If you like to go out regularly in London, particularly in the south and east, you might have noticed a number of new ‘listening bars’ in recent months. The concept, which originated in Japan, means that everything, from the way the space is insulated and designed to the nightly music curation, revolves around sound. Some of these bars have quickly become beloved and highly respected spaces, such as Waltz in Shoreditch, owned by Tokyo-born Gento Torigata, who was formerly the manager of Kwãnt. At Waltz, speakers take centre stage alongside the spirits and a meticulously curated menu in a warm, ambient space.
What separates a listening bar from a bar with good speakers?
While many of these bars are faithful to the original concept, there are, of course, things that differentiate them from the Tokyo-based neighbourhood spots. One is that the price point, naturally, has to be much higher for a bar to survive on the mean streets of London.
James Gilbody is the owner of Freaking Out The Neighborhood, a listening bar in Bangkok. He recently moved back to London, so he has a perspective on the proliferation of listening bars across two continents. ‘It’s definitely a trend globally, and Bangkok is no different,’ he says, telling me that listening bars even got their own awards category this year in the local lifestyle publication BK Magazine. Gilbody’s own motivation for opening one was that there weren’t many places that played the kind of music he and his partner enjoy: left-field jazz, rock, indie and punk. ‘Selfishly, we wanted a space where we could listen to our favourite albums on a nice system at full volume,’ he says.
Michael Sager is the owner and director of Equal Parts, a listening bar in Hackney that opened in 2023 and has since won several awards and a spot on best-of lists. When opening Equal Parts, says Sager, the brief was always sound and drinks in equal measure: ‘The listening element was structural from day one, not a differentiator we retrofitted.’ In his opinion, the popularity of listening bars is down to a simple fact: they give people permission to actually listen. ‘Most hospitality spaces use music as atmosphere management – something to fill silence and keep energy up. A listening bar inverts that. The music is the reason you're there, and the drink is what you hold while you're paying attention. For a certain kind of person, that's an enormous relief.’
‘Any bar can put on a good record. A listening bar is one where the music dictates the energy of the room, not the other way around’
Michael Sager, owner and director of Equal Parts
Of course, if being a listening bar is something that gives one bar an edge over another, it would follow that some might be tempted to call themselves one without actually understanding what the concept means. Some spaces might do so without actually evoking the soul of some Shimokitazawa neighbourhood spot that’s been built around music.
Sager says that what differentiates a true listening bar is ‘intention and consequence’. At Equal Parts, they developed the sound system in collaboration with Audio Gold, and the room itself is lined with walnut and felt to cancel noise and enhance how sound moves through the space. They play exclusively vinyl, always full albums in order, because they believe in respecting the artist’s intention. The staff themselves are experts in selecting music, and, as Sager says, ‘Any bar can put on a good record. A listening bar is one where the music dictates the energy of the room, not the other way around.’
Gilbody agrees, adding that there are few authentic listening bars outside of Japan. ‘The main trend globally is people opening bars with nice speakers but not much music curation from the venue and not much listening happening,’ he says. ‘It’s Instagram friendly and an easy way to essentially rebrand a cocktail bar or have something else to market.’
What differentiates a listening bar, according to Gilbody, is that the experience should be quiet and cosy, something he and his wife Ki fell in love with. While some Japanese listening bars don’t even let you speak or go on your phone, he doesn’t think it needs to be that strict – but it should be intimate. ‘It should feel like you’re in someone’s living room listening to their record collection. The personality of the place and the curation of the music should ideally come from the owners,’ he says.
The explosion of listening bars across London might point to something beyond a fascination with Japan or simple trend-following. It is harder than ever to break even as a bar, especially a new one, in the city. That means, to stand out against the thousands of bars in London, you have to offer something unique. There’s a need for an experiential component beyond sleek interiors and well-balanced drinks. Guest bar takeovers, collaborations, events and themed menus have become the norm at the city’s top bars, and owners are getting increasingly creative.
Ryan Chetiyawardana, also known as Mr Lyan, is the award-winning owner behind Seed Library and, most recently, Lyaness in the Sea Containers on the South Bank. Lyaness is a bar with stunning interiors, imaginative drinks and an unbeatable view – but going above and beyond that, there are regular collaborations with global bars such as SIPS (Barcelona), Candelaria (Paris), Native (Singapore) and more through the Sunday Lyan series.
Bars innovating to thrive
‘With all our bars, we try to balance the fact that we're a destination venue with being as democratic and available to as many people as possible, functioning as a great neighbourhood bar can,’ says Chetiyawardana. ‘Innovation, excitement and togetherness are central pillars to our work, so we always wanted to go beyond what was more ubiquitous.’
When choosing collaborators, the team look to people who can push and inspire them. ‘Every business needs a point of difference, and having a unique voice is something that tends to resonate well in places where there are a lot of options,’ he says, adding, ‘As the expectations for drinking and dining out have risen, there have been more attempts to differentiate. But these are often copycat moves – the best venues have a USP that is honest and personal to them.’ Chetiyawardana agrees that the financial landscape and pressure on hospitality mean there needs to be more to your experience.
Andy Loudon is director of bars at the Rosewood Hotel in Covent Garden. Rosewood’s Scarfes Bar is uniquely innovative for a hotel bar, with playful themed menus and regular live music. ‘A great cocktail bar should engage all the senses, and live music has the power to transform a room in a way that no design element or drinks menu can,’ says Loudon. ‘Two guests can order the same cocktail on different evenings and have an entirely different experience because of the music, the crowd and the energy in the room.’
Given how competitive bars are today, that experience is essential. ‘The most successful bars understand that hospitality is ultimately about creating memories. That can be through music, storytelling, design, service, education or a sense of community. Guests rarely remember every ingredient in a cocktail, but they will remember how a place made them feel,’ says Loudon.
To survive today, success isn’t only about picking a trend or offering great drinks. Sager says that the best bars have a genuine point of view and hold it consistently. ‘The bars that are struggling are the ones that tried to be everything – great cocktails, great food, great music, great design – without a clear hierarchy of intent. Guests can feel when a venue knows exactly what it is. That coherence is increasingly rare, and increasingly what people seek out.’
Chetiyawardana adds that, as bar owners, it’s important to see one another as peers, not competitors. ‘Hospitality is only in competition with apathy and loneliness, and the more we can show that togetherness is an important factor of happiness, then the better venues do.’
