Music

‘Upe’ translated to English means river, and is a perfect word to describe a record shop like this. Upe is filled with harmony and quality music.

This shop has a lot to offer, but firstly it is a record store. The range of selection is incredibly wide; one can satisfy almost all music cravings – from the newest albums of worldwide bestselling artists to local singers and unknown artists.

Nowhere else in Riga can vinyl be found in such a quantity. Not only music lovers admire this place, it also has a wine studio and a coffee shop to offer. By the way, this is the only place in town where the most expensive coffee in the world can be bought (Luwak), which is made by a special technology.

Apart from coffee and a record shop, this is a charming place to have a drink and get to know the newest music trends and upcoming events. 

To sum up, this is a paradise for those who love music and are used to buying it, because it is the least we can do for the beloved artists and idols.

Set in an ex glazier shop Chomsky has earned a place on my top list of favorite bars.

Divided into several rooms Chomsky has a characteristic aura with old furniture, antique wooden details etc. But the most amazing thing, that made me go into rapture are the wall and floor boards. I bet those patterns and textures have seen great and wild things. Like the night I burst in – was it some kind of an event? I don’t know, but the beer tasted superb in the middle of an international and amazing, mostly bearded, public.

From time to time the Chomsky’s hosts like to throw an evening for guest speakers to present some lectures. There might be some movie nights, or concerts or other performances with artists not commonly known to the majority of the locals.

At the moment Chomsky does not offer any menu besides drinks but as the owners once told me – you can bring your own sandwich.

The place definitely has the right spirit – an exquisite mixture of various senses that is hard to describe (only to use analogy) but surely worth the experience.

Folk club ‘Ala Pagrabs’ translated from Latvian means ‘Cave basement’ which is a good collocation to describe the first impression of an inexperienced visitor of Ala. 

This restaurant/pub is situated in the heart of the old town, a little bit below the eyesight – in the basement. Ala combines spacious rooms with good acoustics, authentic wooden tables and bartenders in linen shirts and a Latvian flag buttoned to their chest.

Silence in Ala is rare, the bar is always filled with chatter, live folk music and dancing. The first and only traditional music club in the capital has become one of my favorite places due to its pure Latvian charm. Furthermore, this is the only restaurant where real traditional Latvian meals are served, that means, in big portions. 

Ala offers an incredible atmosphere and traditional music, 14 local types of beer for a fair price, and delicious Latvian dishes and food. If you feel brave enough, attend karaoke nights in Ala on Wednesdays!

When I first dropped by Nabaklab, it seemed like a different city inside a city to me. I was pleasently surprised by the variety of choice and a good menu, alternative music, a rich concert program. From then on this spacious club has become the top place to attend at any time of the day.

Nabaklab provides different zones in one united club, thus anyone can satisfy their needs. Two stages, a post-soviet style cafe named Gauja, a vintage shop, sandwich club for hungry ones and a smokers lounge in the courtyard. Nabaklab hosts loud music parties, DJ performances, music and movie nights and a lot of other events worth visiting.

During the daytime it’s possible to meet local youngsters, listen to new (but definitely alternative) music or buy handcrafts and unusual things from the vintage shop. Whether it is a dancing night out with friends, a noon snack or shopping you are looking forward to, Naba got it all covered – just give it a shot.

Palladium concert hall is one of the oldest in Riga. It opened in 1913 as a cinema and till its closure in the last decade it was one of the most-loved culture venues in town. Palladium was renovated and re-opened as a concert hall not so long ago – only in the fall of 2011 and now has become a favorite spot of mine to drop by for a concert.

Palladium hasn’t lost its charm of long history. The interior is ascetic yet cozy, the sound system is fantastic (I mean it) and it’s capacity of approximately 2000 people makes every concert quite a private one. It’s not just a concert hall; it is a place with a long history and memories. Through almost 90 years of its existence it has survived four different government regimes. It was a nice and warm place at all of the times and the staff is determined to maintain it the same way.