Hot Springs, AR | Vinyl-collecting bug bites two local record collectors: Few collectibles can speak directly to their owner like a vinyl record, issuing forth the fundamental human art form of music. It is that elemental nature of music as well as the warm, full tones and tangibility of vinyl that keeps record collectors like Mark Maybrey and Tom Coleman hooked. “My first record experience was Elvis’ ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘Don’t Be Cruel,'” Maybrey said. “My mom was an Elvis fan. We played it until it was worn out in the middle. My first 45 was Three Dog Night’s ‘Joy to the World.’ And from that point on — I grew up in the late ’60s and ’70s, vinyl was king — just kept buying vinyl, listening to it. “It kind of faded for a little bit. When I moved to Muscle Shoals, about 2012 … I found this … old-time, father-son record store and found (a) monthly meeting. I had probably two tubs of my personal (records) and then I went crazy. Back in 2012, you could find vinyl everywhere — before the big boom — in thrift stores, antique stores. And I went from those two tubs and now my collection is approaching 7,000 records.”
Worcester, UK | Spin The Black Circle to open on Pump Street tomorrow: A long-awaited record shop and cafe in Worcester city centre is set to open tomorrow. Spin The Black Circle, on Pump Street, is opening its doors at 10am tomorrow, following a busy renovation period. Spin The Black Circle is claims it is “Worcester’s only Vinyl Store and Coffee House”, with a variety of new and used vinyl on sale. The venue, at 19 to 21 Pump Street – the former EE phone shop, had a lot of work carried out to make it ready for its grand opening. Sam Barriscale, owner of Spin The Black Circle, said: “It has been really good so far. We originally wanted to get things ready to open in the first six weeks but there was an awful lot to do. “We carried out a full electrical re-wire and lots of plastering work and we are now finally ready to show Worcester what we have to offer.”
Edinburgh, UK | Watch incredible moment West Lothian band performs impromptu gig at record store: West Lothian band Dictator were on hand to open up a newly-refurbished record store in Falkirk, as the band from Livingston set up to play their new EP, Rubik’s Cube. A band from West Lothian broke out into an impromptu gig on Saturday, to celebrate the re-opening of a record store run by a fellow musician. Livingston-based band Dictator, performed live in Falkirk to celebrate the grand opening of The AV Company, ran by fellow musician and West Lothian guitarist, Connor Ward. The AV Company, ran by Mark Sharp and the Bicycle Thieves guitarist Connor Ward, and his dad Craig, recently opened their doors again yesterday. Dictator were on hand to help celebrate the grand opening, and performed a stripped-back set of their newest EP, Rubik’s Cube. Fans of the band came from across Scotland, and as far as Greenock, to support the band, and the new store.
Liverpool, UK | Seven Liverpool shops that have been around so long it defies all logic: There are shops in our city that have stood the test of time – surviving wars, recessions, the internet and a pandemic. Liverpool is home to many famous shops that have proudly stood along our streets for decades. Sadly, Liverpool has seen many shop closures over the years, so it makes the survival of these historic stores even more astounding. Despite the challenges thrown their way, they continue to thrive, serving our communities no matter what. It really is hard to imagine our city without them. …While vinyls are back in fashion, there was a time when CDs, iPods and MP3 players threatened the record business. One record store that survived this period is The Musical Box – Liverpool’s oldest vinyl shop. A trip here is a music lover’s dream, with the shop on West Derby Road having rows upon rows of vinyls covering a variety of genres. Founded in 1947, The Musical Box truly is a Liverpool gem that the city would be lost without.
Dalton, MA | Central Berkshire Record Show Returns October 2: After a successful inaugural event in the spring, the Central Berkshire Record Show is returning this fall at the Stationery Factory. Hosted by Berkshirecat Productions, it will feature two dozen vinyl dealers, CDs, cassettes, music memorabilia, food truck fare, local craft beer and drinks, and consistent DJ sets. Organizer Andrew Garcia said the first show in May was “super successful” and exceeded expectations. He aims to recapture the spirit and success of that event and make it a set standard. “The place all day long was busy with activity and lots of smiling faces,” Garcia said. “And what was cool was to see younger people as well as your standard record collector, so families brought their kids who were just kind of getting into collecting but there were also some seasoned collectors who came early for the VIP part and it was neat to see people stick around and take advantage of the bar and food, which we also had.”
Austin, TX | Fancy South Austin Hotels Are Opening Trendy Listening Bars With Records and Cocktails: Soho House’s Dante’s HiFi is now open and Hotel Magdalena’s Equipment Room will open later this year: 2022 is the year of the listening bar in Austin — intimate spaces where people gather to listen to records — with two Travis Heights hotels opening new music-centric lounges on deck this year. First is Miami-based vinyl listening bar Dante’s HiFi within Soho House, which opened already. The second is the forthcoming Equipment Room inside Hotel Magdalena, set to open by the end of 2022. Listenings bars — jazz kissa (jazz cafes) and record bars — became popular in Japan in the 1950s as a way to listen to imported records with high-quality stereo equipment in a shared space. In America, these establishments are often called hi-fi (high-fidelity sound reproduction) bars. Dante’s HiFi, which opened on August 4 at 1011 South Congress Avenue, Building 2, Suite 100, will only be open for a year.
Sydney, AU | The rise of vinyl dining sees Sydney restaurants spend big on sound systems: Sydney restaurants are spending big on sound as they seek to elevate the dining experience from dinner table to dance floor. Chef Matt Moran has invested close to $100,000 in state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment for his latest venture Rekōdo, a vibey Barangaroo venue that blurs the line between restaurant and bar. “I have never spent so much money on speakers in a restaurant,” says Elliot Solomon, chief executive officer hospitality group Solotel, which worked with Moran on the project. “Music used to play second fiddle in restaurants, but there’s this new interest in sound and having a really good sound system.” Klipsch La Scala speakers, acoustic attenuation, live DJs and thoughtful vinyl soundtracks curated by multi award-winning artists such as Meg Mac “will take it to another level,” says Solomon.
Six Classic Yello Albums Set For Limited Edition Vinyl Releases: The titles include influential offerings such as ‘Solid Pleasure’, ‘Claro Que Si’, ‘Stella’ and ‘Flag’. Six of pioneering Swiss electronic duo Yello’s classic albums are set for reissue through Universal Music. The band’s game-changing debut, Solid Pleasure, plus Claro Que Si, You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess, Stella, One Second and Flag will all be back in circulation through Universal Music on October 14. Yello is a name that is associated with the development of electronic pop music like no other. For four exciting decades now, the Swiss duo has been shaping pop culture and providing new impulses again and again with their synthetic field research experiments. In mid-October, the pioneering early work of the cult formation will be released in remastered form as strictly limited vinyl reissues of the first six Yello albums. Each release features the original album and an exclusive bonus 12” with sought-after remixes, rare collector’s tracks and unreleased live recordings, each based on the tracklists and artwork of the original.
