Good music, cheap drinks, tasty food, a warm atmosphere, friends and the opportunity to bring your own vinyl — once a month, The Side Bar and Republic of Athens Records pair up to create an event with all the above.
Vinyl Nights are hosted monthly at The Side Bar, which is located between Passion Works Studios and Bleeding Hearts Boutique. The first event began in August 2024 with the most recent occurring Wednesday. These nights mash together records with a comfortable 18-and-up atmosphere full of tables to sit and chat with friends and plenty of room to enjoy the songs.
The Side Bar and ROAR orchestrate the event each month. Mak Price, event coordinator and ROAR social media director, created the idea for the event and said the partnership makes the event so special.
“We're called the arts district, and (the strip) is really cool because we have Passion Works, Bleeding Heart and the record shop,” Price said. “We wanted to just try to collaborate with the other businesses.”
Price graduated from Ohio University in 2023 with a degree in communications. While attending OU, Price discovered a passion for the Athens community and the arts and believes this event fosters both.
“I think it can kind of bring the community together musically because there’s not a lot of chill events where you can listen to music,” Prince said.
The event offers an open space for people to provide their vinyl to Neal Mohr, also known as DJ Muchi Nochi, and enjoy other people’s music tastes. Mohr provides his own records to bridge the gaps between songs, leading to all sorts of discoveries for people wanting to broaden their tastes and their Spotify.
Price and Mohr both said physical records hold value and add an extra element of specialty to the event.
“With physical media, it's a more pure sound than with like streaming,” Price said.
Mohr said the event is similar to the joy of picking your own music from a diner Jukebox and is open to everyone.
“If you don't have any records, you could still come by and listen to what your friends are listening to,” Mohr said.
The Side Bar venue provides alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, catering to audiences of all varieties and also has food available to order. Its menu includes appetizers like charcuterie or hummus and entrees like tacos or pasta. The bar also has plenty of room to sit, eat and listen.
“Hang out with friends… no friends? Make some here!” Mohr said in an Instagram caption for the most recent event.
Mohr, who grew up in Athens and graduated with a degree in audio production from OU, has a deep connection with the Athens art scene. For him, the event is a great way to connect with everyone who attends.
“(My favorite part is) just listening to what other people are into because if you own something on record, you probably like that music,” Mohr said.
In January 2020, the idea for Vinyl Night was attempted to start at West End Ciderhouse, but it was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea was revitalized after ROAR relocated next to Side Bar in 2022. The businesses shared a desire to collaborate and increase recognition for both places.
“We want to get the word out (and) more about (ROAR) in general because we are over here and not in the main (area),” Price said.
Vinyl Night ties the social bar patrons with the music lovers of Athens for an event that connects the town.
“It's just kind of a fun thing for the community to be able to bring their physical media or just to hear other people's (too),” Price said.
