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Listening Bars
EugenesAxe
Posts: 4,047
Has anyone been to any? I'm thinking of starting one up down here in Plymouth, the DJ club culture here is naff and would like to have something a bit more discerning, and actually about listening to the music. Any thoughts on what makes the difference between a listening bar and a venue hosting a (vinyl) DJ set as this is the element I want to harness and highlight; I went to one in peckham recently and it was essentially a DJ night, trying to put my finger on the differences, how to help guests engage with it.
Potted history here for anyone interested:
https://www.sosound.com/blog/the-rise-of-listening-bars
Some open Oral intercourse would be greatly appreciated.
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Comments
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I've thought about setting one up in Nantwich!Yes, it is about the music, it's more a physical escape that drives club culture - listening/hifi bars are much more a passive psychological and emotional connection to the music, both familiar and encountering some for the first time. My idea is a vinyl retailer during the day with the ability to sample music privately, buy what you like, and a coffee bar/light food offering to keep people in there. Converting to a listening bar in the evenings, still allowing private sampling to identify music but now what you would then want others to share, but generally much more of a shared experience. In the evening the coffee bar becomes a wine/cocktail bar with Tapas style food. The music systems need to be at the very top notch as well.Choice of genre is important and you would need to decide if you want to cater for a single demographic or a more diverse demographic. My thoughts are both but not necessarily at the same time. Themed evenings that are curated with a particular genre for that evening only. Moody Mondays, Soulful Saturdays, Folk Fridays and so on.The physical set up needs to be conducive to a relaxed, comfortable vibe where conversations about the music are encouraged between tracks. That's the engagement which is crucial.New bands/artists ahowcased, local artists, and also with the possibility of live music particularly with the latter.I could go on ....... it's something I'm really thinking of doing and I've already found the perfect venue.3
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Can’t really advise but am drawn to the idea of open oral intercourse8
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this is exactly what I'm thinking, its about deliberately separating it from being a DJ set, the genres I listen to and i'm part of creatively are conducive to active listening anyway so I have an understanding of the differences, and completely agree about nights being tailored for particular genres.bobmunro said:I've thought about setting one up in Nantwich!Yes, it is about the music, it's more a physical escape that drives club culture - listening/hifi bars are much more a passive psychological and emotional connection to the music, both familiar and encountering some for the first time. My idea is a vinyl retailer during the day with the ability to sample music privately, buy what you like, and a coffee bar/light food offering to keep people in there. Converting to a listening bar in the evenings, still allowing private sampling to identify music but now what you would then want others to share, but generally much more of a shared experience. In the evening the coffee bar becomes a wine/cocktail bar with Tapas style food. The music systems need to be at the very top notch as well.Choice of genre is important and you would need to decide if you want to cater for a single demographic or a more diverse demographic. My thoughts are both but not necessarily at the same time. Themed evenings that are curated with a particular genre for that evening only. Moody Mondays, Soulful Saturdays, Folk Fridays and so on.The physical set up needs to be conducive to a relaxed, comfortable vibe where conversations about the music are encouraged between tracks. That's the engagement which is crucial.New bands/artists ahowcased, local artists, and also with the possibility of live music particularly with the latter.I could go on ....... it's something I'm really thinking of doing and I've already found the perfect venue.What do you consider the perfect venue, I'm interested do they have a soundsystem in place? as you know a big part of the culture is getting to hear stuff on an amazing sound system, I have the qualifications and experience for this side of it, it's the bricks and mortar part I need to learn.I like to think of them as a speakeasy for music1 -
EugenesAxe said:
this is exactly what I'm thinking, its about deliberately separating it from being a DJ set, the genres I listen to and i'm part of creatively are conducive to active listening anyway so I have an understanding of the differences, and completely agree about nights being tailored for particular genres.bobmunro said:I've thought about setting one up in Nantwich!Yes, it is about the music, it's more a physical escape that drives club culture - listening/hifi bars are much more a passive psychological and emotional connection to the music, both familiar and encountering some for the first time. My idea is a vinyl retailer during the day with the ability to sample music privately, buy what you like, and a coffee bar/light food offering to keep people in there. Converting to a listening bar in the evenings, still allowing private sampling to identify music but now what you would then want others to share, but generally much more of a shared experience. In the evening the coffee bar becomes a wine/cocktail bar with Tapas style food. The music systems need to be at the very top notch as well.Choice of genre is important and you would need to decide if you want to cater for a single demographic or a more diverse demographic. My thoughts are both but not necessarily at the same time. Themed evenings that are curated with a particular genre for that evening only. Moody Mondays, Soulful Saturdays, Folk Fridays and so on.The physical set up needs to be conducive to a relaxed, comfortable vibe where conversations about the music are encouraged between tracks. That's the engagement which is crucial.New bands/artists ahowcased, local artists, and also with the possibility of live music particularly with the latter.I could go on ....... it's something I'm really thinking of doing and I've already found the perfect venue.What do you consider the perfect venue, I'm interested do they have a soundsystem in place? as you know a big part of the culture is getting to hear stuff on an amazing sound system, I have the qualifications and experience for this side of it, it's the bricks and mortar part I need to learn.I like to think of them as a speakeasy for musicI'm currently looking at this: https://legatowen.co.uk/property/2-chatterton-house-church-lane-nantwich-cheshire-cw5-5rq-3/Ideal size in my mind - not too small, but equally not too big so as to maintain the intimacy. Two levels, the upper level could be the music room and the lower level the bar and catering function. Only slight spanner in the works is a music licence as there are residential apartments above - so likely it will come to nothing. But it's the right size at c1600 sq ft. High music volume is not important, clarity and crispness of sound is of course vital. People are listening and the only sound during a track should be the music plus people eating and definitely drinking! - group discussion/interaction with the DJ is reserved for between tracks.It used to be a Costa but they moved to a bigger premises in the town square (and 6 months later Starbucks acquired a licence immediately opposite them!). It's just a shell now, no music systems or anything else in there.A Speakeasy for music is absolutely spot on and definitely my vision. Something along the lines of a Ronnie Scotts vibe but maybe not the same decor!
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@bobmunro that looks a nice space, looks like it could have a good sound with some drapes and treatment.I'd like to find a little backroom somewhere, even considered starting in my own place in the vein of the original supper clubs but have decided I don't want to open my place like that.0
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Never heard of this concept but it is quite appealing.
Would have to be a specific LP/artist/genre to get me in but it does sound like music for grown ups2
