvana; and this month the venue hosted a local death metal festival, during which the place was packed all day and night with bands and fans from all over the country (there also happened to be an earthquake the following day. Coincidence? I think not). Whether it's during a festival or an average weeknight, this place always has a great community-vibe. 

Since that fateful February evening, I’ve gone to Pentatonic over a dozen times, and I hope to go at least a dozen more. I’ve met people from all over the world there, and even had the good fortune of sharing the stage with some of them. This is a place I’ll surely miss when I get back to Canada in July.

Pentatonic Rock Bar is a testament to the community-building power of music. There are few other places that can keep an early-bird like me out late when I need to wake up early. Well worth it. 

Stay tuned.......