Spiritland Festival Hall

Just putting this out there …

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Old Living Voice Airpartners!

Klipsch Cornwalls too :+1:

Hope to get there soon. Their headphone shop in Mayfair is pretty special too, thanks for the heads up

Good to know about, thanks!

Having been to Spiritland on many occasions I’m still trying to workout how they make enough money to survive. They must be doing something right :thinking:
Anyone wanna open a cafe selling pig based butties and playing old punk records to punters?

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Sounds like @Jim’s bakeoffs (minus the selling part)

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A neighbour of mine* who runs a bar says it’s all about attracting the right kind of customer. That’s the way to keep the takings up and the trouble down. I fear your ‘old punk’ scheme might achieve the opposite.

VB

*A good lad actually. Came home from uni, joined TVP as a trainee, was doing well until the cuts kicked in and they had to let them all go. He wasn’t out of work for long when he decided to try opening a bar. It’s a real success https://www.thekeepwallingford.com/.

me too - mind you it has always been busy when we’ve been. The beer is good but London prices, food is meh but the atmosphere is nice enough to keep the beardies coming back.

I suspect it appeals to the students from LCF at UAL which is almost next door, especially since it offers more than just booze (given the students are drinking less).

I need you :point_left:, A smiling Mr VB in brown labcoat serving bacon and black pudding butties would quell any unrooly behaviour :grinning:
Just need to find the right premises and I’m in business. Could even get @Wayward in as a resisident barista.

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I have tended to meet people there during the day before/after meetings as a pretty calm environment to work from. It’s a quiet space compared to the likes of Pret etc.

It does always seem there are a few others in there working from MacBooks exclusively, not worrying too much about reasonably expensive beef sandwiches (probably all going on expenses anyhow). Sure Roy Keane would have something to say.

They have looked carefully at their market, first time I was in there I got talking to a lady responsible for their social media/marketing. How many independent cafes sell branded clothes and accessories?

Being able to listen to DJ sets on Mixcloud extends the experience beyond a cafe. Nothing new (cafe del mar etc.) but allows them to have a wider presence and associate with selected artists.

I’m pretty sure it’s the first cafe I have visited specifically based upon social media presence, without even realising it.

Just off to read No Logo by Naomi Klein and remind myself not to be a consumerist muppet.

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I’m thinking “Today’s coffee tomorrow”, does that work?

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I did come to the same conclusion. Serving yesterday’s orders today. :thinking:
Magic coffee may not be enough
image

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Is it actually a good showcase for the system(s) though? Are you able to really hear, or is it all kind of lost amidst background chatter?

When I have been -usually early evening- there is too much noise to really appreciate it. The music is generally very good. I have been to a live event there with the system used as a PA and it sounded nice.

This is the Kings X one BTW

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Only been once myself (Kings Cross). Middle of the day. System not loud but playing some dull shit (Aretha Franklin I think) but sounded OK.

This is what strikes me though. Given what the system is, I’d be hoping to hear people say “Oh my God, it sounded AMAZING!”, but all I’ve heard so far is reports of “ok” to “good”. I guess to some extent it’ll depend on when you go, and whether it’s a designated time when they have it cranked up a bit. I love the concept, in theory. I really want to go (to either the King’s Cross one, or this new Festival Hall one), and check it out. I’m interested in how well such a theoretically top-end system fairs in what is most likely a sub-optimal situation.

if always sounded ok to me, but the room is large, with lots of hard surfaces and people and odd obstructions etc…the music is stuff I wouldn’t listen to.

In some senses I saw the system as a lure for the beardies, who love the idea of a “pure” “high end” vinyl system, and that some of those people might stay as they like the atmosphere, food, drink…

Expensive USP is all.

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we struggled to work out what it was trying to be - not a pub, maybe a bar (but I can think of many better ones in the vicinity), not a restaurant, maybe something else - a hybrid venue? But in our opinion it did n nothing brilliantly and its offering was not compelling enough for us to keep coming back.

The GNH bar next to KingsX station is a better bar, and its food is better (albeit more expensive) and The Fellow pub, down the side of KingsX station offers better and a wider selection of beer…

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