Raising the sound-BAR! Jersey bar takes inspiration from Tokyo’s vinyl culture

Ever spent a night shouting ‘WHAT?’ across the table in a bar while the music pounds away? One Jersey bar thinks there might be another way…

Cocktails, conversation and carefully chosen vinyl are set to come together in a new Japanese-inspired “listening bar” experience launching in St Helier this month.

The Weighbridge’s popular Melting Pot is hoping to “raise the sound-bar” by transforming one of its rooms into what it says will be Jersey’s first high-fidelity listening space, inspired by Japan’s famous ‘Jazz Kissa‘ culture – cafés and bars where people gather specifically to hear records played through exceptional sound systems.

The new set-up is being designed to produce clear, room-filling sound while still allowing customers to hold a conversation without having to lean across the table and shout.

At its heart will be a Danley Sound Labs “Shark Fin” speaker system, supported by subwoofers, acoustic wall treatments and sound-diffusion panels.

There will also be purpose designed sound diffusion, acoustic wall treatments and visible acoustic panels which will soften the sound, and create a warm, comfortable listening environment throughout the venue.

In order to cater for everything, a newly equipped DJ desk booth, featuring two quality 1210s turntables, a four-channel high-end rotary mixer with an integrated patch bay, will allow guest DJs to connect and perform using their own equipment.

Brian Smith, Director at Alfresco Events and Bars, told Express: “Melting Pot will invite some of the Island’s most passionate and eclectic record collectors to step behind the decks, giving them the freedom to explore the genres they love and share the records they have collected over a lifetime.”

“No predictable playlists. No pressure to follow the latest trends. Just passionate people sharing extraordinary music with an audience that wants to listen. Music lovers playing for music lovers,” he added.

“It is more than a new sound system, it is a completely new way to experience music, cocktails and conversation in Jersey.”