Live Music as a Visitor Experience and Attraction at DoubleD Manado Café

Abstract

This study examines the implementation of live music at DoubleD Café Manado and its relationship to visitor responses, engagement, and experiences. Live music in cafés is increasingly recognized not merely as entertainment but as an element of the servicescape that contributes to atmosphere and customer experience. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach to obtain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon in its natural setting. The research was conducted at DoubleD Café, Sario Kota Baru, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, over four months. Data were collected through direct observation, semi-structured interviews, literature review, documentation, and audiovisual recording. The participants consisted of seven informants, including the café owner and six visitors. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing and verification, supported by thematic analysis. The findings indicate that live music is regularly performed every two weeks on Saturday evenings for approximately five hours, featuring local musicians and genres such as pop, acoustic, and indie music. The performances are supported by adequate sound equipment, lighting, stage arrangements, and a semi-outdoor setting with Japandi-style decoration. Visitors, predominantly young people and university students, demonstrated active engagement through paying attention to performances, singing along, humming, expressing appreciation, interacting with companions, and remaining at the café until performances ended. The findings suggest that live music functions as entertainment, an atmosphere-creating element, and a visitor attraction that encourages engagement. From the Stimulus–Organism–Response perspective, live music and supporting environmental elements stimulate emotional and experiential responses that shape visitor behavior. Thus, integrating live music with physical environmental management can strengthen café identity, enhance visitor experiences, and potentially encourage satisfaction and revisit intentions.