Niagara Falls, NY | Local record store pairs with Underground Railroad Center to educate all during Women’s History Month: There are so many iconic women in Western New York. Women that broke barriers beyond the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area. People like Minnie Gillette, Mary Talbot, Louise Bethune, and so many more. But some historic women of this area could be unfamiliar to some people. That’s why Daredevil Records is teaming up with the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center to host its first ever Women’s History Month Scavenger Hunt. The tasks are fun and something to do with your friends, while also an incredibly educational experience. There are 11 clues for the scavenger hunt. It starts out at the record store, but leads you around Niagara Falls, showing off different landmarks, and teaching everyone about the rich history women have in Western New York. “It’s a very deep history here, and it’s important to learn about all the brave women here that have done incredible things,” Daredevil Records employee, Edyta Chorostkowska said.
Cincinnati, OH | Best selection of experimental music at a record store: Torn Light Records is quickly rivaling Shake It and Everybody’s as one of the best record stores in Cincinnati. Located on Ludlow Avenue, Torn Light has a terrific selection of new and used records, plus a constantly replenished stock of new acquisitions in front of the counter that’s always worth flipping through. Not many record stores give you a sense of the staff and owner’s personal tastes like Torn Light does. They have a thoughtfully curated section of experimental and noise music, modernist composers like John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen, as well as a nice little nook of books tucked in the back, with an eye towards, again, the experimental. Think Georges Bataille, Leonora Carrington, Nicholson Baker and more. And if you aren’t sure what to look for, the staff is always playing an interesting record you’ve likely never heard before, and that just might steer you in the right direction.
Lubbock, TX | Records outsell CDs for first time since 1987, Lubbock store contributes to growth: For almost two decades now music fanatics have been traveling back in time through vinyl records. This form of music has seen a record-breaking growth. According to the Recording Industry Association of America’s, Vinyl records outsell CDs for the first time since 1987. “Records have been on their way back for about 15 to 17 years now. It’s been a slow climb and actually very rapid climb in the last 10 years, so for it to totally take over CD’s, it’s not surprising at all,” said Doug Stapp, owner of Ralph’s Records. Just last year, vinyl’s have sold 41 million albums compared to 33 million CDs. “It’s bigger, you can actually listen to it. You don’t have to lease it on your phone. You actually own something, you can stare at all of the artwork, you get to read all the liner notes, all the fun stuff that goes along with music which is very important to music,” said Stapp. The growth is something that Ralph’s Record is no stranger to, operating for over 43 years with the largest sales coming from young adults.
Boston, MA | New store brings vinyl records to Beacon Hill: There’s a new music store on Beacon Hill selling some very old, and very cool, records. What’s happening: After six years in Providence, Music Research Library reopened at 24 Joy St. on Beacon Hill March 1. Co-owner Vasyl Kochura tells Axios a lot of the Rhode Island shop’s clientele were coming down from the Boston area so he and business partner Zachary Warf decided to find space downtown. He says the foot traffic on Beacon Hill is already better than expected. What they’re saying: “We love obscure records from around the world and we try to curate music for deep listeners who are interested in exploring different sounds,” Kochura said. The shop has listening stations where customers can preview a record before buying it, a feature that’s not always available in modern record shops. Beyond albums, soundtracks and singles, the shop specializes in “library music” — recordings of generic stock music used in the production of movies, TV shows or ads. Kochura said MRL pays top dollar for records, especially collections.
Marquette, MI | Record show wraps up final day: Hundreds of vinyl and music enthusiasts are leaving this weekend happy with the end of a Marquette County record show. Jeff and Jon’s Vinyl Record Show held its final day of a four-day event at the Ore Dock Brewing Co. The show had everything from vinyl, CDs, and cassette tapes to t-shirts and stickers. Organizers say the first show of the season couldn’t have happened without all who showed up. “The reason that we can keep doing the shows is that people keep showing up,” Jeff and Jon’s Vinyl Record Show Organizer Jon Teichman said. “People keep coming out, letting us know what they are looking for but then also bringing their friends and family and spreading the word. This really happens organically.” Jeff and Jon’s collection will once again make an appearance at BayCon in Escanaba on April 22.
UK | The Damned announce record store signings: To celebrate the release of their upcoming album Darkadelic, The Damned will visit record stores in London, Birmingham and Bristol for fan Q&A sessions and signings. On Tuesday 2 May, David Vanian, Captain Sensible, Monty Oxymoron and Will Glanville-Taylor will stop by Rough Trade East in London to meet fans and answer questions. The following day, on Wednesday 3 May, Vanian, Sensible and Oxymoron will head to Birmingham HMV Vault, with Paul Gray also joining them in Bristol’s Rough Trade on Thursday 4 May. This announcement comes before the band head out on their UK tour this week in support of upcoming record, Darkadelic, out 28 April. Opening their tour in Cardiff this Friday on 31 March and closing with two shows at Alexandra Palace Theatre in London on 20 & 21 April, they’ll also perform in Southend, Oxford, Nottingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Norwich, Brighton and Southampton.
Allman Brothers Band’s ‘Syria Mosque’ Vinyl Arrives on Record Store Day: The Allman Brothers Band are celebrating Record Store Day with the limited release of one of their notable live performances. On April 22, the Southern rock band will release Syria Mosque: Pittsburgh, PA January 17, 1971, on vinyl. The live audio was captured during the band’s first show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the historic Syria Mosque, which was built in 1911 as a shrine to the Freemasonry group known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. The sound on the album was recorded directly from the soundboard used that night and has been restored and remastered. The album features original band members Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe. The set list includes classic ABB songs “Midnight Rider,” “Statesboro Blues,” “Trouble No More,” “You Don’t Love Me,” and “Whipping Post.” The record is pressed on “Pittsburgh Steel Grey” vinyl. Only 10,000 units of the vinyl edition will be sold.
Australian Band Private Function Releasing Vinyl Record Filled with Urine: Private Function say it’s the “world’s first piss-filled record” Vinyl is back and grosser than ever: An Australian band called Private Function are releasing their new album 370HSSV 0773H with a limited “Gold” pressing of 50 LPs that have each been infused with the band members’ own urine. The Melbourne rockers shared the news in an Instagram reel of the members emerging from the bathroom, each with their respective containers filled with yellow liquid. “Congratulations to the 50 people who ordered the ‘Gold’ version of our new record,” reads the caption. “You just bought a liquid disc full of our piss. We worked with local legends @saltydog.records to build the world’s first piss filled record, it turns out it’s really hard.” Due to its rather experimental nature, Private Function haven’t yet revealed what exactly this pee-filled LP (L-pee?) will look like, but we’re thinking its ‘Gold’ nickname gives us a pretty good idea. The band signed off with a final request: “Please don’t use our DNA to commit crimes.”
