Rhythm 'n' booze

FROM VINYL TO LIVE MUSIC, COFFEE & COCKTAILS, ROCKPOINT IS MORE THAN JUST A RECORD SHOP

- By DANNY GUTMANN ECHO Correspondent

SETTING foot into Rockpoint Records in New Brighton's rejuvenated Victoria Road, you could be mistaken for thinking that you were thousands of miles away in one of Manhattan or Chicago's famous dive bars.

After buying a number of properties in the town and leasing them out to other businessess, Daniel Davies decided that he wanted to run a bar the way he thinks they should be.

As you make your way inside the venue you'll soon find walls adorned with graffiti of artists from across the globe as well as an eclectic mix of posters bearing album covers of everyone from Eminem to David Bowie.

Gaining an insight into the industry after working in licensing during the earlier stages of his career, Daniel's initial inspiration for opening Rockpoint came from his travels to the US.

He said: "Chicago has got some quite edgy and different places and also there's a bit of New York and LA [reflected in the bar].

"It was really about having a place that people felt comfortable to come to and be expressive."