Irvington, IN | Tunes, titles, and art: Irvington shop hits all the right notes as it nears its 5th anniversary: Elysia Smith started collecting records with her dad when she was just a kid, but she didn’t go all-in on vinyl until she was in college. She credits Travis Harvey with evoking her love of vinyl. He was the owner of Village Green Records, formerly of Muncie, now located in Montgomery, Alabama. “He was there all throughout my college career and was super supportive of the local art scene,” Smith said. “That’s what initially drew me to this type of thing is because I wanted to create a space where people could make art, a space that supports artists [and] that employs artists.” That space came to Smith by chance. “I wandered into the old Irvington Vinyl on a date and was like, ‘This place is incredible.” But that iteration of Irvington Vinyl was in the midst of its own swan song.
Reading, UK | The Sound Machine, Reading, set to host annual Vintage Vinyl Weekend: The Sound Machine, 24 Harris Arcade, will be selling specialist collectors’ items at the Vintage Vinyl Weekend (VVW) on Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6. The store is promising “hard to find gems” and collectables from genres including rock, punk, indie, reggae, jazz, blues, hip-hop and funk. Shop manager, Steve says, “We spend many hours travelling around the country viewing discerning music lovers’ collections in search of the highest quality records to bring back to Reading. With over 30 years’ experience, we’ve built up a reputation that allows us access to some pretty special collections. “Vintage Vinyl Weekend gives us a chance to showcase the best of the best, offering music fans a chance to get their hands on some genuine collectors’ items.” As well specialist collectors’ items, this year’s VVW also includes a selection of current pressings of classic albums, offering a chance for new collectors to fill gaps in their collections.
Murwillumbah, AU | Spin Vinyl, Mix Tunes at Supertonic Music Experience: Hot on the heels of its Splendour in the Grass debut, the multi-sensory music exhibition Supertonic – which uses augmented reality to enhance experience – is now open at the Tweed Regional Museum. Supertonic explores the vibrant musical world of the Northern Rivers and Gold Coast region through recordings, scores, instruments, sounds and stories of people creating music. This exciting exhibition features some of the most iconic local artists, including the Sunnyboys, Budgerah, The Jezabels, JK-47, Kate Miller-Heidke, Matt Corby, TORA, Amy Shark, Bobby Alu and Ocean Alley – to name just a few. Enhancing the exhibition is an array of programs and activities: Chill out in our 1970s-inspired Lounge Room and spin some records, create your own album cover art, join a guided tour and vote for your favourite songs of the region in our Supertonic Selects Top 100 Countdown—with the choice to be revealed at our Supertonic Up Late event in early 2024.
Annapolis, MD | CSM Alum, Award-Winning Playwright Bob Bartlett Pens Immersive Love Letter To Record Stores: College of Southern Maryland (CSM) alumni are everywhere and are often found doing interesting things in interesting places. But Bob Bartlett ’84, is raising the bar on unique undertakings this summer: for the next several weeks, he can be found staging a play in an Annapolis record shop. Bartlett is an award-winning playwright who specializes in productions meant to be seen in unlikely places, including a forest, a laundromat and his own backyard. His latest, “Love and Vinyl,” explores browsing for love and vinyl in the digital age. It opened June 29 and will run through Aug. 6 at KA-CHUNK!! Records in Annapolis. “I’ve loved KA-CHUNK!! Records – and spaces like it – for as long as I can remember,” said Bartlett. “Like so many of us, I mourned the loss of record stores and vinyl, and the ritual of heading to the local shop or even downtown to Tower Records on a Saturday night to meet friends and spend hours browsing for music.”
The future of turntables? Pioneer DJ launches hybrid PLX-CRSS12: Analogue and digital modes at the flick of a switch, a sturdy adjustable Magvel clamp and tone-arm-free DVS control. Pioneer DJ may have just smashed it out of the park. Pioneer DJ has launched a professional digital-analogue hybrid turntable aimed at vinyl DJs, and digital-analogue turntablists alike. It’s called the PLX-CRSS12. While competitors such as RANE, Phase and Denon have dipped their toes into the world of DVSs (Digital Vinyl Systems) previously, PLX-CRSS12 is Pioneer’s stride into a new phase of hybrid DJing. Why is this new digital turntable so special? Well, firstly, it’s the first-ever digital turntable to be made by the world’s leading DJ tech brand. Secondly, the PLX-CRSS12 is the first turntable to allow both analogue and digital playback and thirdly, it has both tone-arm-free DVS control and a Magvel clamp, making it easier to scratch.
Blue Note Records Announces New Run of Titles in the Classic Vinyl Reissue Series: Blue Note Records has announced the next run of titles in the Classic Vinyl Reissue Series, which will present 180g all-analog vinyl reissues of some of the most iconic masterpieces of the Blue Note catalog by jazz legends including Art Blakey, Donald Byrd, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, and more. Curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman, Classic Vinyl reissues are mastered by Kevin Gray directly from the original analog master tapes and pressed at Optimal. Newly announced titles will begin September 15 with the release of Horace Silver Blowin’ The Blues Away and Jimmy Smith Midnight Special which are available for pre-order now on the Blue Note Store.
Rare Buddy Rich recordings to be released as his first ‘Trios album: On September 1, 2023, Lightyear Entertainment will release ‘Trios,’ a collection of rare recordings that capture the magic, the artistry and the boundless talent of jazz icon Buddy Rich’s intimate three-man interludes. Lightyear Entertainment announces the release of Trios, a collection of rare recordings that capture the magic, the artistry and the boundless talent of jazz icon Buddy Rich’s intimate three-man interludes he performed within his “killer force” big band concerts. Although these jam sessions were staples during many of his shows, there has never been a recording released of them until now. Trios will be available on September 1 via all major streaming services, on Compact Disc and as a two-disc LP in translucent orange vinyl. Taped by Rich’s alto saxophone player Alan Gauvin during a series of shows around the world in 1976 and 1977, the album features extraordinary bassists Jon Burr and Tom Warrington along with the young piano prodigy Barry Kiener and is marked by stunning solos by Rich using only his brushes.
Phoebe Bridgers Issues Shrexy ‘Punisher’ Swamp Vinyl Pressing: We may have failed to mention something in our recent ranking of Phoebe Bridgers’s catalogue: her remarkable brand synergy with Shrek. If this hadn’t previously occurred to you, that’s nothing to be ashamed of, but it is rather undeniable — especially in the case of the singer-songwriter’s 2020 sophomore offering, Punisher, which is now receiving a new limited-edition vinyl pressing for Shrek Girl Summer. A Target-exclusive “radioactive swamp” version of the LP is set for release on September 29, and is currently available to pre-order. As you can see, the vinyl is a swirly sinkhole of various shades of green, so the ogre hue logistically has to be in there somewhere. This could be your swamp.
