Live Review: Jive Record Bar Opening

Lockout laws in Adelaide have led to a gradual decrease in the quality of the city's nightlife — just ask any West End venue owner. The thing these laws don't account for is the fact that barring a person from going out after a certain time doesn't quench their thirst for good times (or booze, for that matter). 

Our beloved home of indie and alternative music, Jive, has stood 12 years strong as a nightclub down the "nicer" end of Hindley Street, satiating the needs of kids and vintage-lovers alike. Now, it's venturing into new territory, beautifully morphing the needs of all its loyal patrons into a new daytime trading initiative.

A peek into the new Jive Record Bar was on display last night at the launch of venue owner Tam Boakes' brainchild. The night, a soft launch for guests only, consisted of everything the record bar promises to be. Vintage-seekers perused the crates upon crates of records upstairs. A collaboration between Boakes and long-time collector Phil Sinor, there's a whole lot of love and dedication in the set-up. While the selection was vast — stocking everything from Hall & Oates to Mozart to musical feminist icon Helen Reddy — it wasn't overwhelming, a nice change to the usual record store format. Walking into a secondhand record store can often feel like entering a room where hundreds of hipsters are shouting at you, trying to convince you to spend $65 on a "limited edition" Duran Duran album. JRB's atmosphere could probably be described as a wise old muso gently guiding you to your new-old-favourite band. At $10 a piece (with the exception of a few special presses), the records are comforting and free of obligation. Contributing even more to the vintage vibe was an old suitcase filled with a nice assortment of CDs, DVDs and books. For those looking for the full secondhand authenticity, a rack of fashionably ugly shirts stood proudly, daring you to browse.

Downstairs we found the Jive vibe with a casual twist, making day-drinking seem even cooler than it already is. Couches set up a relaxed vibe, with a selection of board games inviting the odd lounger to stay a bit longer. Tam remarks how the simple yet efficient set-up has provided a suitable way of easing the crowd into the idea: "We're starting small and working our way upwards, replenishing things as they go."

The idea holds a whole lot of potential, and it's super exciting to watch the Record Bar grow and develop with the crowd it attracts. The place is so Jive it hurts, with movies playing on the big screen and a welcoming familial atmosphere. Jive Record Bar will be open Tuesdays to Thursdays from noon to 6pm, with food provided by food truck The Sneaky Pickle and coffee available, as well as cheap jugs and cocktails. Uni students beware.