Local, national and global record stores are preparing for their busiest day of the year that will rally record-lovers from across the nation into their local independent record stores.
According to the official Record Store Day website, Record Store Day was created to spread the word and celebrate the uniqueness of the culture behind record collecting.
“It’s like our own private Christmas,” Sam Lowe, owner of Sullivan Records said. “I see all of my customers that day.”
Sullivan Records will open their doors early Saturday morning to the crowds of record collectors, lovers and friends; Sullivan’s will end this “holiday” with a live performance by a local band.
Record Store Day offers record-lovers a chance to find limited edition records only sold at independent record stores on this one day out of the entire year.
Ceramics art major Kelsie Tyson said that her first record store day was awesome. Tyson said she found a limited edition of a “Real Friends” record that was full of great music.
Tyson said music played through records sounds much better than other new-aged forms of playing music.
“The music I listen to, if its current or older, sounds much clearer,” Tyson said. “Its like a nice nostalgic way to relax and listen to my favorite bands and records.”
Owner of Budget Tapes and Records Dave Pope said that this day is the biggest day for the company and his customers.
“It’s like the super bowl for vinyl,” Pope said. “It’s a very big day.”
Pope said many different stores across the nation do different things for their customers on Record Store Day.
Budget Tapes and Records will give 10-12 live and local bands the opportunity to debut some of their musical hits on this year’s Record Store Day.
Budget will also open its doors two hours early, offering record-lovers more time to browse through some of the limited edition records that will be released for a one-day only debut.
“Come by for the excitement, come out and see what it is all about,” Pope said.
Pope said that if you’ve never been to a Record Store Day, this would be the day that you would want to stop into your local record store and check it out.
Stores across the nation will be filled with what Pope likes to call “Vinyl Junkies” all day long.
Local record stores including, but not limited to, Sullivan Records, Budget Tapes and Records and Now Hear This will all be celebrating this nationally promoted event.
The idea of Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 and will be observed Saturday across the nation.
Darius Booker can be contacted at [email protected].