In the summer of 2024, Larkin Hi-Fi, a new bar on Lark Street in Albany, became a popular spot for DJ shows. But during one Friday night performance, a code enforcer shut it down: Larkin Hi-Fi didn’t have a cabaret license to play live music.
Co-owner Aaron Wilson said he refused to close — arguing that one person playing from their own sound system didn’t count as live music —but the enforcer had a short reply: “I don’t care.”
The next time, the enforcer returned with five police officers. The party was over…