Record Store Day 2014: Preview

VINYL is an excellent example of mankind’s inescapable irrationality and hankering for romance in materialism.

Vinyl is dated, expensive, impractical, immobile, overly large, fragile and often gives off a grainy sound that’s riddled with scratches and skips, yet it remains an enduring favourite from the past with sales of the format at a fifteen year high.

Last but not least, trendy basement venue Soup Kitchen is holding its third annual Record Store Day showcase featuring eccentrics Naked (On Drugs) and Brown Brogues amongst others.

Perhaps this irrational love of vinyl is best summarised by Punk godfather Johnny Rotten: “I hate the technological rip-offs that pass for music formats these days, and go back to vinyl to hear a good record because the sound is always so much fuller. I don't even like listening to music in the car.” But then he's too busy rubbing himself with butter to listen to any music these days.

If you’re like Johnny Rotten (and God forbid you're not) and find CDs, mp3s, mp4s and C3POs musical sacrilege, then you’re in luck as Record Store Day is dusting itself off for a return on Saturday 19 April.

Vinyl

The global event, started in Baltimore in 2007, is billed as:

'A day for the people who make up the world of the record store - the staff, the customers and the artists - to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role these independently owned stores play in their communities.'

With a rich musical heritage and a smattering of cherished record stores Manchester is an ideal candidate to make the most of the one day event, obliging with a selection of musical treats throughout the day.

Eastern Bloc Records (Stevenson Sq, Northern Quarter), X Records (Bridge St, Bolton), Beatin' Rhythm Records (Tib St, Northern Quarter) and Piccadilly Records (Oldham St, Northern Quarter) will be flying the independent flag for Greater Manchester this year.

Each store will be stocking a selection of the 608 exclusively limited Record Store Day releases. Last year queuing commenced outside Piccadilly Records the night before so arrive early, very early, to avoid disappointment.

The records on offer will range from One Direction to Oasis and re-issues to new releases. Eye-catchers this year being a new album from the Pixies, Joy Division’s An Ideal for Living EP, a mysterious David Lynch recording and two new singles from Modfather Paul Weller.

Beyond hipsters and mothballed collectors scrapping over an uninteresting Bob Dylan record, Manchester will host a variety of independent music inspired events.

Piccadilly Records, fresh from accommodating Charlatan’s frontman Tim Burgess in March for a special acoustic set, will be working in conjunction with NQ bar Common to provide live sets from bands Songs for Walter, Withered Hand, Dinner Party, Nev Cottee, Holy Mountain and Smoke Fairies. If those acts don’t tickle your alternative ear then there will DJ sets throughout the day to keep you bobbing along.

Elsewhere, The Deaf Institute has a showcase of Manchester’s best independent acts, including SWAYS associates Ghost Outfit, Francis Lung and The Louche, while the Ruby Lounge is celebrating the forgotten members of Factory Records with sets from Section 25, Crispy Ambulance and, erm, Minny Pops (remember them?)

Deaf Institute

Last but not least, trendy basement venue Soup Kitchen is holding its third annual Record Store Day showcase featuring eccentrics Naked (On Drugs) and Brown Brogues amongst others.

Record Store Day is a celebration of all things musical independent, and while Vinyl may be wholly impractical in this day and age, but is there a better feeling than discovering that last elusive 7” German mispressing of the Smith’s Panic hidden in a dusty record store? No. Until you realise it's permanently stuck on the opening 5 seconds.