GA | A new history of Atlanta and Athens record stores meets the subcultural moment: As Atlanta enters another era of demolishing counterculture centers for assimilation into the condo-block Borg, a lack of books and other resources spotlighting their historical significance is part of the reason developers can get away with it. So the timing is perfect for “Atlanta Record Stores: An Oral History,” a new book from longtime music journalist Chad Radford. While Atlanta often operates on the premise that anything not mega-famous must be outdated and worth mercy-killing for profit, Radford’s book is a reminder that – to paraphrase Faulkner – the past isn’t even past. The city’s counterculture is a DIY torch passed to each generation. As Radford notes, there’s a misconception that record stores have died out, based on the digitization of music and a 1990s plunge in vinyl sales that increasingly looks like a bump in a long road. He told me that torch-passing is part of his goal: “Whatever it takes to keep this tradition a thriving vibrant part of Atlanta, I’m totally down.”
Rockford, IL | Rockford record store celebrates 50 years of nostalgia: Retired bus driver Bob Morris, of Rockford, estimates he has shopped at Toad Hall Books and Records three times a week for decades. “Their selection of music is great,” Williams said. “I’ve purchased everything imaginable here over the years. Jazz, Blues, Rock. I’ve also purchased stereo equipment including amps, turntables and speakers.” Toad Hall, 2106 Broadway, has been quenching collectors’ thirst for popular and obscure records, vintage books and magazines and pre-owned comic books for 50 years. The store’s customer base extends well beyond the Rockford region, according to Nick Naruz, whose family purchased Toad Hall in 2005. “We regularly attract people from Iowa, the (Chicago) suburbs, Madison and Milwaukee,” Naruz said. “There are fewer and fewer stores that sell records and die-hard collectors are going to drive an hour or more to get a great selection, a great price and customer service.
Marquette, MI | Record shows and Rubik’s Cubes: Geoff and Jon’s Record Show returns to the Ore Dock Brewing Co. this weekend. Geoff and Jon’s Record Show is back at the Ore Dock Brewing Co. this Thursday-Sunday. Jon Teichman stops by Upper Michigan Today to talk about the growing popularity of the shows in their ten-year run, vinyl record care, and what to expect at the weekend-long sale, plus MK DiVirgilio returns to attempt to solve a Rubik’s Cube in the span of the show. But first, stories of the day. Now, back to records. Teichman has been hosting record sales at the Ore Dock Brewing Co. for the last ten years and says he never runs out of something to talk about or show off. He and his partner actively collect records, so there’s something new at every show. Browse through thousands of vinyl records that span genres and generations during the brewery’s normal hours Thursday, March 23 through Sunday, March 26.
Huntsville, ON | Vinyl record sales continue to rise as listeners look for “elevated product.” Digital streaming is still king for many music listeners, but Trevor Marshall, owner of The Record Shoppe in Huntsville, says there are two ways for music lovers to get music on an “elevated platform.” For the first time since 1987, the Recording Industry Association of America reports that vinyl records outsold CDs in 2022. However, record sales, which accounted for 11 percent of recorded music revenues last year, were still dwarfed by streaming which accounted for 84 percent. The report notes that the revenue from vinyl sales rose about 17 percent to around $1.2 billion in the United States. They note that 41 million vinyl records were sold last year compared to 33 million CDs. Marshall, who has operated his downtown Huntsville store since 2018, says the biggest change he’s noticed over the years is in the demographics. When the shop first opened, he says they have only a couple of high schoolers popping in but now he says that the core audience has grown close to 30.
Buffalo, NY | Buffalo Record Riot draws a crowd in Cheektowaga: The next show in Cheektowaga will be in July. People seeking vinyl sought out the Buffalo Record Riot on Saturday. The event is part of the biggest chain of record shows, and they run 18 shows across eight states. Buffalo seems to be a favorite stop for music lovers, and one thing is very clear: Not only is vinyl is not dead, it is part of a resurgence. “It is a lot of fun,” promoter Stephen Gritzan said. “It’s something parents can share with their kids. All the hip-hop stuff comes out on vinyl, so all the Taylor Swift and new stuff comes out on vinyl, so it’s a throwback against technology, and it’s a lot of fun.” And for collectors, one big part of the appeal of vinyl records is sometimes the album cover. The crowd in Cheektowaga kept growing throughout the day. The next show is coming up in July.
London, UK | A monthly secondhand record fair is launching in London: Pick up some gems at the East London fair. The Pickle Factory is launching a monthly secondhand record fair at their venues in Cambridge Heath, London. On the first Saturday of every month, a rotating selection of record shops, private Discogs sellers and “friends with collections we’d love to have a dig through ourselves” will set up shop in The Pickle Factory’s sister venue Canvas. The record fair will run alongside a day party at The Pickle Factory, with food and drinks in the Cocktail Bar. The first edition will take place on April 8, with featured record sellers including House of Dog Records, Rubber Ducky Records, Piers Harrison & Toby Tobias and Bizarre Trax & Loose. Book and zine sellers 20K and a dead sheep will also have a stall.
Cornwall, UK | Man owns 800 records and tapes made in or about Cornwall: Proud Cornishman Chris Trevena’s Sounds Like Cornwall is a resource of culturally important music. Cornwall’s charity shops have proved to be an invaluable treasure trove for one Cornishman, who has created a fascinating collection of 800 records and cassettes celebrating music made in or about the county. Chris Trevena, from Penzance, has spent the past few years scouring every nook and cranny of shops across Kernow – from Redruth to Polperro – for oft-forgotten musical gems by Cornish musicians or anything with a Kernewek link. The result is a resource, Sounds Like Cornwall, which celebrates every genre of music from the dawn of shellac, through vinyl and tape. If you want to listen to brass bands, male voice choirs, singer-songwriters, rock bands, electronic artists… anything with a Cornish flavour, then Chris is your man and he’s making every attempt to digitise it all so everyone can enjoy his extensive collection online. Chris told CornwallLive: “It all started with the album 1,000 Cornish Male Voices at the Royal Albert Hall with Camborne Town Band. It was recorded on November 5, 1983. The was a huge, momentous event – perhaps more so in hindsight.
