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08/28/08
Rev. Peyton @ Shake It
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08/20/08
Boo Boo Records Is An Oasis
08/11/08
Calexio @ Twist & Shout
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08/08/08
The ABC's Of Music
08/06/08
Amoebapalooza Hollywood
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07/31/08
Sunday Specials @ Vinyl Fever in Tampa
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Nobody likes working Sunday (well, except for John Gruden, maybe). So, in order to make Sundays more tolerable, the crew (Keith) asked if they (he) could make a theme party of it and I said, "uh, yeah, I guess- how much will it cost?" Here's what we came up with for this Sunday (August 2nd):
We will be spinning music from our Blues and (since it's Sunday) Gospel section ALL DAY LONG.;
ALL Blues and Gospel CDs, Records and DVDs will be 10% off;
your purchase will earn you a discount coupon for your next visit to Vinyl Fever.
BUTWAITTHATSNOTALL-
we have a half dozen CD giveaways* that you can win NOW!
* to win a CD, just write to us at contest@vinylfevertampa.com, put BLUE in the subject line, include your name and a phone number and tell us what you do when you get the blues. We'll choose six winners who will get to pick up their choice of any used blues or gospel CD from the store (priced at $9.99 or less) on Sunday. We'll give away two more CDs to the first two people who write in that can name the bluesman pictured above. Ok, since it's kind of fuzzy (which adds to it's bluesy authenticity, wouldn't you say?), here's a couple of hints: The Allman Brothers popularized one of his songs and Bob Dylan said that "no one can sing the blues like" him.
We're getting out the last couple of boxes of a massive, 30 box (2,500) used CD collection that was purchased recently, so there is a LOT to choose from.
Vinyl Fever is open from Noon until 7pm on Sunday. | |
07/23/08
Matt Nathanson Indie Store Exclusive In August
07/23/08
Tori Amos @ Amoeba
07/22/08
What's Hot This Week
07/18/08
A new look, SPORK @ Twist & Shout
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Hello all –
Twist & Shout is proud to announce the new look of our website and the launch of our blog, Spork.
With Spork, we hope to open up our world to you - the music lover- a little bit more. Inside Spork you will find opinions and reviews in the form of various blogs by Twisters like Sporkmeister (owner Paul Epstein), Nervenet (our manager Patrick Brown) and any other employee, local musician or scenester who has a real point of view. You will also have the ability to participate through a variety of forums on many musical, cultural and community subjects. We envision this growing and involving more and more people, increasingly reflecting our community. This will also dovetail with our upcoming download site: we are planning to sell downloads by year’s end, and we envision Spork as your entrée to that world as well.
Why Spork? Well, we thought long and hard about what to call this new function, and we thought we should come up with a word and an idea that suggested much and insisted on little. What can you do with a Spork? Not much, unless it is your only tool, then it is absolutely essential. It is equal parts genius innovation and silly whim. As we say around here:
“Soup or Steak, trust your Spork!”
Click the link below for your Spork.
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07/17/08
Tori Amos - Comic Book Signing
07/11/08
Raining In-Stores At Horizon In SC
07/11/08
Summer Discs DJs & Denver
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Well I guess there is no question that summer is here now. Some season was missing. I'm not sure if we never got spring, or if summer started late or what but now it feels like it is supposed to-hot. You�ll be glad to know we got our air conditioner serviced yesterday and it is frigidly comfortable at Twist. Lots going on. Starting on the 18th we are embarking on something we have talked about for a long time. Our Underground Sound Series will give the opportunity to local DJs to play live in our dance room. Colorado�s finest DJ's will spin from 6-8pm, playing everything from House to Hip-Hop on vinyl and CD (no MP3�s!). We are aiming to strengthen our connection with the Dance/Hip-Hop community and create a place where DJ's and customers alike can listen to some good music, make connections, know that they have a store that supports the local DJ community, and know that VINYL IS ALIVE and still here. We also have a bunch of sales going on this month. First we have the hilarious and provocative Eddie Izzard's work on sale in anticipation of his upcoming show on Monday. We are also having sales on two of our favorite labels: Anti and Sub Pop. Find scads of great albums on sale by artists like Devotchka, Neko Case, Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Band Of Horses, The Shins, Iron and Wine and much more. This is a great opportunity to fill in the gaps in some important artists� catalogs.
