Music in Vilnius

Vilnius has a charming local music scene.  Based on the selection of vinyl in many stores, jazz seems to be doing quite well.  The Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre occupies a large block at the edge of the old city, and the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra has its home in the same area.  The music shops I found were small, but felt local and indie in a true, authentic style.

iMuzika Shop.  The best I saw for CD selection.  Featured an eclectic metal section, and a large shelf of discounted discs (mainly classical, rock, and electronic) where I landed some cool finds.  Many classical CD's on this shelf featured names and orchestras that I'd never heard of.  I quick Gemini search turned up some unusual info, fascinating if true.  1) some of these recordings were ultra-cheap budget recordings that were nonetheless the gateway into those works in the former communist Eastern Europe, when quality recordings were harder to come by.  2) listed names of orchestras and conductors were completely fake, a front for some sort of scrappy regional orchestra whose invented identities were meant to give them a veneer of legitimacy and fool people into buying the recordings.

Viniloteka, Aphex Twin was playing on the PA when I walked in, which immediately put me in a good mood.  Great electronic on vinyl selection, and of course jazz/

Thelonius Vilnius.  There is nothing like this shop, it's located in a medieval cellar, I had to duck my head to clamber down the stairs into a dungeon-like area, the walls are dusty and crumbly, but it contains an archive of old posters, stereo equipment, classical LP's, and all things jazz.  Strictly for the hardcore.  

MB Vinilomanija, a similar vibe to Viniloteka, and I personally found a trove of fabric and fabriclive CD in their original metal cases

Vilnius has a charming local music scene. Judging by the vinyl selections in many of its record shops, jazz seems to be doing particularly well. The Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre occupies a substantial block on the edge of the Old Town, while the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra has its home nearby. The record shops I visited were generally small, but had a genuinely local, independent character.  Shopping there feels authentic, without any smug attitudes or whiffs of casual lifestyle branding.   

iMuzika Shop

Of all the shops I visited, iMuzika had the best CD selection. There was an eclectic metal section, along with a large shelf of discounted discs, mainly classical, rock, and electronic, where I turned up some particularly interesting finds.

The classical discs on this shelf were especially intriguing. Many of the CDs featured conductors and orchestras I'd never heard of, which sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole. A quick Gemini search turned up some fascinating stories, assuming they're actually true.

Some of these ultra-cheap budget recordings served as a gateway into the classical repertoire for listeners in the former Eastern Bloc countries, where recordings by major orchestras were not always readily available. Other recordings were allegedly issued under completely fictitious names, with invented orchestras and conductors lending a veneer of legitimacy to performances by obscure regional ensembles.

Viniloteka

Aphex Twin was playing over the PA when I walked in, which immediately put me in a good mood. The store had an excellent selection of electronic music on vinyl, along with plenty of jazz. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but it's always satisfying to see and feel great records.  That's especially true when you're travelling.  Seeing great records cross cultures and borders and decades really drives home the point for music as the great unifier of peoples.  

Thelonius Vilnius

There's nothing quite like this place. It is located in a medieval cellar, reached by a steep staircase that required me to duck my head as I clambered down into what felt like a dungeon. The walls are dusty and crumbling, but it contains a remarkable collection of old concert posters, vintage stereo equipment, classical LPs, and just about everything connected with jazz. Strictly for the hardcore, and all the better for it.

MB Vinilomanija

This shop had a similar feel to Viniloteka, with a strong selection of records and an unmistakably independent atmosphere. The CD selection was small, but it contained a trove of Fabric and FabricLive mix CDs, still housed in their original metal cases, and selling for cheap. I was not expecting to find such a collection of 15-20 year old mix CD's in a small record shop in Vilnius.

None of these shops are large or flashy, they're not "destination shopping" locations like the Rochester shops were.  But taken together, they paint a rosy picture of the city's musical culture.  If you happen to find yourself in Vilnius, it's a very clean and walkable city, and the music scene is well worth exploring.