Nostalgia Meets Music Café Culture at Vinyls

Up a short flight of art-fringed stairs at the edge of Zoo Park in Windhoek, Vinyls welcomes you like a warm, yellow hug. It’s cozy in the way some arts spaces are; strewn with bean bags, solo seats, French bistro style tables and myriad pathways for curiousity in its clash of books, old VHS tapes, analogue camera film, CDs and, of course, vinyl.

Through its exciting jumble housed mostly in a wooden display case behind a retro microphone on an intimate stage already christened by Jackson Wahengo and Shikololo, Vinyls gets its quirky character.

The owner, who prefers to remain a mystery and let the space earn appreciation via true resonance and old-skool word of mouth, says the music café’s name honours a passion they have been nurturing for a while.

Having amassed an impressive array of records over the last 16 years after growing up in a household enamoured by music, they have eagerly rummaged through record stores, pawn shops and second-hand stores to unearth everything from Nina Simone, Olivier Mtukudzi, Tracy Chapman and Billy Ocean to N.W.A, Nas and Nirvana.

Their appreciation of vinyl is simple and something they believe all vinyl lovers have in common.

“Everyone who loves vinyls appreciates the sound,” they say.

“You get this little crackle. There’s a lot of static. For me, it’s the fact that there’s even music in this little thing and when you play it, it just sounds original. Sometimes when you play these old records, it’s like it takes you back to those times. It gives a feeling you just can’t explain.”

The same can be said for this nostalgic new space intent on catapulting patrons to days gone by at every turn but also eager to nurture new Namibian music and art.

“Creatives from different spheres can come here and network and be inspired to create more,” the owner says.

“Artists can reach out but I must say we are really trying to push an acoustic sound. We want to take it back to where music started. We welcome kwaito and Oviritje artists but we’d like people to come and break down the music box. They can still have their CDs here but we’d like them to come, perform and tell us about themselves and their music in an acoustic way.”

Once artists begin to stretch their creative legs on the Vinyls stage, the idea is to record sessions with a view towards publishing performances online which may garner international audiences and birth opportunities for local artists to travel and introduce their talent to the world.

“I really want to nurture our Namibian music identity,” the owner says, but stresses that Vinyls also welcomes stand-up comics, performance poets, visual artists and the spectrum of creatives willing to make the stage and the space their own.

As for the eats, patrons can order food like pizza and prawns delivered to your table from the restaurant downstairs, but Vinyls’ star is its bar.

Here, bartenders Esther and Hileni preside over a grassy little nook that caters for your bubbly, whisky and non-alcoholic drinkers but has a sweet spot for those who enjoy gin.

Esther, the resident gin expert, recommends the pink lady or berry delight and is particularly enthusiastic about Vinyls’ moginto which has a sprinkle of cinnamon.

A minty ombike cocktail is another novelty as is Vinyls’ use of dried berries and garnishes in their generous and pleasingly refreshing cocktails.

At Vinyls, drinks can be customises and paired with cheese platters or sandwiches and coffee-drinking digital nomads can enjoy their caffeine French press style with free Wi-Fi.

Friendly, undeniably charming and ready to welcome patrons at its quiz evenings, live sessions, karaoke, open mic nights and more, Vinyls has arrived discreetly, with passion and pushing an idea from the Nirvana record you can see beyond the cheerful view of Zoo Park, the bar and chalky wall of fame.

“Come as you are”.

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