Also, the new album by Boulder band 3OH!3 is blowing up! I ran numbers today, and local rock and local rap are HUGE. Way bigger than they have ever been before for us. Nothing makes us feel like we are doing our job more than seeing some success in our local music sections. Thank you for that. Me? I'm still breathing heavy over the Stevie Wonder show recently. It lifted me off the ground about ten feet. Look for a longer review of the experience when we launch our blog next week-wow!
Have a great weekend and don�t forget the music.
See you in the aisles,
Paul Epstein | |
07/03/08
JULY 4th and 5th is VINYL FREEDOM FESTIVAL WEEKEND!
Horizon Records Greenville, SC
This means we are spinning nothing but good ole vinyl records all day Friday and Saturday. Yes we are OPEN JULY 4th. Feisty independent retailer that we are we will be here so you can come by and garb some tunes to make your holiday sound mo' better. Please stop by and show your solidarity with independent retail, take home some deals on used CDs, LPs, DVD movies, new releases, or just come by and check out what we drug out of the vintage vinyl stacks to spin.
YES we are open all day July 4th and 5th. Yes you can walk down or drive and park here and join the usual throngs that gather here each year on the corner to watch the fireworks downtown with out all the hassle of the mass crowds. Yes ALL OUR VARIOUS FREE CDs and some real nice FREEBIE VINYL items will be yours as a bonus with ANY PURCHASE. How good is that? Free stuff, air conditioning, all day vinyl noise, cheap movies, smiles and fireworks!
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07/02/08
Why Shop Local
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The Power of Choice (by Eric @ Criminal Records in Atlanta)
Every time you make a purchase, you're exercising power of choice.
The choice is yours. You have the power to strengthen and enrich your community.
Did You Know…
*For every two jobs national retailers bring to a community, three
jobs are lost as a result of local businesses closing down.
*When you shop locally-owned businesses, your money is re-circulated over and over and creates up to 75% more tax revenue to our community and state.
*Independent businesses raise the standard of living in your community because they take their profits and buy products and services from other local businesses, thus creating more and more tax revenues needed for the community to thrive.
*Millions of dollars of tax revenue subsidies handed to chains by financially-starved local governments drain even more tax revenue from our community and state.
*Blighted empty shopping areas are created in your community when chain stores re-locate to a more lucrative shopping center, or leave altogether. Literally hundreds of big stores are abandoned each year across the United States.
*Independent businesses are unique enterprises that contribute to the character of our community by offering a more diverse selections of goods and services.
*Independent businesses provide meaningful service with a personal touch. It matters to them that you are satisfied and will come back again.
*Carefully planned predatory pricing practices have allowed national chains to establish virtual monopolies as they drive local competition out of business. And then they raise their prices.
You can make a difference with a few simple steps
*Make a decision to find and patronize a locally-owned business, wherever possible.
*Dine at a local, independent restaurant and treat yourself to a unique and personal dining experience.
*When you shop online with out-of-state companies, it doesn't contribute a dime to the local economy. So check for locals who offer the same products, and some even deliver.
*Tell your associates, family, and friends what is happening and why. We all create our communities. Let's create strong and vibrant communities as a legacy for those who follow.
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07/01/08
TAKE THE PLEDGE...
06/30/08
Rose Hill Drive Rock Twist & Shout
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06/26/08
Vinyl Goodness
The following vinyl may be hard to find but it is worth knowing about and looking for!!!
