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"Music Cafe" on Union Street?


Guest Gladstone

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In theory I would always like the idea of an independent cafe in my area. However, I would think that Kilau has nailed the market in cosy, 'alternative' coffee shops in Aberdeen. Otherwise I can't imagine the daytime, nine-to-five crowd being particularly interested in shoegaze music over lunch, particularly given their inherent preference for branded coffee outlets. To capture them you'd need to offer something truly different and innovative in terms of food and drink.

Musically,how many acoustic performers in Aberdeen draw crowds? Few, in my experience.

Without saying it's not possible, I think it would be very expensive to get right given the amount of competition around. Has anyone else noticed 'Sunny Cafe' on George Street or 'Ruby Cafe' on King Street?

That's a pretty good analysis.

I think you'd need a pretty awesome business plan. It'd have to be a really cool place to be... really hard thing to pitch right. Especially considering the general Aberdonian's idea of class is not the same as most of the people on this forum. That's where the problem is, you're fighting for a share of a fairly small proportion of the city's population who go to these kind of places.

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I've seen the rates, so know what that would be. Not sure whether it would be viable yet!

The staff would probably be me and my wife!

Hmmm, could work initially then in the case of staff. You'll know that it's a difficult one from the off then. There's a reason why there's a lot of empty shops on Union Street.

For what it's worth i would welcome somthing like that, I just don't think it's viable myself.

*Cough* VEGAN FOOD/FAIR-TRADE COFFEE *Cough*

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I know I put "music" in the title, but I don't mean quite so much influence to be put on the music side of things. I wouldn't be expecting an acoustic artist to pull a crowd or anything like that. It would just be a nice thing to do now and again to have someone actually playing some songs fairly quietly in the corner whilst folk sat with their bottled ale or coffee or whatever.

The 9 to 5 crowd would really just be for take-away I reckon. It would probably only open for coffees first thing, couple of hours at lunch and then from about 6pm-11pm or something in the evening.

Just ideas...

Cheers!

Sounds like a fairly standard coffee shop. Do you think you could compete with Starbucks, Nero, Delibites, the music hall, Greggs?

Maybe your 'angle' could be a dynamic and innovative approach to music. You could use your networking skills to have regular nights with good musicians. Beans coffee shop used to have jazz every weekend with decent musicians like Simon Gall et al, though I'm not sure how successful it was in the long run.

Ultimately, good musicians will want to play to a crowd and not just the owner and three mates. Promoting music, I believe, is an arduous task.

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Guest droid
We (BMs) started putting on free acoustic "gigs" on a wee while back in our Coffee Shop.

Not forgetting the gigs on a Saturday afternoon showcasing the kids from the music school! :up:

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Guest droid
It isn't usually "acoustic" music though, which is what the original poster was talking about. It falls into the bracket of music on a whole though so i wouldn't've thought it was nit-pick worthy ;)

Yes ,Phil but any excuse to promote your place of work and all that eh.I thought you might have got that one...maybe not ! :D

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Guest Tam o' Shantie

serving something unique in the food/drink stakes would be an idea, but the music thing sounds a bit boring. you're definitely not going to fill any niche by having acoustic acts. what would interest me more is informed DJs playing music that i can't hear everywhere else, like a decent DJs playing reggae, soul, maybe chilled hip hop too. 99 is probably about the only bar doing anything like this atm.

as the host of an occasional small gig, you would be filling a dr drakes shaped gape too...just sayin'.

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serving something unique in the food/drink stakes would be an idea, but the music thing sounds a bit boring. you're definitely not going to fill any niche by having acoustic acts. what would interest me more is informed DJs playing music that i can't hear everywhere else, like a decent DJs playing reggae, soul, maybe chilled hip hop too. 99 is probably about the only bar doing anything like this atm.

as the host of an occasional small gig, you would be filling a dr drakes shaped gape too...just sayin'.

I agree with this sort of thing. Chilled hip-hop/nu-jazz especially. Live DJs are something that is lacking a wee bit outside of the club environment and would possibly be an un-tapped market in terms of getting people and crowds in.

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Guest droid
I agree with this sort of thing. Chilled hip-hop/nu-jazz especially. Live DJs are something that is lacking a wee bit outside of the club environment and would possibly be an un-tapped market in terms of getting people and crowds in.

Wasn't Gilles Walker not doing this sort of thing @ the Carmalite on a Friday night?

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Guest Tam o' Shantie
Wasn't Gilles Walker not doing this sort of thing @ the Carmalite on a Friday night?

for 8 weeks, giles and various others played more chilled out music across a broad spectrum of styles. i can never say i've been to a bar in aberdeen and watched a dj play decent reggae songs for an hour or two in my 'social lifetime' though for example. just about any other major city would probably have several nights for this sort of thing.

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Guest droid
for 8 weeks, giles and various others played more chilled out music across a broad spectrum of styles. i can never say i've been to a bar in aberdeen and watched a dj play decent reggae songs for an hour or two in my 'social lifetime' though for example. just about any other major city would probably have several nights for this sort of thing.

Yeah i used to play jazz there before he dj'd...there's a reggae night @ the Charlotte bar on a Sunday,from the guys that used to run the reggae nights @ St Kays back in the day.

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for 8 weeks, giles and various others played more chilled out music across a broad spectrum of styles. i can never say i've been to a bar in aberdeen and watched a dj play decent reggae songs for an hour or two in my 'social lifetime' though for example. just about any other major city would probably have several nights for this sort of thing.

There was a decent reggae dj floating about a few years ago. Looked like your typical white rasta. Would play at the lemon tree/forum for any reggae gigs. Finnie from one up used to play reggae/dub at kef a lot iirc.

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for 8 weeks, giles and various others played more chilled out music across a broad spectrum of styles. i can never say i've been to a bar in aberdeen and watched a dj play decent reggae songs for an hour or two in my 'social lifetime' though for example. just about any other major city would probably have several nights for this sort of thing.

Your idea reminds me of The Bassment on Byers Road. Every weekend they used to have a DJ playing awesome music of a reggae / hip-hop / funk sort. It was all pretty low-key, in that you could still hold a conversation, but it wasn't like they were playing 'background music' - people were there to enjoy listening. Used to love that place and it was always packed.

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are we not just describing Estaminet?

That was what came to mind here too.

The problem with these sort of places is the clientele. You will have a hardcore of Tarquin's and Tamara's who will be friends of the owner spending a few quid during the week.

People out spending serious money and/or company expenses will be put off by that sort of atmosphere and wont frequent it as much.

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Guest Tam o' Shantie
Is this an angry/sarcastic response?

If it's not then can I get a shot of your time machine? We can take the 20 bus together from hillhead, grab a few in Sivells then head to Estaminet.

neither really...estaminet was a reasonably large bar on 2 floors...it also closed like 7 or 8 years ago though so surely both venues could 'co-exist' on that basis! all I suggested was that there isnt a bar or cafe in town right now catering to tasteful but skillful DJing of soul, reggae, hip hop etc.

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Estaminet was so fucking great. I worked in the Union when it was next door (now JPs or something) we'd all go there when we closed for a few drinks and I loved it, different DJs every night playing stuff you wouldn't hear anywhere else. It went to rack and ruin when it rebranded as Bruin. Rack and Bruin you might say. Sin wasn't much better, and Mickey Flynns or whatever it's called is actually painful. Ned central on a Friday night.

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