I was browsing jinks website and saw many photos of the Icon show bar which brought back so many happy memories. I thought I might jot down a few of my memories and some photos and perhaps others can fill in the vast gaps with the wonderful history of this group.
Way back in the mid-late nineties a German guy decided to open a Chippendales type show on Walking street - for ladies only. He had found Khun Tom a brilliant choreographer and trainer. They recruited handsome guys and trained them in fast moving raunchy American type show called Chips.
Some of the original Chips guys
Now the recruits were trained for nearly 3 months before Chips opened. Towards the end Mr Tom left after a disagreement and some of the boys were moonlighting at Throb go-go bar. Somehow Mr Tom was recruited by Icon and they opened the Icon Club at Mr Mac's next to their new hotel including several guys from Chips which never took off - no surprise there then Ladies only in Pattaya!. I think that they started 3 night a week and it quickly grew to more shows and more dancers. The shows were terrific, the place glamorous, superb hosts and service, William and Dave. The boys used to go around a say hello after the show. There was no offing but if you made a private arrangement then that was OK. There was a lot of OK going on. I remember telling William that this was a Paradise that could not last and he said "you haven't seen anything yet!"
Nung Joe and Tom
Icon Dancers in the Icon pool
Almost simultaneously Madam Jim added a guy dancing show to Throb go-go bar having recruited Mr Joe and his brother Sak from Chips. Jim developed Joe into a good dancer and choreographer and Sak was a natural who could dance up a storm to Ricky Martin numbers.
Joe at Throb
Sak from Throb
Joe and Sak win dancing competition at Boyz Boyz Boyz
One of my favourite photos of ICON dancers - at a charity event in Bangkok's Silom Soi 4
I t was around 1998 Chinese New Year that I visited Pattaya and had trouble finding an hotel. The one I had booked on the internet was not good. I finished up at ICON Hotel and what a delight that was. The newly opened show bar next door blew my mind. Then I found Throb show and that was a different delight. Paradise turned out to be a lot better than I had expected.
Photo album - I am not sure where all these photos came from so if anyone has any objection please advise and I will remove.
http://www.PictureTrail.com/gid16318291
The bar went from success to success and the brand took off with calendars, underwear, international trips and many charity events supporting th gay community.
Katoey were introduced and the style went from Chippendale's to include lip syncing and songs from the shows. Ray Cornell the UK choreographer and partner Darrell were involved from time to time especially for gala shows. Icon Bangkok opened in the old Rome Club to great acclaim but despite herculean efforts by the management the crowds did not come.
The Pattaya show bar moved from Mr Mac's to a new building by the flyover. So many wonderful nights there it's difficult to mention just one. A highlight was the Mr Gay Pattaya Competition with lunatically generous bidding for some entrants.
Then Icon upped sticks and moved to Phuket where they opened a fine hotel and a show bar Pharaohs which I think is still going.
There are others, many, who know a lot more than I do about the ICON story with dates and many stories about the dancers. I hope that they will add to this trail. It was like a short lived brilliant star that lit out lives and passed away. The nearest to it today, in my mind, is Jupiter 2002 bar in Bangkok. Thanks guys for all the happy hours.
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Originally Posted by Brad the Impala