Now available two new titles of the monumental new Blue Note one-sided 45rpm double 180gm reissue series from Music Matters. These must be the most painstakingly researched reissues ever, with no expense spared on mastering, artwork reproduction and both jacket and vinyl quality.
Let's start with the jackets - modeled after the most successful work from the Blue Note and Impulse! labels of the 50s and 60s. The Music Matters Definitive 45RPM Blue Note jackets are designed to last a lifetime, using ultra-durable extra thick cardboard stock and thick, luxurious lamination. In addition, Music Matters has obtained exclusive access to a treasure trove of over 30,000 original Blue Note session photos from Mosaic Images for use in this series. The gatefold opens to display these session photos in stunning high resolution - four times sharper than original Blue Note jacket photos. Many of these photos have never been seen by the public before, adding additional value to the package.
And now the sound - Mastered by Steve Hoffman, Kevin Gray and Ron Rambach from the original master tapes, these new releases sound as if, not just one, but several veils have been lifted from any previously available vinyl pressings, even the highly treasured deep groove mono originals, many of which were made (contrary to popular belief) , from stereo master tapes and summed to mono. Consequently they have more air, more detail and more sheer detail than the originals - they are truly revelatory.
These are limited worldwide to 2,500, and are exceptional in every way. Definitely worth the price of admission.
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06/24/08
THE MOTHERSHIP HAS LANDED!
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Yow-zer good people, all ye collectors of recorded music and Greenvillians this is a big week for of us in eclectic acoustic-rocking, NPR-sty-lee-WNCW-fm-listening land. I mean check the newness we got in from Ry Cooder, Big Blue Ball (Peter Gabriel's world wide pal sessions), Alejandro Escovedo, Amos Lee, G. Love, Sigur Ros, Greenville's own Edwin McCain gets his soul groove on, and a legendary 1973 Townes Van Zandt gem returns to print on CD. Oops, don't forget, how could I forget The Watson Twins debut on Vanguard Records. And yes we got a lot of all the good stuff on vinyl and speaking of vinyl we are prouder and of our sprawling vintage vinyl selection here. | |
06/24/08
West Seattle Says “Hello” to R.E.M.
Book Launch Party Celebrates Local Talent and Legendary Rock Band
West Seattle residents David Belisle and Corianton Hale will be joined by members of seminal rock band R.E.M. at Easy Street Records on Tuesday, June 24, to celebrate the release of their collaboration, “R.E.M.:HELLO” a new collection of photography published by Chronicle Books. R.E.M. co-founder and part-time Seattle resident Peter Buck will attend, along with touring band member Bill Rieflin.
R.E.M. has risen from cult college radio status to sell more than 100 million records worldwide and be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Released to coincide with their world tour and new album, “R.E.M.; HELLO” is a gorgeous photo book that captures the band on- and offstage with rare and intimate access for the first time.
David Belisle has photographed and traveled with R.E.M. for the past seven years; his dynamic images and insider’s perspective capture the band's performances, recording and video sessions, but also reveal its members in personal spaces that only the band and their closest friends inhabit. Handwritten captions by the band and an introduction by frontman Michael Stipe add context and insight to a must-have document for fans.
Belisle’s connection to the band came through his friendship with Bob Whitaker, a bond formed in West Seattle in the 1980s through their mutual love of punk and new wave. Whitaker later became R.E.M.’s tour manager and introduced Belisle to the band in 2001 as a potential photographer/assistant. Seven years later, Belisle is still touring with the band around the world, taking photos and handling all manner of responsibilities on the road.
It was another important personal and professional relationship that led David to his book’s designer, Corianton Hale. The two worked together frequently throughout Corianton’s six-year tenure at Seattle’s influential alternative weekly, The Stranger. After winning multiple awards for his work as Art Director on the newspaper, Corianton set out to broaden his horizons under his independent venture Sleep Op Projects, launched in 2006 with a focus on web and print. “R.E.M.:HELLO” marks his first book design.
