Beyond Jazz Cafes: Alternative Parisian Music Venues
In today's Paris, the quickest way to lose a local hangout spot is to see it in a Tik Tok or Instagram Reel. When I spent a year in Paris in 2017, La Cave De La Huchette was a mythical jazz watering hole that my American friends and myself only heard rumors about through the occasional local who was willing to speak English with us. Originally used in the 1700's as a secret Free Mason lodge, it had become one of the most famous Jazz clubs in the city. Eight years later I have returned to Paris, and this legendary bar has gone from a live music haven to tourist checkbox overnight. The TikTok suggestion circuit is real, turning these hotspots into places where lines and crowds become outrageous, and hearing French becomes a rarity. This is the dilemma we currently face: qualities of bars, venues and cafes that drew the locals in are now claimed by the algorithm and distorted into something less desirable. Despite this trend, here are three venues that I believe have not (yet!) lost their character and provide listeners an genuine, intimate listening experience.
Drum solo during La Maz jam session. Photo by Austin Counihan
Located at 9 Rue du Turbigo 75001
To find La Maz, you must navigate through the belly of the beast: The most commercial area of the city, surrounded by American fast food chains and filled with tourists—Châtelet-Les Halles. Once past all these roadblocks, you will find one of the most artistic venues in the city.
Admittedly, I stumbled upon this venue by accident. After a night of bar hopping around the Strasbourg-St. Denis area, my friends and I were welcomed to a jam, a concept I had not been familiar with until living In France. Musicians and singers who have never played together join the stage and create magic. That night, we saw singer maison etoa, who has an ungodly stage presence, moving around the stage in between a mix of scat and neo soul. Everyone who attends the Jam is a musician or a dedicated fan of music, and you may even hear impromptu performances outside the bar. The role of performer and listener is not as defined as it usually is at other music venues. You may be talking to someone in the crowd only for them to suddenly go up on stage and play the best saxophone solo you have ever heard. The atmosphere is built off of participation, which means it is fragile but authentic. If you happen to be in the area and wish to escape the chaos that is Chatelet, step into La Maz and enjoy some good music and company.
The 400,000 listening room. Photo by Austin Counihan
Located at 10 Rue Vivienne 75002
Listener bar is unlike the other two venues that are mentioned, as it is the only place on my list where you will not find live music. When you walk into Listener, you are greeted by what looks like a coffee shop with a large selection of vinyl situated on a loft inaccessible to visitors. If you have signed up for a listening session, you are taken down the stairs into a room with couches, chairs, and bean bags. At around 12 spots available per session, the locale is intimate and comforting. This is not any normal room with a record player and speaker system jammed in. Over 400,000€ was spent creating the most impressive hi-fi listening experience that I have ever had the pleasure to witness. we are talking about one of one subwoofers, six foot tall speakers, and a record player named the Kubrick DCX by Soulines, which was created with 2001: Space Odyssey in mind. Did I mention that the whole room is built on springs to improve sound quality?
Listener will put out a schedule of albums each week that will be playing and you will sign up and buy a ticket for the event, usually 5-10€. The process felt very much like going to an arthouse cinema in the 5è arrondissement. I signed up to listen to Danger by The Lijadu Sisters from 1976. Having listened to the album before, I went in to it feeling like I knew what to expect. I was wrong. Their audio set up is second to none in Paris and you will hear parts of the song that you did not even know were there before. The room is also available to be rented out, for guests to play your own vinyls on Listener's impressive system. You can even opt to plug in your phone and play something off a streaming platform. Listener is an audiophile's dream and I am already excited to go back.
Festivites at Le Hasard Ludique's 8th Aniversary party. Photo by Austin Counihan
Located at 128 Avenue Saint-Ouen 75018
Le Hasard Ludique is situated in an abandoned 18th century train station in the very north of the city. It is the most well known of the three spots listed so far, however the atmosphere created by the scenery and events allow for a magical experience that does not feel like you are in Paris. The sheer size alone puts every other venue to shame. During some of their open air events, it can feel like there are over a thousand people there. When you walk into the quaint main building you see a small bar area and a few tables. Once you step out in the back, you are welcomed to a gritty, reclaimed urban space, perfectly split by the train tracks once used to transport Parisians around the city.
The most special part about Le Hasard Ludique is the variety of "vibes" the space allows. On a summer Saturday, you can see people playing chess in the sun, a group of students playing hacky-sack and smoking cigarettes, and toddlers running around with their parents. There has been times where I have seen fire performers, other times aerial silk dancers hanging from the bridge above. In the winter time, Le Hasard Ludique even hosts an array of Christmas markets. The ethos of Le Hasard Ludique is one of community. The structure creates natural meeting points between strangers, who for this short period of time are tucked under the busy streets of Paris, leaving you with a shared experience among strangers rather than just a night out.
In my experience, the best spots in Paris are those built on the community rather than ability to be Instagrammed. In the globalized and commercial city of Paris, it is still possible to stumble into something real. These venues are best when they allow you to be a participant rather than just a consumer.
