Bath, UK | New independent record shop to open in Bath: The record show is being launched by an independent label that helped launch a number of popular bands. A new independent record shop is opening in Bath next month. Chapter 22 Roots and Records is opening on Broad Street where Share and Repair used to be. The store’s Facebook page said: “Iconic 80’s record label is alive and well, The independent label that helped develop bands like Balaam and the Angel, The Mission, Pop Will Eat Itself, Neds Atomic Dustbin and Dawn After Dark”. A poster has appeared in the shop window saying the store will open mid-September and there are part-time opportunities available. Share and Repair, which used to occupy the spot, has moved to George Street as part of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s vacant units action project, which finds new uses for empty retail units as part of a programme of support to help the recovery of the city centre following the coronavirus pandemic.
New York, NY | How Rough Trade has kept its soul after midtown move: With the popularity of vinyl records still going strong, Rough Trade has moved its New York store from Brooklyn to the crowded streets of midtown Manhattan. As part of The Drum’s Retail Deep Dive, we explore whether it can it reach a broader audience while keeping its precious indie image intact. One of the quirks of the contemporary music industry is the enduring popularity of vinyl records. Despite streaming – and when we talk about music streaming, we’re almost always talking about Spotify, which enjoys double the market share of its next competitor, Apple – having long displaced physical media as the dominant form of music consumption, the vinyl comeback is still going strong. That trend has enabled Rough Trade, the record brand and recording label, to expand beyond Britain in recent years. In 2013, it opened Rough Trade NYC in the heart of hipster Williamsburg. Why then has the company shuttered its Brooklyn location in favor of a Manhattan pitch in the Rockefeller building? And can it court a larger crowd while keeping its indie image?
Pittsburgh, PA | The Government Center finds a new location and a new vision: After opening its original location on East Ohio Street in January 2019, The Government Center has quickly become a favorite for Pittsburgh record collectors. But it’s not just a place to buy and sell music, the shop also doubles as a venue for local and traveling bands. Now, the record store has moved a few blocks away to a new, larger space on East Street in the North Side, and the move has resulted in big things coming. For owner Josh Cozby and events coordinator Derek January, the changes are welcome and exciting. Cozby says they were presented with the opportunity to buy a building that would allow them to have more financial flexibility, which was important in their decision to move to East Street. Their new location is a lot larger than their previous spot, which was a big deciding factor. That means they now have even more space for records. “But more importantly, we got space for a stage where we can properly host live events,” says Cozby. “And then in our building, we’re also putting in an espresso bar. There’s a tenant space for what, eventually, we think, will be some sort of bar and small food operation.”
London, UK | The tiny shop that’s turned Kingston into London’s answer to Glastonbury: This small record shop has been behind intimate shows from Billie Eilish, The Who and more. If you’re ever destined for a day trip in Kingston upon Thames you’ll likely be told to check out Banquet Records. Located on Eden Street in this pretty corner of South West London this small record shop has become something of a local treasure. See, while you’ll definitely be able to pick up a vinyl or two at the shop, you may also get the chance to see an international superstar perform live or meet a British music icon. Banquet Records labels itself as a “concert and clubs promoter”, hosting more than 200 events at venues around Kingston during a regular year (as you’d expect, it’s been a bit quieter there recently, thanks to Covid-19). Past performers include local resident Stormzy, Gen Z superstars Billie Eilish and Shawn Mendes and Scottish funnyman Lewis Capaldi. Yep, that’s right – Billie Eilish has performed in a Pryzm.
Philadelphia, PA | Celebrate 50 Years Of Philadelphia International Records’ Iconic ‘Phillysound’ Soul Music: Philadelphia International Records celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and the iconic “Phillysound” that it made famous. But the legacy of Philadelphia International Records is also its influence on other music genres and artists far beyond its birth city. As part of Under The Radar’s ongoing summer series, we’re humming some of Philadelphia International’s biggest hits, and asking: Exactly what is the sound of Philadelphia?
