Experience great music on vinyl, in community, at Vinyl Lounge.

Bring your open ears and open mind, and be ready for a moving experience, whether it’s exploring something new or re-discovering an old favorite.

You’ll be treated to rich, detailed sound on a hi-fi stereo system with an all-analog signal path. Our turntable is carefully set up to bring out the details and textures in the music. Many attendees find themselves hearing new things in familiar recordings and connecting with the music on a deeper level.

Our monthly events are always free and open to all.

Most of our events center around intentional, focused listening. You’ll hear albums in their entirety, with opportunities for discussion and reflection throughout the evening. Some attendees find it helpful to bring a quiet activity to engage with while listening. Fidgets, earmuffs and other sensory items are available for everyone.

Our diverse album selections include rock, jazz, hip-hop, metal, EDM, showtunes and film scores…every month is different. Scroll down to check out what’s coming up this month.

The next Vinyl Lounge is

Friday, November 20, 2026

at 6:00pm

in the chapel at

1832 W. Dean Ave., Spokane, WA

West Central Abbey

Rubber Soul (originally released in 1965) is often sited as the album where The Beatles let on they were serious artists, and not just performers of catchy pop singles. Instead of singing about teenage love, they started writing songs about other emotions, including disillusionment. They began experimenting with creative ways of using the studio, and began including unusual instruments like the sitar.

Rubber Soul is also an album that helped establish the album itself as an artform. Unlike other albums of its day, there are no cover songs or filler tracks to pad out the singles…every song has depth and significance. These songs are intended to heard together, as an album.

At this month’s Vinyl Lounge, you’ll hear the just-released Special Edition, featuring a new mix by Giles Martin (son of original producer George Martin). Martin uses newly-created AI technology to take the original master tapes, perfectly separate each voice and instrument, and create a new mix from scratch, with the intent of creating a stereo mix that sounds like the original mono mix, and that reveals new details in the music that were difficult to hear with 1960s recording techniques.

If you’ve never heard Rubber Soul, this is a great way to experience it and learn a bit of rock history. For those who already know and love this album, we hope Vinyl Lounge will take you even deeper into the music and maybe even recreate the experience of hearing it for the first time.

And for those who REALLY want to dig into this album, there is a second record included in the Special Edition full of demos and early versions of many of the songs. Feel free to stick around for the “after party” and we’ll really get into weeds of the recording process!

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more about Vinyl Lounge

What to expect

Our listening sessions typically begin with an introduction to give background and context for the music you’re about to hear. You’ll also receive a pamphlet with track listings, liner notes, and more. Seating is in church pews, and we also have cushions if you’d like to sit on the floor. It’s okay to bring your own chair or cushion if that’s more comfortable. It’s okay to bring food and drinks, and sometimes free snacks will be available. Occasionally, we’ll offer an activity to help you engage with the music, but most of the time, how you interact with it is up to you. You can just sit and listen, but it’s also okay to get up and walk around, or to bring a quiet activity to engage in while listening. Some people bring books, journals, crafts or hobbies. We just ask you to be respectful of those who are focused on listening. We have fidgets, earmuffs, and other sensory items available. There will be multiple opportunities during the event (usually during record changes) for discussion and sharing our experiences with the music. Events can last 1-3 hours, depending on the length of the material.

How much does it cost?

Vinyl Lounge is free, and all are welcome. You don’t need to register or have a ticket. You can just show up. We won’t ask for donations or gratuities and won’t be selling anything at the event. You do not have to be a part of the West Central Abbey community to participate.

Can I bring my whole family?

Children are absolutely welcome at Vinyl Lounge. However, while some of our events are specifically geared toward families with children, many of our events may not be able to meet their needs. There is usually an expectation that attendees will be able to quietly enjoy the music without excessive distraction. Some of the music we play contains mature or explicit content that might not be suitable for a younger audience. We recommend reviewing the event selections ahead of time in order to make the best decision for your family.

This is at a church? Is this a religious event?

Vinyl Lounge is facilitated and hosted by the community of West Central Abbey, which is affiliated with the Episcopal Church, but this is not a “church” event as most people understand it. No religious identity or affiliation is presumed, expected or encouraged. No one will pressure you to join or believe anything. Whatever your identity or beliefs, you are welcome at Vinyl Lounge. So why have it in a church? For one thing, the space is truly beautiful. It’s one of the oldest churches in Spokane, with gothic architecture and stained glass windows. The acoustics are great, and we think listening to music in a sacred space adds something unique to the experience. Even if you’re not a religious person, you may find yourself having a memorable experience hearing artists like Chappell Roan, Kendrick Lamar or Metallica on vinyl in a church space. Additionally, creativity and curiosity are a big part of our culture at the Abbey, so this event fits in well with the work we do in the community.

Vinyl Lounge media coverage

In addition to being number one on the Spokesman-Review’s 10 Under $10 list, Vinyl Lounge was also recently profiled by podcaster Jason Jones of FAVS News. Click here to to check out the podcast.

about our curator

When I was in kindergarten, what I wanted most for my birthday was a Sesame Street record so I could hear my favorite songs whenever I wanted. That record, which I still own and play, sparked a lifelong love of recorded music.

I love digital and streaming, but I’ve always found something special in vinyl. To me, the sound feels lush and beautiful…more real and human because of its limitations.

I love how the mechanical process of playing vinyl encourages focusing on the music. I love the large, tactile album art and holding liner notes and lyric sheets while listening. I love how vinyl encourages experiencing albums in their entirety. Because records are expensive and hard to store, I have to make choices about which records to buy…I love the process of choosing which albums are worth owning on vinyl.

Most of all, I love the experience of sharing music with friends. I love discovering something new and turning someone else onto it. And I love it when someone turns me on to their discoveries. I love gathering around a turntable and seeing how others react to the music…even if they don’t like it. And I love the deep and surprising discussions that come from experiencing music together.

I’m lucky that part of my life is making music with friends at West Central Abbey. And I’m excited that part of my Abbey life is sharing music at Vinyl Lounge.

I hope you’ll join us.

Tim Martin

Music Steward, West Central Abbey

Curator, Vinyl Lounge

more about the stereo

We started this event to share our love of hi-fi with our community. If you love music, but don’t have the time, money and space for a stereo system, Vinyl Lounge is a great way to experience hi-fi without needing to own the equipment…and to share the experience with others who love music just as much.

We love it when people attend having never heard a vinyl record, or having never heard one on a hi-fi system. The music comes alive and is suddenly more detailed, more visceral, more exciting.

We also love it when other hobbyists attend and share their experiences with their own stereos. For hobbyists interested in stereo gear, here is what we are currently using:

  • Paradigm Premiere 800F speakers

  • VPI Scoutmaster belt-driven turntable

  • JMW Memorial unipivot tonearm

  • Dynavector 10×5 moving coil cartridge

  • PS Audio GCPH phono preamplifier

  • Emotiva PT1 preamplifier

  • Emotiva A2 class AB amplifier

  • Kimber and Blue Jeans cables