A black mark for Kro

I went to meet some friends at the newly re-opened Gongti Kro's Nest on Friday.

I was only able to stay about 30 seconds. I was driven away by the brain-squelchingly LOUD music they were playing in the garden outside.

I wondered if perhaps this wasn't some sort of vengeful thumbing-their-nose-at-the-authorities deal. They'd been closed down for 6 or 7 weeks (in the name of Olympic "security"). Perhaps now they were thinking: "Hey, if you were worried that we were somehow going to be obnoxious or disruptive next to one of your precious Olympic venues.... well, let us now show you just how obnoxious and disruptive we can be." If there had been such a political subtext to this horror, I might have been more tolerant.

I later discovered they had a special promotion on that day, with an '80s theme; and so they'd got in a DJ and a big sound system to play outside all day. Good - so at least this isn't going to be a regular abomination.

This was 6 o'clock in the evening, and only a handful of people were as yet there, an after-work crowd looking to enjoy a quiet drink and a chat. At this point, we don't really want any music at all, thank you. Later in the evening, perhaps; when there are more bodies to absorb the sound; when we're in more of a party mood; when we're a little more acclimatized to noise. We certainly don't want vile, throbbing RAP played at eardrum-perforating volume. (And I do not believe that was '80s music.)

Rap (as I've mentioned before; I think, in my 'What makes a GREAT bar?' post) is a divisive musical style. Almost everyone likes classic jazz. Almost everyone likes The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Some people like rap; and some absolutely hate it. It is therefore best avoided in a bar or restaurant - unless you're going to make it into your theme and deliberately cultivate a rap audience.

Even if we allow that most of Kro's customers might like - or at least tolerate - this kind of music better than a fuddy-duddy like me, there really was no excuse for playing it THAT LOUD at that time of the day. If you start things off at maximum volume, where are you going to go later in the evening??

It's not just a question of annoyance at the inappropriate volume, or disagreement with the musical choices of the DJ, or disappointment at not being able to talk with my friends - it's a fuming rage against the criminal stupidity of bar/restaurant owners who would make such bad choices.

An incident like this makes me disinclined to go back to a place ever again. I'll probably give Kro's a second chance because this appears to have been just a rare aberration...... and, hell, they do make way the best pizza in town. But - if they assault my eardrums like that again, they're history.