Community spaces, Autumn & ace record stores
a quick update on what October looked like
I’m ready to reconnect and share how life has been unfolding. It feels great to be typing things again, tapping away at my laptop with some updates, stories, and a few vignettes to tell. Writing this feels like catching up with an old friend. Wherever you are and whatever you're up to, I hope all is well in your world.
Last week, I had another opportunity to help set up the Pra Vida sound system with friends in Birmingham. My first experience with Pra Vida was last summer at a party held at Artefact in Stirchley, South Birmingham. Pra Vida draws a lot of influence from NYC Loft parties and David Mancuso’s philosophy on the importance (and the need) for a strong sense of community through creating utopian spaces that build on friendships, comfort, inclusivity and equality whilst also providing the parties attendees with a hi-fi system and open minded musical selections.
Pra Vida is driven by the unifying force of deep, joyful, and psychedelic sounds from all corners of the globe and also pays big thanks (alongside David’s ideas) from the influences of audiophile parties Beauty & The Beat and All Our Friends in London. The spirit of these influential parties pulses through Pra Vida, infusing the party with a unique energy that’s both immersive and liberating.
On the day of the party we spend a lot of time carefully setting up the décor, food, adjusting the sound system and making sure the space feels like an intimate house party rather than a typical club environment. This way of setting up the space is crucial to creating the right atmosphere, and we’re always fine-tuning the setup to make sure the fundamentals are right. It's an evolving process, but after a year of supporting or dancing at Pra Vida it’s been one of the most rewarding music and community adventures I’ve been part of.
This month’s party featured two special guests, Christy and Connor, from Birmingham's On The Rocks pa1rty. Connor and Christy’s selections effortlessly blended Street Soul, Deep House, and groove-led tracks. The residents - Deena, Will, and Seb also played exceptional music, Deena’s warm-up music was especially good and set the night in motion, creating a beautiful atmosphere and lift off into the Pra Vida and three bardo journey.
One standout moment was hearing Bobbi Humphrey’s track ‘Chicago, Damn’. For me, it was like rediscovering the song all over again. The sound system as it warmed up brought out depths in the recording had never been fully appreciated which in turn completely blew the first dancers of the night away. It’s incredible how, at these parties, certain recordings seem to be reborn, taking on new life and meaning.
It's also thrilling to see how well Pra Vida is being embraced in Birmingham, with reservations consistently selling out. Moving big speakers in and out of Pan Pan on a Saturday afternoon takes serious effort, both mentally and physically, but I truly believe the results speak for themselves.
If this all piques your interest (and why wouldn’t it?), recommended reading is a wonderful essay by Josh from the Rude Movements party. In it, he breaks down the philosophy behind a 'hifi dancefloor.' I’ve revisited this piece many times and it feels like a manifesto for why we do what we do.
Through Pra Vida, the community has made new friendships and supporters who bring fresh ideas and perspectives into our lives. Every time we step into the Pra Vida space, we leave not only with stories from the dance floor but also with new ways of thinking about life and the importance of connecting with others. It’s a beautiful reminder of what it means to be human in the presence of commonality.
Away from audiophile dance floor spaces, I've also been exploring a few record stores this month and I made my second visit to Just Dropped In in Coventry, which is located in the Fargo Village area. The atmosphere of the store (and the beautiful natural light - a rarity in record stores) is very special. I ended up picking up some Lee Scratch Perry records, a Swedish/Brazilian Jazz Dance Fusion 45, a few Mr Bongo represses, and the second (and very Rootsy) Aswad album.
Since it was a quiet day, I got to chat with the owner, who gave me a brief history of the store and how it evolved from a humble shipping container to now being the largest retail space at Fargo. Whilst we were chatting a Taylor Swift fan with special educational needs came in to work on building her Taylor Swift collection. The manager handled it so thoughtfully, spending real time going through the many Taylor Swift records with her. To top it off, he gave her some Swift badges and stickers as a kind gesture. I could’ve hugged the guy, it was such a touching moment that really highlighted how special the store is.
I also recently met Mick at Manor House Records in Solihull, and although his store is smaller, the quality of the stock is exceptional. Manor House Records has an extensive range of Dub and Reggae records. Mick, who is a Soul Boy at heart played me a few records I’d never heard of before and even threw in some freebies with my purchases.
Both visits to Manor House and Just Dropped In served as a great reminder of how record stores have evolved into warm, welcoming spaces that invite you to explore at your own pace. It made me reflect on how intimidating record stores used to feel when I first started visiting them. Thankfully, places like these have moved far beyond that sense of customer apprehension. Long may they continue!
In other news:
Listening
In the spirit of the season, I've been particularly impressed with Music For Autumn Lovers by Scrimshire. The album, centered around the themes of Autumn, features mostly acoustic music with delicate instrumentation. It brings to mind the best of the Windham Hill back catalogue, evoking a calm and reflective atmosphere. It’s become a perfect soundtrack for opening and closing the curtains as the nights grow longer and the mornings start a little darker.
Watching
I really enjoyed Follow The Leader, a mini-series by comedian and documentary maker Jamali Maddix. There is also an excellent review of it by Leila Latif in The Guardian. It’s interesting how we never seem to tire of hearing the perspectives, opinions, and lifestyles of fringe individuals in the States. Jamali Maddix approaches his interviews with an open mind and asks thought-provoking questions that really draw out the stories of the people he meets.
Reading
From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz: The History of the UK Jazz Dance Scene by Mark 'Snowboy' Cotgrove, was a gift from my dear friend and Jazz Sensei Nick Schlittner from Come Sunday. It's an excellent read, packed with over 200 interviews that trace the roots and evolution of the Jazz Dance scene. The interviews with the Birmingham collectives of dancers and DJs uncovers incredible stories about the city of Birmingham. It’s fascinating to learn how many DJs, dancers, and promoters were instrumental in shaping the scene in Brum, who knew so many dance places were open in the 80’s throughout the working week!
Doing
It’s been all hands on deck at home as I have taken Shared Parental Leave with my partner throughout this month. We’ve been focusing on supporting our 10-month-old daughter through classes, fun activities, and her daily adventures. Alongside this time away from the day job I got hit with the Hand, Foot and Mouth virus the day I finished work, and it was pretty rough for the first 14 days of this leave period. But, I’m pleased to say I’ve recovered, and we’ve been enjoying some wonderful family time together since then.
That’s it, I’ll be back soon.
Tom x
p.s. - October’s instalment of Dreaming In Colour is on the LWSTD FM Mixcloud.
p.p.s. - shout to Jed Hallam who linked in the DIC (is this the new acronym?) Substack on his LWSTD newsletter. Nice one Jed.