Vinyl Nights at Grand Old House: One for the Records…

By Stuart Wilson

Friday nights in Grand Cayman have been benefiting from a little nostalgia, as the love and appreciation of vinyl records take centre stage at Grand Old House on South Church Street, South Sound.

As part of the Caymanian Times' new cultural and entertainment feature series, we visited the bustling session, aptly referred to as ‘Vinyl Night’.

Spinning away on the turntables was a gentleman sporting chic dreadlocks, whom we recognised as none other than Jerry Kandiah, also known as 'Buzz Adjusta'.

A Cayman Islands native of British descent, Jerry is no stranger to those in the music business, with a résumé that spans production, mixing, sound engineering and, of course, DJ gigs.

We took the opportunity to interview him about the new event and old records.

“The original concept of Vinyl Night started around five years ago,” he explained, adding that the first iteration involved a group of friends in the South Sound area coming together in someone's living room and listening quietly to classic records on a hi-fi system.

“It has since grown into a large-scale event where people can meet after work on a Friday night and enjoy listening to some classic records,” he explained.

The first Vinyl Night outside that living room gathering was held at the Next Door Bar in Camana Bay. Since then, the event has been hosted at Grand Old House, in an old colonial-style wooden room that suits the ethos of Vinyl Night.

Jerry said his friend and fellow record collector, Nick Pairuadeau, was instrumental in getting the event started.

“The idea came from wanting to create a space where people actually listen to records together, rather than having music in the background. When Nick moved to the UK, I decided to keep it going.”

He noted that Friday evening was chosen for the event because it simply felt like the right time to unwind after a long week. “A drink, good company and great records,” he remarked.

When asked why it is important for vinyl to remain appreciated, Jerry explained that, to his ears, vinyl simply sounds warmer and more alive.

“It’s an analogue format, and there is depth to it, something you don’t get from streaming. It has also outlasted every format that was meant to replace it, from cassette to CD to MiniDisc and MP3.

“Holding a record, reading the sleeve notes and putting the needle down is a ritual, and now that music is a subscription service, it can be easy to stop really listening. Vinyl brings that attention back, and Vinyl Night is about sharing it with a room full of people.”

Jerry says his collection includes roughly 1,000 vinyl records and is always growing.

“Whenever I’m off the rock, the first thing I do is track down a record shop.”

The next Vinyl Night will take place on 20th November, from 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm. Kandiah will then take the month of December off before returning to host the event in January 2027.