Record Store Day still spinning strong, Local venues set for sales, entertainment Saturday: For the record, they’d like your support. This year’s Record Store Day — a celebration of independent record stores and the music and culture they provide — is set for April 22. Local participating stores include Ignition Music Garage in Goshen; Karma Records in Warsaw; Michiana Used Music and Media in Mishawaka; and Orbit Music in Mishawaka. According to organizers, the first Record Store Day took place on April 19, 2008. A decade later, independent record stores participate in the annual promotion on every continent except Antarctica. Count Ignition Music founder and owner Steve Martin among those looking forward to the event.
Wallingford record store celebrates 10 years: As Redscroll Records celebrates its 10th anniversary, the focus remains on connecting fans to music. “Our sign says underground music and culture, and what we mean by underground is stuff off the radar for most folks,” co-owner Rick Sinkiewicz said. Redscroll, 24 N. Colony Road, opened on April 12, 2007. The store celebrated 10 years with a weeklong sale and a concert on Thursday in New Haven. The five-person operation sells physical format media, as well as music books, magazines, DVDs and vinyl care supplies. Genres include classic rock, pop, metal, hip-hop, rap, jazz, soul and electronic/dance. There’s even a “weirdo” section.
Dimple Records battles the internet with comic books, toys: In an era where music can be downloaded from the internet with the click of a button, locally owned Dimple Records is managing to keep vinyl alive. The Sacramento record store chain has seven locations across the region. As records gave way to cassettes, CDs, iPods and then to web-based streaming, owner Dilyn Radakovitz reinvented the Dimple brand as a purveyor of all things entertainment, where customers can find the latest games, old-school comic books and even polka-dot socks. “We are constantly trying to adjust to keep the profit margins up – whatever we can sell to pay our rent,” said Radakovitz…
Vinyl is vintage and the future, as new generation warms to an old music form: Vinyl records, which is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity that’s outstripping digital music growth, proves the adage that everything old is new again. Last year, Vinyl LP sales reached 13 million, according to Nielsen’s Year-End Report released on Jan. 9. That figure was an all-time high since Nielsen started keeping track back in 1991. Despite the fact that cell phones and tablets are music lovers method of choice for music playback—a function of streaming media—vinyl’s vintage novelty is feeding a boom in record sales. So what gives?
Hip-hop vinyl enthusiasts, Record Store Day is coming 4/22/17: Once again, tactile music aficionados flock to their favorite vinyl haunt for Record Store Day. Since its launch a decade ago, vinyl record sales continue to soar. From music icons to cult status underground staples, artists of all statures drop limited edition releases. These sonic mementos hit the bins of hundreds of independent record stores around the U.S. and abroad. Hip Hop heads have no fear; there are plenty of titles from a wide array of the genre’s favorites. One that’s sure to be crowd pleaser is Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” story book and 7″ vinyl release. Make sure to put a star next to 4/22/17 on your calendar.
Record Store Day: the vinyl countdown: Some suggest RSD has been hijacked by corporate interests as major labels flood the market with collector-baiting releases of dubious merit: clear plastic Pearl Jam singles, Billy Joel box sets, Toto live albums. But really, it’s all about whanau. As much as it gives record store owners an injection of cash, Record Store Day is a celebration of the community of music nutters who love these places, encouraging them to get out and mingle together while bands hammer away in the corner. It’s a chance to salute the sonic flag, to remember the fallen, and to throw some cash at those brave stores that have survived against the odds, finding a way to make a buck despite rising rents and competition from streaming, downloading, cut-price chain stores and Trade Me.
Tips for the discriminating vinyl hunter: I am very happy that vinyl is back and more people are getting into it. I think it is no coincidence that it has reinvigorated the music scene both internationally and locally. A couple of artists have released their new albums on vinyl and not on CD or even for downloads. Not re-issues, mind you, but new releases. There’s underground punk band, Ex-Senadors; Ely Buendia’s new outfit, Apartel; and Pedicab that launched their new record last February 25. I have claimed that the hunt for records and great music has been fun all over again. Unlike downloading that has made things easy and a tad impersonal.
