The world’s best record shops #022: Tropicália Discos, Rio de Janeiro: Tucked away on the second floor of a nondescript building in the bustling heart of Rio’s downtown Centro district is a 30sq metre vinyl goldmine. Over the last twelve years, Márcio Rocha and Bruno Alonso have built a reputation as the go-to for Brazilian music in the city, recommended and frequented by Cariocas and visitors alike for its uncompromising selection of Música Popular Brasileira – the catch-all term for the country’s diverse samba, soul, disco, jazz and rock and pop scene.
Vinyl lovers’ paradise as record fair visits New Plymouth: New Plymouth’s sporadic but much loved record fair made a comeback on Saturday after a five-year sabbatical. Organiser Brian Wafer said it was a casual affair and was held whenever he “got around to organising it”. “There’s no real rhyme or reason to when I organise one,” he said. Held at the New Plymouth Blind Foundation the fair saw roughly 10 stalls hocking thousands of eclectic vinyl records.
Vinyl fair to return to FarGo Village in Coventry: All music aficionados are invited to FarGo Village this weekend, as Coventry gets set to experience yet another VIP Record Fair. The city’s creative quarter, situated in Far Gosford Street, will welcome music fans on Sunday, June 12. Organisers promise a great selection of traders, with visitors able to browse through an array of shelves, which are set to boast some of the country and world’s finest bands and musicians.
R.E.M. are reissuing three classic albums on vinyl, Three of their albums from the 80s will be reissued on July 29: R.E.M have announced the reissue of three of their classic albums to vinyl, set to released on July 29. 1986’s ‘Lifes Rich Pageant’, 1987’s ‘Dead Letter Office’ and 1988’s ‘Eponymous’ will all be released via Capitol Records/Universal Music Enterprises. ‘Lifes Rich Pageant’ was the first R.E.M. album to reach Gold certification and was previously treated to a 25th anniversary reissue back in 2011. The band officially broke up in 2011 after 31 years together.
United Record Pressing, LLC acquires California vinyl record pressing operation Bill Smith Custom Records, Inc.: By integrating Bill Smith Custom Records’ presses into its 24-hour-per-day operation at United’s new modern facility in Nashville, United expects to deliver significant, incremental capacity to a market that is in great need of additional output, while enhancing quality and service for all customers, noted Mark Michaels, Chairman and CEO of United Record Pressing.
The Vinyl Staircase: June In Record Buying Misery By John Doran: The militantly modern shop opened on March 3 as a “record store, gallery and toy store”. And its newness is brand and spanking, from the colourful, splatter vinyl discs embedded beneath clear resin flooring upwards. Glass cases contain some of the prime exhibits in the toy and memorabilia collection of owners Spencer Hickman and Kim Holladay, relating to everything from the Star Wars franchise to Studio Ghibli.
