Brisbane was a little late to the vinyl listening bar party compared to the southern capitals, but over the past 18 months a bunch of spots have popped up around town where you can drink and eat while listening to a record or three – whether they be bars, restaurants or something in-between. The trend has its roots in Japanese jazz kissatens (tea or coffee shops), which emerged post-war as places for music fans to gather and listen to the latest imported records. They remain popular in that country.
The Australian take is perhaps a little louder and boozier at times, but the basic concept remains the same: head along with some fellow music nerds and open your ears to a bunch of tunes you perhaps haven’t heard before. Here are four places in Brisbane to check out. Ruby, My Dear Arguably no other venue has done more to kick along Brisbane’s vinyl listening scene than Ruby, My Dear.
This slick, moody Japanese-inspired bar and restaurant opened in Newstead in April last year and immediately began drawing punters from the surrounding apartment blocks. Owned by Bonnie Warner and Tom Sanceau (who are best known for CBD-based burger joint Red Hook, its Portside sister venue Dumbo and the currently on-ice Coppa Spuntino), Ruby, My Dear boasts a collection of 1200 vinyl records played through four Pitt & Giblin speakers, hand-built in Tasmania and decked out in timber and bronze. Newstead’s latest hangout is a vinyl bar with bites, booze and beats Food is a selection of Japanes.