<p>Live music may be picking up once again in Bengaluru, but city folk are turning their attention to a new form of music consumption and appreciation. A number of venues in the city are hosting ‘listening sessions’, with a singular focus on artistes, technicality, and musicality. The trend is driven by the post-pandemic need to slow down and to be able to touch and feel art, experts say. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“The aim of these sessions is to allow listeners to experience the music as the artiste intended,” says Isaac Nico, a documentary photographer, who hosted a session on Puerto Rican artiste, Bad Bunny, at Bar Cameo, Kasturba Road last weekend. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Some say that listening bars were born in post World War-2 Japan, a time when its citizens could not afford a record player and would gather at bars to enjoy music from the records American soldiers had left behind. “Today, we have analogue listening bars all over the world,” notes Akhila Srinivas, who runs The Middle Room on Double Road. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">Terrace beginnings</p>.<p class="bodytext">Akhil Hemdev of On The Jungle Floor, Indiranagar recalls the first listening event he hosted. It was on someone’s terrace, back in 2022. The album they played was D’Angelo’s ‘Voodoo’, released in 2000. He followed it up with another session playing Cleo Sol’s 2020 album ‘Rose in the Dark’. “When we realised this format had takers, we started hosting sessions at venues like Indiranagar Social and Max Mueller Bhavan, Indiranagar,” Hemdev shares. The online record store finally opened its offline shop in 2025. The small store, equipped with a turntable and speakers, can accommodate 10-15 people at once and has been hosting listening events since they opened.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Streaming platforms offer easy access to music from across the world. But the sound is often compromised. Playing the same track on an LP or vinyl record, one of the main draws of a listening session, offers a more distilled experience, something discerning listeners are ready to pay good money for. </p>.<p class="bodytext">While analogue players are key, it follows that the sound system should be too. Middle Room was built with the specific purpose of offering music experiences. The space is equipped with speakers from Danley Sound Labs, a US-based small batch manufacturer. It is run by an ex-NASA scientist who makes them by hand. Analogue mixers and an acoustically treated room are the other features. “Even the needle used in the LP players are handpicked to be precise,” says Akhila. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">Bad Bunny to Ilaiyaraaja</p>.<p class="bodytext">The sessions are guided by a moderator, often a musician, a super fan or an expert on the subject. Nico, for instance, spent a month in Puerto Rico and wrote a thesis on the connection between Puerto Rican art and resistance. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, recently sparked controversy with his Super Bowl Halftime show in the US. He performed in Spanish, highlighted the political climate in Puerto Rico and allegedly criticised President Donald Trump. Detractors, mainly Trump sympathisers, were up in arms because it was not “American enough”. </p>.<p class="bodytext">His latest album, ‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ (‘I Should Have Taken More Photos’), released in January 2025, which was played at the Bar Cameo listening session, touches upon themes such as love and nostalgia, while also addressing heavier topics like Puerto Rico’s political status, gentrification, and the importance of preserving local culture. Nico broke down the historical significance, music, and lyrics of some of the songs. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Moderators also point to the unique features of the music, such as an unusual beat or the way the symphony changes. “It enables listeners to pay closer attention and understand the music better,” Akhila points out. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">Launchpad</p>.<p class="bodytext">Listening parties also serve as platforms for album launches. A month ago, celebrated British group Gorillaz soft launched their latest album ‘Parvath, The Mountain’, at listening parties across the world. In South India, they picked Ram’s Musique Experience as the venue. “About 180 people showed interest so we hosted three sessions accommodating 60 people in each,” recalls Sangeeth Ram, who runs the M G Road store along with his father Ramachandran. Ram’s typically hosts about 3-4 sessions a month, as do other venues. “However, we are taking a break after the Gorillaz sessions,” says Sangeeth, whose earlier sessions have focused on musicians like Ilaiyaraaja and Taylor Swift. Middle Room has also hosted Ilaiyaaraja sessions in addition to Pink Floyd and The Beatles. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Akhila and Sangeeth noted that all their sessions are fully booked out. Nico’s session at Bar Cameo, with a capacity of 40, sold out almost a week before the event. “People want that shared experience of listening to an album together. With multiple streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music, it has become a largely individualistic experience. Earlier, we would enjoy this shared experience at popular bars like Pecos or NASA. Bars these days do not pay much attention to their music curation and even if they do, the sound is below par,” says Akhila. </p>
