On April 17, the historic Trocadero Theatre in Chinatown will play host to the first showing in the country of the documentary showcasing the roller-coaster ride facing independent record stores.
Year after year, the headlines seem to repeat themselves: despite an overall decline in music sales, vinyl record sales are on the rise. For well over a decade now, the music industry has struggled to keep up with the changing times, and thus, its growth has suffered greatly, yet somehow the sale of physical records increases.
The documentary Last Shop Standing delves into just this: how local, independent stores far and wide have managed to keep a steady course despite contemporary hardships and economic decline.
Just days before local shops around the world partake in the yearly celebration of vinyl records and independent record stores known as Record Store Day, the Trocadero Theatre will host a special showing of Last Shop Standing. It will mark the debut for the film in the United States. The movie has already made its way around Europe, garnering rave reviews from critics. Mark Searby of MTV UK called it “an essential watch,” and Stevie Chick of MOJO described it as “punchy and engaging.”
Predominantly among indie and punk genres, bands with new releases often offer downloads in tandem with vinyl versions. Such has been a trend for years now, with more and more bands catching on. Labels are offering special limited-run pressings in exclusive colors for die-hard collectors. Northeast Pennsylvania hardcore-punk band Title Fight made headlines last October when limited copies of their latest album Floral Green went on eBay for upwards of $25,000- $50,000 dollars. The copies were limited to 150 pressings and hand-numbered by the band themselves.
(Infographic courtesy of vnylst.com. Information based on Neilsen Scoundscan and is for tracked records only.)
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), as detailed in their latest report, record sales in 2012 were the highest they have been since 1997, coming in at $177 million. Neilson Soundscan, which only quantifies sales in the US, recorded a 17.7% increase from 2011 to 2012.
However, these impressive numbers do not always spell success for independent shops. Last Shop Standing estimates that over 500 stores have closed in the last few years alone and examines the struggle of brick and mortar stores to keep up with an increasing number of digital outlets like Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify.
The screening of Last Shop Standing begins at 8:30PM, and tickets are $5. In conjunction with Record Store Day, the cost of admission comes with a $5 coupon for any one of the five stores participating in the celebration in the greater Philadelphia area. These stores include Main Street Music, Sit & Spin Records, Hideaway Music, Gold Million Records, and Beautiful World Syndicate. Additionally, free passes to the screening will be given out to select customers between April 8 and April 17.
All of these stores, as well as others in the area, can be found using the TVD Record Store Locator App for iTunes or Google Play.
For an interesting and unique look at the story behind the small, independent, mom-and-pop stores, as well as their culture, be sure to get yourself down to 10th and Arch in Chinatown to catch Wednesday’s screening of Last Shop Standing.
