There is a moment, just after the needle drops, when a room changes. The crackle, the first warm notes, a few heads turning towards the turntable. Vinyl has been around for more than 70 years, and yet more people are falling in love with it now than at any time in decades. Here is our short guide to the art of vinyl and the vinyl DJ, and how that spirit comes to life every Friday night at CAVO in Uluwatu, with funk, disco and a good bottle of Italian wine.
A short history of the record
The long-playing record, or LP, arrived in 1948: a 12-inch disc spinning at 33⅓ revolutions per minute that could hold around 20 minutes of music a side. It changed how music was made and heard. For the first time, artists could tell a story across a whole album, and the album became an art form in its own right, sleeve and all.
Records also built DJ culture. Disco, hip hop, house and techno were all born on turntables, with DJs blending one record into the next to keep a dance floor moving. Digital music made records easier to leave behind for a while, but vinyl never disappeared, and over the last 15 years it has come roaring back: in the US, records now outsell CDs.
Why vinyl sounds and feels different
- It is analogue. A record is a physical groove cut into vinyl, read by a needle. Many listeners describe the sound as warmer and fuller, with a sense of space that is hard to put into words.
- It is made to be heard as a whole. You put on a side and let it play, the way the artist intended, instead of skipping through a playlist.
- It is a ritual. Sliding a record out of its sleeve, cleaning it, dropping the needle: listening becomes something you do, not something in the background.
- It is imperfect, in a good way. The odd crackle and pop are part of the charm, a reminder that someone made this, and that someone has played it before you.
It is the same spirit behind the listening bars that started in Japan, where the music is the centrepiece and the drinks are chosen with as much care as the records. We think that idea fits perfectly with an Italian table: good food, good wine and music worth paying attention to.
The art of the vinyl DJ
Playing records is a craft. There is no sync button and no screen telling you the tempo. A vinyl DJ matches the beats of two records by ear, nudging the platter and the pitch control until they line up, then blends from one to the next. Every record has to be chosen, pulled from the crate and cued up by hand, so a set is built one song at a time.
The best vinyl DJs are also great at reading a room. They start slow while people are eating, lift the energy as the wine flows and the conversations get louder, and save the records that make people move for later in the night. No two sets are ever the same.
Vinyl & Vino Fridays at CAVO
Friday dinner, redefined. Every Friday night, our resident DJs from West Side Vinyl take over CAVO with four hours of funk and disco, the music that built DJ culture, chosen from their own collections and mixed to suit the room. It starts gently over dinner and builds as the night goes on.
From 7:30 PM the room fills with candlelight, oval Roman-style pizza, fresh pasta from family recipes and glasses of Italian wine. Then, from 10 PM to midnight, it’s happy hour: Island Brewing beer, Aperol Spritz and wine specials.
- When: every Friday from 7:30 PM, a four-hour set from the West Side Vinyl DJs.
- Happy hour: 10 PM to midnight.
- Where: CAVO Bar & Bistro, Jl. Labuansait, Pecatu, Uluwatu.
- Booking: walk-ins are welcome, but Friday is our busiest night, so we recommend booking a table on WhatsApp at +62 813 2830 088 or through our reservations page.
Make a night of it: start with aperitivo from 4 to 6 PM, watch the sunset, then settle in for dinner as the first funk track of the night plays. See our food menu and drinks menu.
Live music in Uluwatu, all week
Fridays are for funk and disco, but there is something on most nights at CAVO. Aperitivo Romana runs every day from 4 to 6 PM, and on Thursdays it is Pizza e Spritz with a live acoustic singer from 7:30 PM. For the full weekly line-up, see what’s on at CAVO. Planning something special? Read our guide to date night in Uluwatu, or the best things to do in Uluwatu.
Vinyl & Vino FAQs
What is Vinyl & Vino at CAVO?
Vinyl & Vino is CAVO’s Friday night: a four-hour funk and disco set from the resident DJs of West Side Vinyl, from 7:30 PM, with Italian wine, Roman-style pizza and fresh pasta, followed by happy hour from 10 PM to midnight.
What time is Vinyl & Vino?
Every Friday, with music from 7:30 PM and happy hour from 10 PM to midnight.
Do I need to book for Vinyl & Vino?
Walk-ins are welcome, but Friday is our busiest night, so we recommend booking a table on WhatsApp at +62 813 2830 088.
Where is there live music in Uluwatu?
CAVO Bar & Bistro on Jl. Labuansait, Pecatu has a live acoustic singer every Thursday from 7:30 PM and a four-hour funk and disco DJ set from West Side Vinyl every Friday from 7:30 PM.
Why do DJs still play vinyl?
Many DJs love vinyl for its warm, analogue sound and for the craft of it: matching beats by ear, choosing every record by hand and building a set around the room, one song at a time.
