Penny Black gives you two very different reasons to walk through the same door.

Start downstairs, where a live band takes over the room and gives the early evening more of a proper Bangkok music-bar feel than the neon outside might suggest. Grab a table, order a drink and let the band do the work while Soi Cowboy carries on just beyond the entrance.

Then head upstairs. If you need a breather, the middle floor slows things down with another bar and space to hang out before you keep climbing.

By the third floor, the guitars have given way to DJs, dancers and a full nightclub setup. The music leans towards hip-hop, with Top 40/EDM mixed in, plus resident/guest DJs and dancers. The lights get brighter, and what began as a few drinks with a live band can suddenly become a considerably later night than planned. It gets noticeably busier as the night wears on, and once the surrounding bars begin winding down, Penny Black often feels like it’s only just hitting its stride.