Edinburgh, UK | Edinburgh vinyl shop to host in-store live music event to celebrate one-year anniversary: A popular Edinburgh record store, specialising in extremely rare records from around the world will host a live music event in their shop this weekend to celebrate their first year of business. Umbrella Vinyl in Brunsfield opened its doors on August 5 last year, and owners – Josh, Laura and Nick, say the in-store party is a way to thank their loyal customers and welcome the local community. Customers and music aficionados are invited to come to the store between 12pm and 5pm on Sunday where they can enjoy drinks and great music and book a 20-minute slot on the house decks to play their favourite records. Laura Thomson, co-founder of Umbrella Vinyl said: “I can’t believe it’s been a year since we opened, it’s been an amazing journey and really exciting for us. We’ve got a lot of beautiful regulars who come in and we’ve managed to create a little community both locally and online and we’re so humbled by the welcome we’ve had here.
Los Angeles, CA | Amoeba Records: A Pop-Culture Lover’s Paradise: The Beginner’s Introduction to Amoeba Music: Since 1990, Amoeba Music has been the place to go for lovers of pop culture media. Buying, trading, and selling all sorts of knick-knacks and media across vastly varying platforms, Amoeba describes themselves on their website as “a meeting place for California’s most colorful community of progressive and creative minds.” Amoeba Music was originally a response to the endless lines of corporate chains that began to devour the sales market and devastating independent stores in the 80s and 90s– they “arose out of that community of music lovers that wanted a better place for music than a corporate chain store.” Today, with that mission as a foundation, they have evolved into a cultural landmark for the residents of Los Angeles and all visitors of the city of stars. Located at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle Avenue, Amoeba Music’s grand sign glows in red and yellow and invites anyone with a passion to come inside.
Orlando, FL | Orlando’s East-West Records to close after 50 years, drawing crowds for final days: East-West Records in Orlando is closing its doors after more than 50 years, drawing a packed house of loyal customers. “My customers and me, we’re all close; we know each other real well,” said Emma Serros, the current owner of East-West Records. “Buying records since the ’80s,” said Gary Menichiello, a long-time customer. The store’s closing sale, featuring deep discounts, is not the main reason many people are visiting. “Miss it a lot; it’s been around for more than 50 years, so it’s sad to see it go,” Menichiello added. “The fact that things were 50 percent off didn’t really entice me, just wanted to come in and say thank you, and if there’s something to pick up, I’ll grab it,” said Kyle Tague, another customer.
Toronto, CA | One of Toronto’s favourite record shops didn’t disappear, it just relocated: Tiny Record Shop has been a staple in the city for music lovers to buy their favourite vinyl for many years but after their brick and mortar shut down some people thought it closed for good. Thankfully, it didn’t. In the words of the shop’s owners, they didn’t close down, they just got so (physically) tiny you can’t even find them anymore! On July 6th 2023, Tiny Record Shop took to Instagram to announce the end of their physical store. Thanking their community, customers, and friends they assured that this was not the end. Tiny Record Shop was one of only a few business ventures that Maude Fallon-Davense and Trevor Larocque have been a part of. Starting out in the back gift store Token at 804 Queen St. East standing at 77 square feet, Tiny Record Shop came about due to Larocque’s extensive record collection needing a bit of a clean out and a kind offer from a friend for some empty space.
Limerick, IE | New record store opens in Limerick: “We hope to welcome anyone with an interest in records and music to stop by and hang out, chat music, buy music and meet other people interested in a wide variety of sounds.” A new record store has opened in Limerick, Ireland. Check out more details below. Downbeat Records opened last weekend (August 3) in the centre of Limerick City. The record store was founded by Frankie O’Mahoney, former head music buyer for used records at Rough Trade, and is mainly dance-oriented but offers an eclectic mix of vinyl that includes jungle re-issues, reggae, rock, jazz and work by local artists and producers. Speaking to Hot Press, O’Mahoney said the record store is intended as a space for “the local music community.” “We hope to welcome anyone with an interest in records and music to stop by and hang out, chat music, buy music and meet other people interested in a wide variety of sounds…”
Negaunee, MI | Yooptone Music hosts pop-up record show: Yooptone Music channels the past with a monthly pop-up record show. The music store says it usually tries to do them at different businesses in the area. This time, the sale was hosted by Campfire Coffee in Negaunee. Yooptone sells both new and old vinyl. The pop-ups have a greater variety than the store. Yooptone Music co-owner Jake Kuhlman says the love of records has continued throughout the generations. “We get tons of new, and I would say young, vinyl lovers show up every day wanting to discover vinyl,” Kuhlman said. Yooptone Music is located at 1015 North Third Street.
MN | Gov. Tim Walz’s Minnesota music ties are cranking up his viral Cool Dad status: Photos and stories are circulating on social media tying Kamala Harris’ running mate to Prince, Hüsker Dü, the Replacements and the Electric Fetus. By now, most of America has learned the highlights of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s personal resume: dad, high school teacher, football coach, National Guardsman. A new trait is emerging and adding to his viral status on social media: music lover. Specifically: a Minnesota music lover and fan of vinyl, old-school home stereo systems and the kind of heartland classic rock that only ups his Midwest Dad pedigree. …“Electric Fetus for the win. Shop local for vinyl,” reads his post on X (formerly known as Twitter) from December 2023 that is now being widely recirculated. The photo shows he picked up albums by Warren Zevon, Steve Winwood, Genesis, the Moody Blues.
Los Angeles, CA | ‘The Art of Music Experience’ brings creatives behind album covers into the spotlight: Joy Feuer insists that she has always seen the sound of music and the images behind it as inseparable. From the looks of the crowds pouring into the Art of Music Experience at the Orange County Fair this summer, it would be difficult to disagree. Back for more, the exhibit has staying power, tapping into the nostalgia of music lovers from across the generations. Music pumps through the building, but the driving attraction is the large-scale duplication of the images that became intrinsically linked to the feelings of those listening to lyrics sung and notes played. “Over and over, you just see firsthand, [people are] so connected to the art and the imagery behind what they listen to,” said Feuer, the co-founder and curator of the Art of Music Experience. “The reason I always loved it, to me, it always felt like a shared experience…”
