While having a look at the cocktail list can give you a fair idea of what a bar is about, it is really the music they play that will really tell you who they are.
As important as the look of the drink or the smell of the garnish, the sounds you hear will not only influence how much you enjoy the drink but also the sort of night you have and whether you will want to come back.
House Of Corrections in Melbourne has recently gone through a management change and bartender Izaak Blair said that their approach was to completely change, not only the style of cocktails that served but also the playlist that their customers heard.
And really there’s no better way to indicate that a bar is going in a different direction than to change up the music.
Blair has indicated that making sure the bar’s nightly soundtrack hits the right marks is an ever-evolving task. “Music really brings everything else together and truly creates a cohesive space.
“We want to play the music that other bars won’t,” he said. “Music is one of the most important elements in creating an atmosphere for a bar. And it makes our job easier if that music is good.”
The music ranges from laidback electronica through to soulful hip hop/ blues, with artists such as Blended Babies, Nightmares On Wax and Moderat.
Blair and his fellow bartenders approach the sound of the bar in the same way they approach their cocktails. In other words, yes, there’s something familiar there but it really is a whole new, somewhat unexpected take.
So if you want to recreate the new atmosphere of the House Of Corrections in your home bar, then we have ten songs below in a playlist that Blair feels represents the bar.