Chronicle Books, is one of the most admired and respected publishing companies in the U.S., with a reputation for award-winning, innovative books. The company “continues to challenge conventional publishing wisdom, setting trends in both subject and format,” with many titles focusing on fine art in design, art, architecture, and photography. | |
06/23/08
'Guitar Hero,' 'Rock Band' soon playing Beatles?
06/20/08
Summer Soul-stice Reviews from Twist & Shout
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Nothing I’m going to review is particularly soulful but this weekend is the solstice so I wanted to make use of the gag. Speaking of summer though - Dennis Wilson’s lovely, lost album Pacific Ocean Blue has finally been reissued in an incredible deluxe package that includes bonus tracks and an entire second (unreleased) album called Bambu. Kind of a Holy Grail item for Beach Boys fans, the original issue has been selling on ebay for hundreds of dollars until this much-welcomed reissue. It also has a Colorado connection being recorded at the legendary Caribou Ranch in the bad old days.
And now for something completely different: guitar genius and composer James Blackshaw has released another album on the great Tompkins Square label called Litany of Echoes. If you are a fan of the kind of contemplative, technically stunning work that John Fahey or Sandy Bull produced, this instrumental album is right up your alley. Blackshaw favors long, spacious compositions that are perfect for meditation, study or active guitar-fetish listening. It is another piece in the puzzle of this complex and important artist.
Speaking of guitar players, I finally got around to listening to John McLaughlin’s latest album Floating Point and couldn’t help but marvel at the energy and chops this veteran still shows in all his playing. Stylistically, it is all over the place; Shakti style here, psych rock style there, scientific note supplier, smooth jazzer(!?) , but through it all Mclaughlin’s playing is never less than awe-inspiring.
Grateful Dead watch. Volume 3 of the new Road Trips series is in and it’s a doozy. Recorded in the Summer of ’71 it is a wonderful recording that boasts some really strong performances of classics like “Bird Song,” “That’s It For The Other One,” “Sugaree,” “Dark Star” and “Uncle John’s Band.” Throughout Phil Lesh is booming, and proves again and again why he is a one-of-a-kind bass player. The bonus disc that comes with it for a limited time includes a newly unearthed soundboard of the greatest ever version of Pigpen’s “Hard To Handle” (Hollywood Palladium 8-6-71).
Movie-wise, the bio-pic of Lon Chaney Sr. The Man Of A Thousand Faces starring the great James Cagney has finally been released on DVD. Probably not very accurate, and gussied up for Hollywood, the movie still made a huge impact on me as a youngster and set me off on a lifelong obsession with monster movies. I can’t wait to see it again. I also can’t wait to see Robert Plant and Alison Krauss at Red Rocks Saturday night. This should prove to be the show of the summer.
And don’t forget to come to see Rose Hill Drive next week as they celebrate the release of their new album (out the day before). They will play on Wednesday the 25th at 6pm. They are one of the most impressive, high- octane rock and roll bands to ever come out of Colorado.
See you in the aisles,
Paul Epstein
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06/18/08
Metallica @ Grimey's (Nashville)
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06/11/08
My Morning Jacket @ Ear X-tacy
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06/06/08
Walter Meego & Heineken?
06/04/08
A.I.M.S. Still Growing
Just got an e-mail from Eric Levin at A.I.M.S. coalition of independent stores, with good news as they grow their store base.
Here is part of the email.....
I'm very excited and proud to announce that we've just added six new members (with seven participating locations) to the AIMS roster.
In so doing, we're extremely proud of two main points. We've done more than simply invite these members to join our family, we've self-financed their participation. We've set aside enough money to purchase all the necessary hardware, from listening posts, video monitors, web-enabled kiosks, and point of sale software for Soundscan and Streetpulse reporting.
Step one was to empower the individual retailers, so that they can do what they're best at in their local markets, from releasing albums and promoting shows to hiring artists and musicians to bolster their local communities.
