Owners of Star Bar share the news: Siem Reap is feeling alive again

It’s a Saturday night as January comes to a close and a two band lineup made up of Sam Rocker and Battambang’s pride, the Batbangers, have blasted the night away at Pomme in Siem Reap. Kids, parents, old friends, new friends, neighbors and a fresh contingent of tourists (yes…actual tourists!) danced to the rhythm and feeling of normalcy. Souls have been replenished by the glimpse of life beyond the crest of the “end of the beginning” of the pandemic.

Pomme was packed with a mix of both artistically starving Khmers and expats alike.  Sam Rocker began the night playing to enthusiastic fans who screamed out from the get-go, “We love you Sam!” Battambang’s most famous band, the Batbangers, followed and showed they can both rock and do justice to songs like Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart”.  The night benefited from having all the makings of a proper night of music entertainment on hand, with Ian and Steve from 60 Road Studios providing lights and sound at the professional level. It was a bonified rock show and it felt great, like we had peaked around the corner and discovered fun waiting patently for us.

Siem Reap is feeling alive again – Saturday night at Pomme

Over the last three months or so businesses have opened, holding special events and live music shows to attract both the town’s remaining expats and the rare and elusive “tourists” seen wandering in Temple Town like shadow memories from aa past life.  

And most every day, there is something great going on somewhere in Siem Reap, with options growing quickly. Businesses have re-opened, reborn and ready to get back to making a living. Are there enough people in town to support all this hopefulness?  Are businesses vying for the limited dollars of the survivors of the Covid economy and a smattering of tourists?

Well yes and no. It’s hit or miss for now.

It’s akin to back when you were in your early 20’s and you would clean your apartment really well, create a music playlist, buy a new boom box to rock the tunes, order 4 kegs of the cheapest beer known to mankind, set out massive bowls of Doritos and generic potato chips and invited your neighbors ith no gaurantee they would show up. All this effort in preparation for a party that would surely be visited by the police at 3am if successful. But then? Come midnight, the “party” would be populated by only you and your three friends, Tucker, Tanner and Todd.

Why? Because the night before Monty Jorgensen threw an impromptu party at his house with midget wrestling that lasted until 7am and everyone was there. Your phone filled with apologies for not showing up because people are too hung over and broken and staying in tonight.

The analogy is that things can go either way here in Siem Reap for now. You might be prove to be Monty Jorgensen, doing well because you employed really talented midgets or you might just be you and spend the next three weeks hammered and eating stale Doritos with Tucker, Tanner and Todd.

It’s clear at this point that people only have so much money to spend on entertainment. They’re picking and choosing their nights to go out. And that’s OK for now. Business owners will take it. The fact is that when people want to go out for food and entertainment there have lots of great options in Siem Reap and that is the fuel we need to rekindle the city’s fire.

Happy Hour is Back….

So, what are Siem Reap businesses doing to survive? They’re bringing back “Happy Hours”, pub quizzes, live music, open mics, geek night, bingo and loss- leader food specials like 25 cent buffalo wings. On an average week you can enjoy Pressure Hour on Friday, live music Saturdays and the Sunday Night Charity Pub Quiz at Star Bar. Then you could take on Latin Rock Night and Open Mic night at the Harbour. And follow that up with Charity Bingo at Playground and Live Sessions at New Leaf. That is just a fraction of what is happening in Siem Reap.  

So here’s a “job well done” salute to Pomme, Siem Reap and 60 Road Studios team for helping light the fire that will guide us all back eventually to the new “good old days”. You woke the dead in every single attendee. Let’s do it again…because we have to.

Tim Scott

Sitha Kuch

Owners, Star Bar Siem Reap

	Siem Reap Cambodia
	https://www.cambodialifestyle.com/siem-reap-province/
	+855 9 678 01791

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