Vinyl Record Cafe's

It's a really small beatnik kind of place.. couches, but interesting patrons. I met a trombone player who has played Carnegie Hall, and an documentary film maker who is in her late 20's. It's a hip place and they love the idea.

It will just be one spin on the deck. Can't imagine it destroying my records. Technics and I think some kind of Shure cartridge.

Culturally it's very mixed, so I'll do my best to keep the music ethnically diverse.

The next week I am thinking Miles Davis "Bitches Brew" then Santana's first. Follow that with Dylan's Highway Revisited, and then end the night with something more modern like The Smiths "Meat is Murder".

I'll need to play some soul, Aretha, Marvin, and then play some more progressive stuff like Tales from Topographic Oceans.

There is just so much stuff to play it's almost mind boggling.

I don't really listen to much modern music. It sounds too processed and I don't like the digital sound that much. It sounds clean but sterile.

The other reason is that I am still trying to get caught up on all the great music that happened between 1955 and 1980.

Until I have heard all of it, I can't see investing in new music that probably isn't as innovative.

I have zero interest in anything electronica... I have to sense some human interplay between musicians or I lose interest.

It sounds like the crowd at this cafe has the same listening preferences as you... human-made music. Great idea, and kudos for sharing your passion.

That said, a single spin with a damaged or incorrectly set up cartridge CAN ruin a vinyl record. A few precautions:
- bring a sliver of Magic Eraser + stylus brush and clean the stylus before each side; it only takes a second, will probably improve the sound and will definitely be safer for your records
- make SURE the VTF is set in the upper half of the range recommended for the cartridge; don't trust the dial on the tonearm, bring a VTF scale; more records have been ruined by too-low VTF than all other causes combined.

Enjoy!

It was an amazing success. There must have been nearly 50 people who stopped by and loved it. There were no seats left and people had to stand or some were out on the sidewalk still digging the music. I think Jeff Beck's "Blow by Blow" was the biggest hit of the night. A few younger people said they loved the funky groovy feel of the record. Everyone said the sound was better than anything digital they had heard recently.

I'll be doing it again next Thursday.
I will spin:

ELP "Tarkus"
Rolling Stones "Let it Bleed"
Miles Davis "In a Silent Way"
Ravi Shankar "Live in NYC"

Congrats. It's like you were holding court.

This is a great idea for raising awareness of vinyl and audiophilia. I hope hifi gear makers/sellers and record store owners reach out to local cafes and business to promote this. Instead of the ubiquitous "Free Wifi" sign, wouldn't it be cool to see "BYO Vinyl" or something like that catch on.