Independent music shops in Bristol expect influx of fans on Record Store Day
INDEPENDENT music shops across Bristol are expecting an influx of fans tomorrow when they open their doors for Record Store Day.
In-store gigs and exclusive vinyl record releases are being staged as part of a national event to support the traditional record shop in the face of the download culture. Up to 400 artists, including Coldplay and Kate Bush, are issuing unique releases for the day that will only be available over the counter and not online.
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In the Galleries shopping centre Head, which is believed to be the UK's biggest independent record shop, is preparing for crowds.
Manager Paul Tatlow said: "We will have queues around the block in the morning and live bands and DJs in the store.
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"We get excited about being a part of it. It is about musicians taking back some ownership of their work and how it is used and bought."
As well as selling the limited edition releases the shop will have DJs playing throughout the morning and four live bands playing from 2pm.
Downloads – both legal and illegal – and online streaming have hit record shops hard. Some big name chains have disappeared and of about 900 independent record shops that were in business in the UK six years ago, fewer than 300 are trading now.
But the Head record store has been riding on the wave of a revival in vinyl since it opened three years ago. "There is a bit of snobbery and it's a bit of an elitist format," admits Mr Tatlow, 38, from Speedwell. "But at the end of the day these are our people and they speak the same language as us and that format is keeping it alive for them. It's a very tactile format and that is where the romance lies."
Music fans queued outside Rise record shop in Clifton from 5am last year and manager Andy Haddon, 39, is expecting more crowds tomorrow.
He said: "It's the biggest day of the year for us."
Rise will be playing host to local live bands and DJ sets from 10am.
Comments
by ceembee
Friday, April 20 2012, 7:55PM
“It's not just about vinyl it's also about the independent record shops and how important they are in ensuring that a wide-ranging choice of music in various formats remains available in the teeth of the anodyne offerings sold in supermarkets and the last remaining chain HMV.”
by PJB_1972
Friday, April 20 2012, 3:56PM
“Queue's around the block? Really?
Vinyl is just a niche these days and it'll end up going the same way as video cassettes soon. There's always some anorak who clings onto the past and claims it is in some way 'better'! And don't they like to bang on about it...”