<p>Live music may be picking up once again in Bengaluru, but city folk are turning their attention to a new form of music consumption and appreciation. A number of venues in the city are hosting ‘listening sessions’, with a singular focus on artistes, technicality, and musicality. The trend is driven by the post-pandemic need to slow down and to be able to touch and feel art, experts say. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“The aim of these sessions is to allow listeners to experience the music as the artiste intended,” says Isaac Nico, a documentary photographer, who hosted a session on Puerto Rican artiste, Bad Bunny, at Bar Cameo, Kasturba Road last weekend. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Some say that listening bars were born in post World War-2 Japan, a time when its citizens could not afford a record player and would gather at bars to enjoy music from the records American soldiers had left behind. “Today, we have analogue listening bars all over the world,” notes Akhila Srinivas, who runs The Middle Room on Double Road. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">Terrace beginnings</p>.<p class="bodytext">Akhil Hemdev of On The Jungle Floor, Indiranagar recalls the first listening event he hosted. It was on someone’s terrace, back in 2022. The album they played was D’Angelo’s ‘Voodoo’, released in 2000. He followed it up with another session playing Cleo Sol’s 2020 album ‘Rose in the Dark’. “When we realised this format had takers, we started hosting sessions at venues like Indiranagar Social and Max Mueller Bhavan, Indiranagar,” Hemdev shares. The online record store finally opened its offline shop in 2025. The small store, equipped with a turntable and speakers, can accommodate 10-15 people at once and has been hosting listening events since they opened.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Streaming platforms offer easy access to music from across the world. But the sound is often compromised. Playing the same track on an LP or vinyl record, one of the main draws of a listening session, offers a more distilled experience, something discerning listeners are ready to pay good money for. </p>.<p class="bodytext">While analogue players are key, it follows that the sound system should be too. Middle Room was built with the specific purpose of offering music experiences. The space is equipped with speakers from Danley Sound Labs, a US-based small batch manufacturer. It is run by an ex-NASA scientist who makes them by hand. Analogue mixers and an acoustically treated room are the other features. “Even the needle used in the LP players are handpicked to be precise,” says Akhila. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">Bad Bunny to Ilaiyaraaja</p>.<p class="bodytext">The sessions are guided by a moderator, often a musician, a super fan or an expert on the subject. Nico, for instance, spent a month in Puerto Rico and wrote a thesis on the connection between Puerto Rican art and resistance. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, recently sparked controversy with his Super Bowl Halftime show in the US. He performed in Spanish, highlighted the political climate in Puerto Rico and allegedly criticised President Donald Trump. Detractors, mainly Trump sympathisers, were up in arms because it was not “American enough”. </p>.<p class="bodytext">His latest album, ‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ (‘I Should Have Taken More Photos’), released in January 2025, which was played at the Bar Cameo listening session, touches upon themes such as love and nostalgia, while also addressing heavier topics like Puerto Rico’s political status, gentrification, and the importance of preserving local culture. Nico broke down the historical significance, music, and lyrics of some of the songs. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Moderators also point to the unique features of the music, such as an unusual beat or the way the symphony changes. “It enables listeners to pay closer attention and understand the music better,” Akhila points out. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">Launchpad</p>.<p class="bodytext">Listening parties also serve as platforms for album launches. A month ago, celebrated British group Gorillaz soft launched their latest album ‘Parvath, The Mountain’, at listening parties across the world. In South India, they picked Ram’s Musique Experience as the venue. “About 180 people showed interest so we hosted three sessions accommodating 60 people in each,” recalls Sangeeth Ram, who runs the M G Road store along with his father Ramachandran. Ram’s typically hosts about 3-4 sessions a month, as do other venues. “However, we are taking a break after the Gorillaz sessions,” says Sangeeth, whose earlier sessions have focused on musicians like Ilaiyaraaja and Taylor Swift. Middle Room has also hosted Ilaiyaaraja sessions in addition to Pink Floyd and The Beatles. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Akhila and Sangeeth noted that all their sessions are fully booked out. Nico’s session at Bar Cameo, with a capacity of 40, sold out almost a week before the event. “People want that shared experience of listening to an album together. With multiple streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music, it has become a largely individualistic experience. Earlier, we would enjoy this shared experience at popular bars like Pecos or NASA. Bars these days do not pay much attention to their music curation and even if they do, the sound is below par,” says Akhila. </p>