Step two directly addresses some of the troubles facing our own industry. We're very happy to announce that we will not be raising the price of our programs with the addition of these new stores, effectively driving down the co-op price per unit by a third.
As a group of independent businesses, we unanimously decided to make less money individually to empower a new wave of indie-retailers to succeed and grow in this struggling economy. Quite simply, five years on, every AIMS member is a better retailer and in a better position than before. We're honor-bound to share the wealth and experience.
We can think of no better way to put OUR money where our mouth is.
The new stores are:
52.5 Records in Charleston, SC
End of An Ear in Austin, TX
Guestroom Records in Norman and Oklahoma City, OK
Jack's Music Shoppe in Red Bank, NJ
Landlocked Music in Bloomington, IN
Slowtrain in Salt Lake City, UT
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05/28/08
Aimee Mann Web Cast from Amoeba
05/22/08
Park Ave Commercial (Very COOOOL)
05/21/08
Horizon Announces Economical Stimulus Program
05/17/08
Behind The Scenes: Streetlight Records (Zero Magazine)
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Behind the Scenes: Streetlight Records
by Jonny Manak
For many of us in the Bay Area, we grew up spending our lunch money at Streetlight Records, and for a lot of people that hasn’t changed. I remember the first time my brother took me to the old, smaller location in San Jose. It was packed with music enthusiasts much like Championship Records in the movie High Fidelity. I bought my first three records that day: A Kenny Logins Footloose 7” single, the first Suicidal Tendencies self-titled 12” and the Smurf Dance Rap 12” — a pretty eclectic mix for a kid in grade school. I remember flipping through all of the vinyl and cassettes (sorry kids, CDs didn’t exist yet) and thinking, “This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Now, over 20 years later, I’m typing about it. Interviewing Paige Brodsky, who’s managed the store for close to two decades, gives me the same feeling of walking into Streetlight Records for the first time. Music is magical!
Zero Magazine: How long have you been at Streetlight Records?
Paige Brodsky: Over 18 years, now. I started out at the two Streetlight stores in San Francisco, then worked my way down to San Jose about 13 years ago.
ZM: Can you remember the first time you walked into an independent record store? Do you have any fond memories that come to mind?
PB: I think the first time I walked into an independent record store was while I was in college in Columbia, South Carolina. There was this little shop near the campus called Papa Jazz that specialized in jazz, but had all sorts of other records, too. I distinctly remember the aroma of old LPs. It’s like perfume to me.
ZM: What records did you buy that day?
PB: I can’t remember what I bought that day, but I do remember what I bought the first time I walked into Streetlight. It was 1989, and I had just moved to San Francisco, from South Carolina. I went into the store on Market St., bought a John Mellencamp LP (Scarecrow) and asked if they had any job openings. It was quite a pleasant surprise when they said yes! The rest is history. Well, my job history, anyway.
ZM: What got you interested in music?
PB: An interest in radio is what actually led me to music. My first year in college, I got involved in the college radio station. I thought it would be interesting to learn about that medium, and to be a DJ. What I didn’t expect was to be introduced to a whole world of music that I knew nothing about and had never heard on commercial radio. Velvet Underground? It seemed an odd name to me, but it was just the beginning to a whole new music world.
ZM: There are four Streetlight locations currently: San Jose, Santa Cruz and two in San Francisco. When did the locations open? What’s the history of Streetlight?
PB: The oldest location is on 24th Street in Noe Valley in San Francisco, which opened in the mid-1970s. It was originally a used stereo component shop that slowly moved in the direction of records and away from stereos. Next came the San Francisco store on Market Street, then the tiny little space on South Bascom in San Jose. In 1992, the San Jose store moved down the street into a 10,000 square-foot building, which was quite a change. I remember thinking, “How will we ever fill this space with records and CDs?” Now what I think is, “How can we make more space for all these CDs, all those LPs and all of the DVDs? And we need more space for the video games!” Quite a change. In 1997, we opened our Santa Cruz location on the Pacific Garden Mall. That store has done really well, it being a music-oriented town and a tourist spot. (click the link below for the entire interview)
ZM: Five questions in five seconds. Ready? Go!
