RSSNot if you were the last club on earth: Sam's Kathmandu
Kathmandu is far from an obvious choice for clubbing but if for some reason you end up there for a night, it’s no excuse to stay in.
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Over the last twelve months there’s been some serious goings-on in Nepal. Maoists, tribesmen, the royal army and the students were all punching it out to see who’d take over when the king stepped down. A few buses were burned to the ground, a couple of backpackers got attacked but by and large all that’s over now, so you shouldn’t have any problems apart from a day or two of dysentery and food poisoning.
Sam’s is an upstairs bar with a big dancefloor. At capacity it fits about 150, but that’s only if everyone’s up dancing and not passed out on the floor. Sam’s is open when everywhere else in town is closed and you get in by ringing a buzzer for long enough that someone hears and comes down to let you in.
Booze is incredibly cheap in Kathmandu, like everything there. The beer might leave you feeling a bit like you ate a hedgehog the night before, but if you stick to vodka it seems to neutralise most bacteria.
Talent: It’s a pretty good mix of backpackers and wealthier Nepalese dudes. You don’t come across that many Nepalese ladies in bars. In spite of this, it’s a really friendly vibe and even though you’re in one of the bottom five countries in the world, people will still stick shots in your hands.
Sounds: Kathmandu was a big stop-off on the hippie trail in the 60s. Lots of bands and travellers came here and left their musical taste behind them. That said young Nepalese like to listen to Indian rave, so you can get some Bollywood remix at 140bpm back to back with a Credence Clearwater Revival track.
Goodies: Kathmandu is full of hash and opium, well at least that’s what you get offered on the streets all the time. Basic supplies like water and electricity don’t always make it to the city, so you might have problems finding imported disco drugs.
Toilets: There’s a temple in the corner of the bathroom, with a little fountain and a couple of bonsais. Gives talking to god on the white phone a whole new meaning.
Icebreaker: Did I ever tell you about the night me and Hendrix did the top shelf?
Jawbreaker: Long Live the King
Not if you were the last club on Earth:
[Sankeys - Manchester] (http://www.bodytonicmusic.com/words/2008/oct/17/not-if-you-were-last-club-earth-sankeys-manchester/)
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I was there in March and the hotel I stayed in only had water after 5pm. Remember there was a daily blackout too because they sold all their electricity to Northern India in this agreement called load sharing. It was crazy, you'd be in a bar in the middle of the night and suddenly all the barstaff would start lighting candles. Then a minute later the power would go and would stay off for the rest of the night.
But maybe they had all those problems fixed during the time you were there Yogy.
You must have been staying in a right shithole so. I was staying in a room for less than €2 a night and had water round the clock. Ya they have electricity cuts but it's all planned to ration supplies. Usually happens from around 10 to 12 at night, alot of busier bars and restaurants have generators to deal with it. It's a third world country so theses problems are to be expected...
There was never any question that the elected Maoist party were gonna take over after the king was ousted and it was declared a republic, protests did happen but no fighting for power as you mention...
I just think that if you're gonna write about clubbing in Kathmandu you could do more than write about one shitty bar. It's not even a club. There was a rave on almost every week when I was there, two of which went on for 48 hours smack bang in the centre of Thamel....Kathmandu, and Nepal in general, is an amazing place, sure it's still years behind with regard to any kind of "scene" but there's definitly alot more going on than Sam's!! (end of rant)
Perhaps you're unfamiliar with the concept of the "Not if you were the last club on Earth" feature?
Matthew
Posted on Dec 5, 2008 at 8:44 p.m.
Perhaps you're unfamiliar with the concept of the "Not if you were the last club on Earth" feature?
Oh right so they're places that you wouldn't go to even if they were the last club on earth, so there's Sam's, Cielo, Berghain, Robert Johnson and Fabric...now I understand the concept. Thanks Matthew
Matthew
Posted on Dec 5, 2008 at 8:44 p.m.
Perhaps you're unfamiliar with the concept of the "Not if you were the last club on Earth" feature?
Oh right so they're places that you wouldn't go to even if they were the last club on earth, so there's Sam's, Cielo, Berghain, Robert Johnson and Fabric...now I understand the concept.
Thanks Matthew. You Dick.
Sorry for double posting, it wouldn't of happened if I had included the fact that Matthew is a dick in my first post..
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Basic supplies like water and electricity don’t always make it to the city.....bullshit....was there during the elections in april/may
Sam's is just a shitty bar, not a club. Plenty of outdoor places dotted around Thamel with dance events on most fridays althou 80% of what you here is psy trance. Pills can be got fairly easily but you pay for them. Full moon parties in the valley during summer months...
That piece reads like an outdated lonely planet review...