Chicago, IL | Chicago’s Miyagi Records broken into, records stolen: The Washington Park store confirmed that the records have since been returned. Chicago’s Miyagi Records was robbed earlier this week. The Washington Park store broke the news on Instagram on Monday, April 5th, revealing that five boxes of records and the cash register were stolen during the break-in. The post also included CCTV footage of the incident. Miyagi then published a second post the following day, confirming that the records have since been returned thanks to Chicago house veteran Emanuel Pippin. “Long story short, the thief did exactly as expected by trying to offload at a nearby shop, and Manny was right there on the spot,” the post read. “For all those asking how they can help, you already did just by offering. Knowing that this little shop has the support of so many has made these last 24 hours go by a hell of a lot easier. Thank you all again and again.”
Dallas, TX | Good Records Co-Founder Chris Penn’s Memorial Set for White Rock Lake: ‘Dress code is whatever you would like, but Dickies coveralls are strongly encouraged,’ wrote Penn’s wife Jenn. Chris Penn’s friends, colleagues and loved ones will have an opportunity to come together to pay their respects to the Good Records co-founder and beloved member of the music community who passed away last month. Penn’s wife, Jennifer, shared information on her Instagram about a public memorial at Winfrey Point, located at White Rock Lake, on Thursday, May 15. “We will be memorializing Chris, aka ