The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Tayside record shops in a spin over vinyl day event
Limited edition releases available during celebration of independent stores
Music shops in Tayside are set for their biggest day of the year this weekend.
The 11th annual Record Store Day (RSD) offers music lovers a chance to snap up some limited edition releases in a celebration of independent music shops.
This year’s ambassadors are rap duo Run the Jewels and records by the Rolling Stones, Sun Ra, Tom Waits and the Wipers are just some that will feature.
Matthew Marra, manager of Assai Records in Broughty Ferry, said it is “like another Christmas for us” as the store prepares for its third RSD.
“It’s the biggest day of the year for us,” he said. “We’re expecting it to be even bigger for us this year as more people are finding out about the shop.
“Last year the queues started at around 5am and we expect it to be about the same. We will open a bit earlier, around 8am, for them.
“It’s a good day and we’ll have live music, a quiz and some giveaways. There is always a great atmosphere with people talking about music and celebrating independent shops.”
Matthew said one of the most sought after items will be by the Waterfront, the band that would become the Stone Roses.
“Releases like that are good because they are in the spirit of RSD,” he added. “There will also be things by the usual big names like David Bowie and U2.
“We particularly like to celebrate some of the Scottish output like Django Django, Mogwai, Lewis Capaldi and Karine Polwart.”
The store has released an album by indie pop singer-songwriter Brownbear on their own label, Assai Records, to tie in with the day. The Glasgow-based singer will be performing live in store as will Edinburgh-based Broken Records.
Concorde Music Shop in Perth are also expecting a busy day.
Gary Smith, who runs the familyowned business with wife Hazel and son Craig, said: “Plenty people travel to us from quite a distance and a few have already told us that they will be travelling and staying overnight in Perth for it.
“It is a big day and keeps getting bigger and bigger. A lot of people will have got a record player for Christmas, for example, so that will be even more new customers.
“In previous years the queues have started at about 2am or 3am and then a few more at around 5am.
“By the time we open at 8am there is a fair queue there.”
Staff at Le Freake, which opened in November on Dundee’s Perth Road, are preparing for their first RSD.
Tom Le Feuvre, who runs the shop with brother Jack, said: “We’ve got a lot of stock for it and we’ve been saving money to get stock because we know it will be busy. There are some really rare releases. We have some things that have only been pressed 200 times so that means we have one of only 200 records in the world.”
It will be a special day for This Way Up, as RSD marks its first anniversary.
Directors Matt Storey and Angelina Pemdova opened for last year’s day at a pop-up shop in Dundee West Church in Perth Road. They have since secured a permanent shop on Perth Road.
“We will have lots of vinyl and cassettes coming in,” Matt said. “It’s a really nice way to celebrate our first anniversary.”
Dundee DJ duo Reckless Kettle will be in store to provide music and there will be an after party at George Orwell Public House in the evening.
The current fashion for all things retro shows no sign of abating. Today, vinyl will once again be celebrated as part of the 11th annual Record Store Day. People are very quick to adapt to new technologies, but for many of a certain age when they want to get in the groove it seems there will never be anything to compare with the crackle of an authentic record.