Hartford’s New Vinyl Night Meets the city’s Swankiest Speakeasy, The 196 Club
PRESSING PLANT IS NOW HOST OF THE NEW MUST-ATTEND EVENT FOR CONNECTICUT’S AFTER-HOURS.
Image Credits: Shawn Cai, @shawno.ocai
Picture this. It’s a Friday night, the 8th of March to be exact. The weather is warm, spirits are high. After a well-deserved meal at your favorite spot, draped in your finest threads, you saunter through the streets of Downtown Hartford. Looking for your next haunt, you stumble upon a seemingly closed sweets shop with a pink facade, and yet, the dark interior is teeming with murmurs, promising the start to a great, late night.
As someone who’s not yet ready to turn in, this is just what you are looking for. You join the crowd in the lobby and their conversations and are soon ushered into a photo booth that reveals itself to be a secret door. The hallway you walk through opens up to an expansive, dimly lit room with exquisite design. As you admire the decadent interior design of the prohibition-style speakeasy, you are immersed and enveloped in the sounds of some of the finest records ever made. Intrigued by the disc jockeys combing through crates of vinyl, you ask around for some context. After a brief exchange with the bartender, you realize that this night is a special one, as it is the first of the monthly music residency events by The Pressing Plant, in partnership with The 196 Club. Patting yourself on the back for finding this swanky spot, you head towards the music with an intricately crafted cocktail in your hand, ready to sway and mingle to the beat. It’s gonna be a good night.
Connections new and old, quality time with quality people.
What I just described to you was adapted from my firsthand experience, and I gotta say, the night has got me reminiscing even a week later and wanting more. The combination of the carefully curated music by The Pressing Plant DJs, the moody atmosphere of the venue, and the genuine human connections I had made resulted in a truly unforgettable evening.
The mastermind behind this event was none other than The Pressing Plant, Hartford’s very own vinyl event series, now with a physical home in the form of a small record shop operating in the back of Semilla Cafe and Studio, located adjacent to Dunkin Park. Created as a collaboration between Cafeteria Radio’s Joshua Jenkins and Semilla co-owner Elijah Hilliman, the project aims to create shared musical experiences and nurture community appreciation for vinyl, with the ultimate goal of bringing together like-minded individuals who can shape the cultural landscape of Hartford. With previous iterations of the event drawing in crowds at locations such as The CAF, Semilla, and Birdie Lounge, bringing the successful music entertainment series to the newly opened 196 bar and lounge seemed like a no-brainer.
Dark, moody interior of The 196 Club.
The 196 Club (named after its address on Trumbull Street) opened in January, hot on the heels of the launch of its “front”, Emery’s Specialty Sweets & Sodas in December. Boasting a robust drinks menu consisting of both craft and classic cocktails, and a sizable food menu, the lounge quickly established itself as a unique yet versatile place to be on any given night. Whether it's a quick bite or a stiff drink you are looking for, the place has got you covered. If you trust the opinion of a stranger on the internet, my order of Duck Fat Potatoes paired wonderfully with the Twist Cone, The 196’s take on an old-fashioned. As the saying goes, nothing goes together better than vinyl records, dark oak, great food, and a nicely stirred cocktail. Or something along that line.
Guest DJ PuhGeez on the decks, Elijah Hilliman combs the crates for the next track.
The inaugural The Pressing Plant x The 196 Club event featured the record project’s co-founders Joshua Jenkins and Elijah Hilliman, as well as guest DJ Puh-Geez. From soul to RnB, disco to jazz, world to hip hop, and other brilliant, genre-bending tracks, the three worked in perfect synchrony to keep the night alive and buzzing with excitement. The drinks were cold, the wax was hot, and the analog system provided the perfect soundtrack to a special night for all. Patrons of all ages, ethnicities, creeds, orientations, and walks of life came together to listen to the music, catching up with old friends and forging new connections on this fine Friday night, sure to be one for the books.
Missed this one? Lucky for you, The Pressing Plant x The 196 Club will return April 5th, 8 PM to late. This ongoing residency falls on the first Friday of every month and is sure to draw crowds from Hartford and beyond every time. If you are looking for some new friends, or just a spot to chill with your old ones, come on through. We’ve always got space for one more.
