Listening bars challenge us to sit down, shut up, and tune in episode artwork

EPISODE · May 28, 2026 · 8 MIN

Listening bars challenge us to sit down, shut up, and tune in

from Crosscurrents · host KALW

A different kind of bar scene has grown across the Bay Area since the pandemic: listening bars. Derived from a tradition that took off in 1930s Tokyo, they're businesses that play high-fidelity music from vintage speakers. Reporter Nava Rawls went to find out if these special places made for listening are one-hit wonders… or here to stay.  

A different kind of bar scene has grown across the Bay Area since the pandemic: listening bars. Derived from a tradition that took off in 1930s Tokyo, they're businesses that play high-fidelity music from vintage speakers. Reporter Nava Rawls went to find out if these special places made for listening are one-hit wonders… or here to stay.

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Listening bars challenge us to sit down, shut up, and tune in

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This episode was published on May 28, 2026.

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A different kind of bar scene has grown across the Bay Area since the pandemic: listening bars. Derived from a tradition that took off in 1930s Tokyo, they're businesses that play high-fidelity music from vintage speakers. Reporter Nava Rawls went...

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