Nick Vivid’s Basement Recording Studio at 166 Orchard

It’s an underground network known predominantly by word of mouth.  Subterranean music dens to rehearse and record. Rivington Street alone has a handful to its name, though not outwardly evident. Now neighborhood musicians can rejoice in the knowledge of another such space.

Nick Vivid is a Bushwick native by way of Buffalo who just opened an eponymous cubbyhole recording studio-slash-repair shop in the cellar of 166 Orchard Street. Walking into the musty basement room is like entering your high school man-cave. Kiss ephemera graces one wall with an old school rug and children’s jackets; there’s an ancient Commodore 64 with dozens of disk games; a well-worn couch with requisite junk pile; and just lots of random shit. On the flipside, however, there’s a total array of retro recording gear.

Being in the music game for so long – currently fronting the Nuclears and onetime sound guy at Trash Bar – Vivid finally wanted a legit place to hone his talents. What separates this joint from the herd is its lo-fi aesthetic and complete analog setup. The heart of the studio is the modded Yamaha RM2408 console, but is also joined by, among other gadgets, a Teac 80-8 half-inch 8 track deck and a Revox a77 reel-to-reel. There are plenty of instruments scattered about as well, and the drum kit is in a separate sound-proofed room.

The other component of the business is repairs. With a complementing background in electronics, Vivid will fix gear as well. A small carpeted desk topped with soldering iron and other toolbox goodies is the token workspace. Vivid’s business model is charging by the job, not by the hour. He feels this is the best way to achieve perfection for clients without the stress of time constraints. Check the website for rates.

Luckily for Nick Vivid (and the neighbors), sound from the studio rarely leaks to the rest of the building.