ZM: CD or Vinyl?
PB: CD for portability, but vinyl for artwork.
ZM: iPod or Zune?
PB: iPod.
ZM: The Rutles or Spinal Tap?
PB: Spinal Tap. Love Christopher Guest.
ZM: TV or books?
PB: Books, all the way.
ZM: Colored vinyl or black vinyl?
PB: Black vinyl. Traditional, ya know?
For the complete interview click on the link below. | |
05/16/08
Lou's $1 Sale Memorial Day Weekend
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05/15/08
What's HOT At Indie Music Stores
05/14/08
Top 50 Vinyl Chart
TOP 50 VINYL CHART
1 PORTISHEAD THIRD
2 NO AGE NOUNS
3 COSTELLO,ELVIS MOMOFUKU
4 METALLICA RIDE THE LIGHTNING
5 FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS
6 METALLICA KILL'EM ALL
7 RADIOHEAD IN RAINBOWS
8 SPOON GIRLS CAN TELL
9 MATMOS SUPREME BALLOON
10 SPOON SERIES OF SNEAKS
11 DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE I WILL POSSESS YOUR HEART
12 BLACK KEYS ATTACK & RELEASE
13 GNARLS BARKLEY ODD COUPLE
14 RATATAT SHILLER
15 MGMT ORACULAR SPECTACULAR
16 VAMPIRE WEEKEND VAMPIRE WEEKEND
17 BLACK KEYS BIG COME UP
18 LAST SHADOW PUPPETS AGE OF THE UNDERSTATEMENT
19 RACONTEURS CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY
20 WHISKEYTOWN STRANGERS ALMANAC
21 BLACK KEYS STRANGE TIMES
22 MAGNETIC FIELDS CHARM OF THE HIGHWAY STRIP
23 MOUNTAIN GOATS SUNSET TREE
24 DON'T STOP: RECORDING TAP DON'T STOP: RECORDING TAP
25 JUNO SOUNDTRACK
26 R.E.M. SUPERNATURAL SUPERSERIOUS
27 SPACEMAN,J./SUN CITY GIRLS MUSIC FROM A FILM BY HARMONY K
28 MCCARTNEY,PAUL AMOEBA'S SECRET
29 ANIMAL COLLECTIVE STRAWBERRY JAM
30 BLACK MOUNTAIN IN THE FUTURE
31 MAN MAN RABBIT HABITS
32 FOUR TET RINGER
33 NOBODY PRESENTS BLANK BLUE VOL. 2-WESTERN WATER MUSIC
34 SWORD GODS OF THE EARTH
35 WINWOOD,STEVE NINE LIVES
36 SMITH,ELLIOTT XO
37 TOKYO POLICE CLUB ELEPHANT SHELL
38 BADU,ERYKAH NEW AMERYKAH PART ONE
39 MORRISSEY GREATEST HITS
40 BAND OF HORSES CEASE TO BEGIN
41 PORTISHEAD MACHINE GUN
42 JOHNSON,JACK SLEEP THROUGH THE STATIC
43 PANDA BEAR PERSON PITCH
44 JACKSON,MICHAEL THRILLER-25TH ANNIVERSARY EDIT
45 ADAMS,RYAN EASY TIGER
46 R.E.M. ACCELERATE
47 NATIONAL BOXER
48 KINGS OF LEON BECAUSE OF THE TIMES
49 ATMOSPHERE WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU A LEMON YO
50 CONSTANTINES KENSINGTON HEIGHTS
CIMS Top 50 Vinyl chart by StreetPulse, Inc All Rights Reserved | |
05/02/08
Vinyl Fever (Tampa) Scores Vinyl
04/29/08
Elvis Costello Vistis Grimey's (pics)
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04/25/08
JP In NJ At VV
04/23/08
Record Store Day Wrap-Up #1
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Howdy,
Everyone. I would like to thank everyone in the independent record store
community including stores, artists, coalitions, labels, managers, agents,
distributors, bloggers, journalist, publicists, and customers for making
Record Store Day such an amazing success last Saturday.
