Abilene Bar and Lounge will close after nearly two decades of hosting live music in Rochester. And the Hi Fi Lounge in Brighton is up for sale after 40 years. It opened in 1986 as The CD Exchange. Speaking of CDs, they’re making a comeback. The Washington Post reports that CD sales grew faster than vinyl in the past year, with many fans preferring the audio quality of compact discs. We discuss what’s changing, what’s evolving, and why Abilene is not the only live music venue to close this year.
Our guests:
•Danny Deutsch, owner of Abilene Bar and Lounge
•Mark Kaidy, owner and operator of the Hi Fi Lounge
•Hannah Maier, music director of The Route and lead singer and guitarist of the country band, Candy
0:00 Introduction
4:08 Why local music venue owners are moving on
5:27 The future of Abilene and Hi-Fi
8:09 Vinyl’s enduring comeback
11:18 CDs make a comeback
17:18 The business of live music
20:54 Rochester’s thriving music culture
29:22 The power of music community
35:26 Abilene’s lasting legacy
38:24 The return of cassette tapes
47:11 Launching careers through local venues
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