Seattle, WA | Sub Pop Records Announces a Major Campaign with Barnes & Noble: Sub Pop Records, in conjunction with AMPED Distribution, a division of Alliance Entertainment (Nasdaq: AENT), announces a major campaign with Barnes & Noble that began October 2, 2024, and is running through January 5, 2025. The campaign features six Sub Pop limited edition color variant vinyl LPs that are sold exclusively at Barnes & Noble stores. Exclusive titles include Suki Waterhouse Memoir Of A Sparklemuffin (Blood Moon Red Vinyl), Father John Misty Greatish Hits: I Followed My Dreams and My Dreams Said to Crawl (Glacial Blue Vinyl), Beach House Depression Cherry (Clear w/Silver Metallic & White Vinyl), Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes (Jade Blue Vinyl), Soundgarden Screaming Life (Silver Metallic Vinyl), and Orville Peck Pony (Clear w/Black & Red Hi-Melt Vinyl). Crissi Bariatti, Senior Merchandise Manager, Music & Video at Barnes & Noble, commented, “As a longtime fan of Sub Pop Records and their artist roster, I am beyond excited to launch this collaboration.”
Denver, CO | Wax Trax is slowly expanding throughout the metro, one pop-up record shop at a time: The legendary Capitol Hill store’s latest experiment will test whether Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace could make for a good long-term home. Nearly half a century and one pandemic later, Wax Trax Records is continuing its slow expansion from its longtime Capitol Hill brick storefront (638 E. 13th Ave.) across the metro. Its next stop: Stanley Marketplace in Aurora — maybe for a few months, and maybe for good. Owner Pete Stidman is hearing that nationwide record stores are struggling. But that’s not the case for Wax Trax. The business just keeps growing and experimenting with new ways to keep a legacy physical medium alive in an age where music is all but free online. Stidman took over the shop from his father, founder Dave Stidman, to rescue it from COVID-19 woes. Dave retired during the pandemic. In reality, he’s still at the shop most days. “If I didn’t take over in the pandemic, it would have been over,” Pete said. “Since then, I’ve been trying to make the place more sustainable for the long term.”
Rock Island, IL | Talk sports, listen to great tunes at Big Strick’s in Rock Island: A Rock Island store that sells vinyl records and trading cards opened after being in the works for five years. Big Strick’s, 2608 21st Ave., is a store for music enthusiasts and card collectors. Our Quad Cities News photojournalist Gabe Zwierzynsky spoke with the owner, who has combined his love of sports with his friend’s love of music. Marion Strickler said the building was sitting empty for about six years. “It was ready to implode on itself. So we cut a deal with (the owner) about five years ago, and then from that point, I was motivated to move a lot of inventory that I had collected for many, many years,” he said. He says he got “middle-aged crazy” when he was 50 and got back to enjoying sports cards and collectibles. “One thing I say about albums, why I love listening to vinyl, is that it’s intentional listening,” said Alan Sivell.
Sacramento, CA | Filled with Locally Owned Shops and Stops, R Street Corridor Offers Special Deals & Experiences on Black Friday & Small Business Saturday. Filled with locally owned businesses, boutiques bars, eateries, restaurants, artists, creatives, and more, the thriving R Street Corridor offers a wonderful opportunity to “Shop R Street” and support local on Black Friday (November 29), Small Business Saturday (November 30), and all season long. To kick off the holiday shopping season early, festive snowflake street lighting will light up R Street during evening hours throughout the holiday season starting in mid-November. Shoppers, strollers, and diners will enjoy a festive and fun ambiance along the popular and walkable R Street corridor (7th through 18th streets). The lighting was made possible with assistance from CADA (Capitol Area Development Authority). In addition to eye-catching snowflake lighting, R Street Corridor merchants are providing seasonal offerings on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday that include the following…
New Orleans, LA | Record Raid brings vinyl vendors from across the region to The Howlin’ Wolf: On November 16th, Record Raid will return to The Howlin’ Wolf (907 S Peters St) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with over 25 vendors selling new and used vinyl LPs, 45s, CDs, Cassettes and more. There is a $5 entry free for early entrance at 10am, and after 11am entry is free. The music for sale spans all genres and vintages, and ranges from cheap classics to build a new vinyl collection to sought-after rarities for niche enthusiasts. Record Raid is the largest record show in Louisiana, and has been bringing music lovers together since it began as the WTUL Record Fair in 2010. Vinyl sales have been on the rise since the early 2000’s, but in post-COVID times prices for new vinyl have skyrocketed, with many popular records reaching over $40 per album. Additionally, rising postage rates have made online vinyl shopping less appealing for collectors. However, buying used records locally avoids these issues, and record shows as Record Raid give a chance for music fans to expand their collection affordably.