I did so many interviews that my right ear fell off but it really amazed me
now convinced many journalist were that we were all closing up for good at
any second. The negative spin on physical retail had just become accepted.
But, I was hearing a different story from my CIMS partners. Yeah, everyone
has been nervous but business is happening every day and we should remind
everyone of that simple fact. That was the thinking behind Record Store Day.
Celebrate our existence. And man did it ever work. Many retailers reported
their biggest day of the year. Several retailers reported their biggest
sales day EVER. Artists played far and wide. Customers lined up at the door
at opening. Grab bags for everyone. 700 participating stores. Crazy.
The really big lesson for me was if you let the media tell your story and
they get it wrong, you have to do something to set it right. We managed to
do that on April 19th and it felt good.
Wait til next year! We will top it.
Don VanCleave
Coalition of Independent Music Stores | |
04/23/08
Record Store Day Wrap-Up #2
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Record Store Day far exceeded all of my expectations, locally, nationally, and internationally. It was truly incredible to be a part of this event. To work so closely with the smartest people in the room (I'm talking about my partners in CIMS, MMN, Value Music Group, and Newbury Comics) was a true honor. Even when we disagreed and argued, they were fun disagreements and arguments.
Locally, the Criminal Records event was the most fun I've ever had at my own record store. From a financial perspective, we enjoyed our largest one-day sales, an unexpected but delightful occurrence.
But on a spiritual level, this day provided much needed good karma to fuel me towards next year's event. This incredible day was without flaw, problem or hiccup, I'm so proud of my amazing staff, which went above and beyond the pale.
We had fifteen bands, everyone started on time (or close to it) and no egos were bruised in the process. We gave away over 1,700 beers and all of our free goods plus enough pizza, weenies, and bottled water to feed an entire neighborhood of party-goers.
My hope is that the other record stores had as good a day. At final tally, we had over 700 participating stores from across the world. Hmm, seems like I read somewhere that the music industry was in trouble. Whatev.
Here's some juicy commentary from some of your AIMS friends and other Record Store Day participants:
Eric Levin (Criminal Records/CIMS) | |
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Shake It Records
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ End Of An Ear
"Record Store recap: Our sales were up 70% from the Saturday of last year, lots of new faces, and we were part of the Austin Record Store crawl which included 13 Austin record stores: Antone's, Backspin, Cheapo's, DJ Dojo, Encore, End of an Ear, Friends of Sound, Music Mania, Sound on Sound, Trailer Space, Waterloo and Whetstone Audio. We all joined forces for a full page ad in the Chronicle (see here). We had two in-stores: The Shackletons and Nic Armstrong.
Thanks for all the goodies that were all sent in which were all grabbed up! A special thanks to Merge for the Destroyer/Wye Oak splits 7" - they were a big hit, and to Kelli at Fontana for the pizzas which were all devoured in under 15 mins."
