Celebrate Record Store Day 2018 In Brooklyn
Record Store Day, the annual celebration of independent record stores, returns for a tenth year this Saturday, April 21, and over a dozen shops in Brooklyn are hosting special events including live performance, DJ sets, and special releases.
Founded in 2007, Record Store Day celebrates the culture surrounding record shops and is now celebrated across the world, according to the Record Store Day website. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional items are made each year exclusively for Record Store Day. Check out Brooklyn Vegan for the massive list of Record Store Day 2018 exclusive releases.
Though started to promote small music businesses, some argue that shoppers should spend their money at independent record shops regularly—not just one day a year—and that major labels and bands have hijacked the annual grassroots event to promote themselves.
This Record Store Day, East Williamsburg’s Superior Elevation (100 White Street) will celebrate its three year anniversary from 4pm to 8pm with John Gomez who will be spinning in NYC for the first time.
Rough Trade (64 North 9th Street, Williamsburg) is hosting a free show starting at noon featuring Bambara, Chris Stamey, Wooing, Titus Andronicus, and The Shacks and will be offering more than 500 Record Store Day exclusives, giveaways, and more.
Vinyl Fantasy (194 Knickerbocker Avenue, Bushwick) will be participating on Saturday as well—just don’t ask them about it.
Halcyon (74 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg) will host a twelve-hour celebration from 10am to 10pm with a lineup of DJs featuring thejass, rrao, Jacques Renault, Nik Mercer, DJ Spooky, and many more. The venue also features a full bar and cafe.
Record Grouch (986 Manhattan Avenue, Greenpoint) will be promoting select Record Store Day titles as well as non-Record Store Day releases. The shop will also host a performance by Currituck Co.
As this annual event grows more problematic, we’re focusing on what matters most: our community & those mentors, artists, labels and the DIY-distro that inform it. We’ll champion select RSD-titles, celebrate with a roll-out of unique non-RSD titles, & a live Currituck Co. set pic.twitter.com/5SZ1Nqq4pu
— Record Grouch (@RecordGrouch) April 18, 2018
Earwax Records (167 North 9th Street, Williamsburg) will also have lots of special Record Store Day releases available.
Threes Brewing (333 Douglass Street, Gowanus) is joining in on the Record Store Day fun by presenting the Independent Grand Pop-Up Shop No. 6 from 12pm to 11pm on Saturday.
Exclusive and limited vinyl releases will be available from local and international labels including rarities from Sure Shot Records, Razor-N-Tape, Frederiksberg Records, and Discos de Peru. There will also be DJ sets and a live performance by Combo Lulo.
Check out recordstoreday.com to find other participating shops in Brooklyn.