Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai Entertainment

The Riverside
Charoenrat Road.
Tel: 053-243 239.
One of the many restaurants playing live music on the banks of the Ping River. Has two stages featuring rock and pop covers by surprisingly good bands. However, this is a real favourite with tourists, so get there early or be prepared to stand. There's also a daily dinner cruise.

The Good View
13 Charoenrat Road.
Tel: 053-241 866.
Next door to the Riverside, this is popular spot for both tourists and well-to-do Thais. Spacious outdoor area with, yes, you guessed it, good views. Music varies between pop/rock covers and concerts by Thai pop stars.

Brasserie
37 Charoenrat Road.
Tel: 053-241 665.
The best music in Chiang Mai, full stop. Extremely talented Thai guitarist, Took, rocks the house nightly with versions of Hendrix, Dylan, Clapton and other classics. Has a compact, smoke-filled club feel to the place and you'll go home swearing you just watched Jimi play and begging for more. Opening bands start early and Took takes the stage around 10.30pm. Don't miss it.

Monkey Club
7 Moo 2, Nimminheimin Road.
Tel: 053-226 997/8.
Laid back atmosphere at this small spot. Enjoy live pop, jazz and acoustic music. A good Thai/western mix.

The Gallery
25-27 Charoenrat Road.
Tel: 053-248 601/2.
Restaurant with nightly Lanna Thai folk music and dancing. Another riverside location, this time in a 100-year-old teak house. Beautiful Thai art adorns the place.

Chiang Mai German Micro Brewery
Superhighway behind Carrefour.
Tel: 053-244 588.
Gigantic beer hall with more than 700 seats and a wide variety of German brews. The music, which starts at 7pm, varies from Thai country to rock. Mostly Thai crowd, but all are welcome.

Kalare Food Center
Night Bazaar,
Changklan Road
Tel: 053-272 067.
Despite the shopping mall-style food court, Kalare has an open-air beer garden offering traditional Thai music and dancing shows nightly.

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center
185/3 Wualai Road.
Tel: 053-275 097.
Been around since 1971 and has perfected the Khantoke dinner. Guests eat northern Thai food while watching cultural and hill tribe shows. Very popular with tourists as a one-stop introduction to traditional northern Thai life.

Bubbles Disco
Porn-Ping Hotel,
46-48 Charoenprathet Road.
Tel: 053-270 099.
Has been the most popular disco in Chiang Mai for many years. The occasional Thai place will pop up and take some business, but this place never dies. A good tourist/Thai mix with a DJ spinning music nightly. Open until 2am.

Nice Illusion
Chaiyapoom Road,
across from Sompet Market.
Smaller than Bubbles, but still draws a decent crowd. The music is Thai pop, covered by a house band, and many working girls stop here on their way home. Open until late.