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04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Sonic Boom
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Jack's Music
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"Here is the recap from Record Store Day in conjunction to the pictures. Record Store Day was a huge success for Jack's Music. Throughout the entire day, people where coming in off the streets of Red Bank, stopping in and browsing around the store. With every purchase made, the front counter handed out Record Store Day bags that contained free goodies provided by different music vendors. Funk and Standard was gracious enough to give us about 100 bags to place the items in, along with other bags from different record companies. Zebu of Red Bank provided free coffee throughout the entire day to customers and employees. At 1pm, The Parlor Mob entered Jack's and began to set-up for their in-store performance. They turned the Sheet Music Department into a wonderful set...as they proceeded to get ready to perform, Jack's started to get packed with people: fans of the band, some of the band members family and just random people passing by outside; wanting to figure out what could be going on. By 2:30pm The Parlor Mob started playing. The amount of people was spectacular. Over 100 people had packed the aisles of the Sheet Music Department and crowded the stairway leading up to it. The Parlor Mob graced Jack's Music and their fans with 6 crowd pleasing songs. They played for a little over a half hour. Around 3:15pm their set ended, but people where STILL coming in off the streets to catch a glimpse of what was happening inside the store! Even after they broke down and started on their way out, customers kept asking employees who they where and what had just happened! The store remained pretty packed there-after! The Parlor Mob was invited back for Street Day on May 6th, and will be setting up for a signing of their album. All in all, Record Store Day was amazing and we're looking forward to doing it again next year!" | |
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Grimey's
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Galaxy CDs
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"Just a quick note on the day, it exceeded our wildest expectations. Turnout on Saturday was terrific, lots of new faces, and old friends we hadn't seen in a while that stopped in just to say congratulations on hangin' in there if nothing else. Freebies were gone with a lot of hours left in the day, and I had managed to grab enough stuff on my own to have probably 40 extra bags.
Sales wise it was kind of a mixed bag. Saturday itself was the 6th biggest day in our history, and second biggest non-December day, just behind Eminem's Curtain Call release day. Unfortunately it was sandwiched by the second worst Friday and third worst Sunday of 2008. Not completely unexpected I guess. The total weekend was up about 40% over normal. Haven't had a chance to figure out with the ad costs and discounting and free food if it was hella profitable or not, but the true test will be what the next few weeks and months hold. Was this a one time blast, or did we do enough for the people who came to see us to keep them coming? Time will tell.
I'll be curious to hear how other stores did, I'm guessing it will have been a smashing success. Thanks to everyone that put this together, and to the labels for stepping up with the goodies. Good show!" | |
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ 52.5 Records
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Slowtrain
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Sound Fix
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Criminal Records
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04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Boo Boo
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04/23/08
Record Store Day @ The Record Exchange
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Thank your RX Friends for making Record Store day a TREMENDOUS success!!! We look forward to next year's 2nd Annual RSDay.
Special thanks to Doug Martsch & Brett Netson, Kris Doty, Jeremiah James band, Soul Groovement break-dancers, DJ Kitsune, Curtis Stigers & Amy O'Brien, Big J and Nic of The X, Tim Johnstone and Ken Bass from The River, Amy Atkins, Carl Scheider, Travis & Ali Ward, Vinyl Preservation Society, Think Boise First, and Pie Hole Pizza! | |
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04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Disc Exchange
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Record Store Day Recap:
Wow. Thanks to everyone who came to the Disc Exchange last Saturday and made the first annual Record Store Day an overwhelming success!! I got the opportunity to talk to many of you, and enjoyed sharing your record store shopping experiences. The culture, and personal interaction is what makes the independent record store such a unique and irreplaceable experience. Many of us discussed the fact that you will NEVER be able to download events like last Saturday, or intimate live in-store performances, or conversations with fellow music enthusiasts, or friendly personal service from the music geek behind the counter. Amazon may have a computer program that tracks your purchases and give you "suggestions" about what you may like, but I'd rather take the advice of the guy/girl who really KNOWS what and to whom they're selling than big brother's impersonal marketing tools. Although the times and technology have changed, the experience and environment of the independent record store still lives here at the Disc Exchange. Seeing all of you this weekend proved just that. Thanks again to Matthew Ryan, Econopop, Dishwater Blonde, Medford's Black Record Collection, Quartjar, and Garage Deluxe for providing entertainment all day long, and EVERYONE who helped us celebrate an institution that we hope never dies, the local independent record store.
Keep it local,
Knathan Halliburton
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04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Vintage Vinyl NJ (Video)
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Vintage Vinyl NJ (Video 2)
04/23/08
Record Store Day @ Fingerprints
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