Weekend Plus Desk :
Vinyl records are back in the groove. Across the world, sales of the long-playing discs are soaring high enough for Sony to start manufacturing these after 28 years.
In Mumbai, fans of vinyls and those who want to make the switch, now that LPs are trendy, can hop over to PORT Cafe at the G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture for ‘Vinyl Sundays,’ which began on July 2.
“Bring your own vinyl. Play, exchange, listen,” says the announcement on PORT Cafe’s website. “We believe food is a vital connector and the arts is another. Music is one such form that is integral to our community. This is why we have begun a number of music initiatives,” says Ishan Benegal, director, PORT.
The initiative, ‘Vinyl Sundays,’ recalls the era when music was enjoyed through physical records. The arrival of digital records and streaming practices turned attention away from LPs. Now, like the printed book, the vinyl has made a comeback all over the world.
The popularity of LPs is partly due to music lovers insisting that digital technology steals much of the texture of music. The robotic beats, auto-tuned voices and mechanical varnish that characterise production today cannot match the ‘rawness’ and authentic emotions found on old vinyl records.
The playlist at ‘Vinyl Sundays’ will include classic works of performers such as Bach, Beethoven, Elvis Presley and Yehudi Mehunin. Add to the list Funk Factory, Steppenwolf and Chuck Mangione. Future editions will have a different soundscape as crowds change in age and mood.
‘Vinyl Sundays’ will take place on the first Sunday of every month, from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. Guests can bring their own vinyl collection or just turn up to enjoy good music.
The thrust is on listening to a high quality of sound in an amiable surrounding with others who share a love for the vinyl. And to feel once more why the LP has turned the tables on modern technology. n
Vinyl records are back in the groove. Across the world, sales of the long-playing discs are soaring high enough for Sony to start manufacturing these after 28 years.
In Mumbai, fans of vinyls and those who want to make the switch, now that LPs are trendy, can hop over to PORT Cafe at the G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture for ‘Vinyl Sundays,’ which began on July 2.
“Bring your own vinyl. Play, exchange, listen,” says the announcement on PORT Cafe’s website. “We believe food is a vital connector and the arts is another. Music is one such form that is integral to our community. This is why we have begun a number of music initiatives,” says Ishan Benegal, director, PORT.
The initiative, ‘Vinyl Sundays,’ recalls the era when music was enjoyed through physical records. The arrival of digital records and streaming practices turned attention away from LPs. Now, like the printed book, the vinyl has made a comeback all over the world.
The popularity of LPs is partly due to music lovers insisting that digital technology steals much of the texture of music. The robotic beats, auto-tuned voices and mechanical varnish that characterise production today cannot match the ‘rawness’ and authentic emotions found on old vinyl records.
The playlist at ‘Vinyl Sundays’ will include classic works of performers such as Bach, Beethoven, Elvis Presley and Yehudi Mehunin. Add to the list Funk Factory, Steppenwolf and Chuck Mangione. Future editions will have a different soundscape as crowds change in age and mood.
‘Vinyl Sundays’ will take place on the first Sunday of every month, from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. Guests can bring their own vinyl collection or just turn up to enjoy good music.
The thrust is on listening to a high quality of sound in an amiable surrounding with others who share a love for the vinyl. And to feel once more why the LP has turned the tables on modern technology. n
