9 Night Club - 1st Anniversary

[Sen Yai]

Tonight:

http://www.9nightclub.com/images/events/1stAnn9.jpg

[TrongpaiExpat]

So, did anyone go? How was it? I could not get motivated last night to go out.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I guess no one here went and it seem that if you did not it was your last chance to go to Club 9, it's now closed. The rumors were it was closing after their one year anniversary and it seems it's true. Tonight (11 Dec, Friday) it's closed and under renovation again. Now, the word I get is it's going to become an "Isaan Club" or what someone else called an "Isaan Disco" Well, whatever, the saws were buzzing and hammers banging inside Club 9 this evening when the electricity was up and running. Some spotty black outs on the soi this evening. No one knew when it will be done and open but I am guessing not that long since the joint was just remolded last year.

So, this will be what the 4th attempt at a viable business at this location since the Rome Club closed? Curse of the Roam Club?

Nothing to do with the 9 Club, but has anyone been into Sphinx lately? I had heard it was under new ownership/management and that they were trying to revert it to more like the original place back in the early 90's when it was used firstly as a drinking establishment rather than more restaurant...........

[latintopxxx]

.....more like the curse of the telephone/balcony bar....these establishments seem to thrive...the immediate neighbours NOT...really weird...

[TrongpaiExpat]

The reference to the curse of the Rome Club was ancient history. The first gay disco was called the Rome Club and was very popular. The Thai owner has a farang BF(or partner) that cheated on him, he then decided that gay people are inherently evil. He put up a sign, "No Gays Allowed". It killed the business.

Spinx has pretty decent food, so why then does Balcony and Telephone do so much better? I think a few reasons, first the prices at Spinx are on the high side. Balcony has good food, somethings maybe not better or on as fancy a plate as Spinx but almost the same quality for a lower price. Then it's the atmosphere, Spinx is serene and quiet whereas Balcony and Telephone are upbeat, trendy and full of people of all ages. Spinx attracts the older customers and Bangkok does not thrive on the old fellas alone. Balcony and Telephone have small drinking tables for those who are not eating dinner. Spinx is set up more for dining.

Certainly food is quite subjective and individualized but over all I find many of the Farang dishes at Balcony actually better then the Spinx and for a lower price. My BF though, finds the Thai dishes at Spinx have the edge. For me, Thai food at Balcony is about the same as Spinx.

In regard to rumors about a remake of Spinx. Listen long enough and you'll hear from people saying things, some pure speculation, others pure bull shit. Some informed others not but in the end, nobody really knows nothin. Wait and see.

However I dont think the food at Balcony (or Telephone) is the reason for their success. As you say its more to do with the atmosphere they provide. I think they have been there for so long and people are just used to going there (same as DJ). They are providing something the customer wants, is willing to pay for, and is willing to keep going back to.
The unfortunate demise of 9 Club is not so surprising, as it seemed to be quite similar to Roxy before, which didn't last long either. Spending money on a flashy renovation doesn't guarantee that customers will come in the door. Look at Freeman - when it was an old run-down place with a good cabaret show, it was popular (for about 90 minutes a night) and seemed to be viable. The owners decided to spend a lot of money on a renovation to make it more upmarket, probably to get people to stay after the show rather than head off to DJ. The business never recovered - once people got out of the habit of going, they never returned. G.O.D. seems to have established itself there now, but it took a long time and it is still at the mercy of the enforcement of the laws regarding closing times. At least they are providing something different to DJ rather than trying to compete with an established business.
Maybe an Isaan club in Soi 4 will be a success, at least they are trying something different. If they can arrange to stay open late, they will probably get a crowd in after the staff finish work in the other bars around Silom.