Chicago, IL | CHIRP Record Fair, a music-lover’s paradise, ends after 20 years: ‘The fun is over.’ Hosted by CHIRP 107.1 FM in Plumbers Hall, the annual fundraiser features about 100 tables of vinyl records, CDs and more. Customers say they will miss unique gems offered by the independent record dealers. When Jen Plumridge attended CHIRP Record Fair and Other Delights on Saturday, she did her fair share of shopping and observing. “It’s interesting to see who comes to these events and what they’re looking for,” said Plumridge, 34, of Edgewater. As a knitter, she knows what it’s like to have a niche interest. For Plumridge, the attendees rifling through about 100 tables of vinyl albums, CDs, local band merch and other music-related items were like kindred spirits. “These are the record people,” she said with a hint of recognition and fascination. Hosted by community radio station CHIRP 107.1 FM in Plumbers Hall in the West Loop, the annual affair has been a destination for that community of music lovers for two decades. To their dismay, this is the final year for the event, which features DJs, food, drinks, kids activities and the wares of independent record dealers from Chicago and beyond.
Lemont, IL | Record Collectors Show: Enjoy music and listen to the beat of your own drum while you search 40 vendor tables stacked with thousands of vinyl records and music related memorabilia. Selections and era’s represented from the 50’s to today. From Heavy Metal, Rock, or Punk to Soul, Country, and Classical, or just take a chance and step outside your preferences and try World Music, Comedy, Blues, or Ethnic choices. You might also find archival storage supplies, cassettes, magazines, posters, CD’s, or music radio surveys. Great indoor lighting with wide aisles to examine the selections and search for your favorites.
Mumbai, IN | Vinyl city: First vinyl press near Mumbai is India’s only manufacturing unit. With vinyl record stores opening across the country, the analogue format is seeing a slow but steady resurgence. In an exciting push to this revival, India’s first vinyl manufacturing plant has opened in Mumbai. Ask GenZ, and they will tell you that “retro” is cool. So, it’s no surprise that all things retro are making a comeback. Add vinyl to that long list, complete with a vinyl pressing plant. Samanvii Digimedia Art & Solutions, a vinyl manufacturing plant opened doors in MIDC Pawne, a few weeks ago. The plant is now the only vinyl pressing unit in the country, giving hope to several artists, analogue superfans, and collectors. Almost a relic, vinyl record stores have been making a slow comeback for a few years now. The Revolver Club, a store in Mahim, specialising in vinyl and music equipment has been at the forefront of this movement. In Bengaluru, Rams Musique thrives as one of the largest vinyl record stores in the country, housing 6,000 records; and then there is the Record Room, which opened last year and is now moving to a new space.
UK | Abbey Road teams with Because Music on launch of Live Cuts series for one-take vinyl recordings: Abbey Road Studios has unveiled Live Cuts, a new series of filmed studio sessions in which artists record two songs in one take, which are immediately cut direct to vinyl. The launch season for Live Cuts is presented in association with Because Music, in celebration of the independent label’s 20th anniversary. Their 2004 debut signing, Amadou & Mariam, are the first act to feature in season one of Live Cuts, with performances of Bofu Safou and La Realite, recorded live in Abbey Road’s Studio Three. Celebrating the craft of recording and mastering, the sessions result in a 12-inch single for each release, with the tracks also made available on streaming platforms. Each episode is also accompanied by an exclusive short film illuminating the creative and technical processes, alongside an interview with the artist.
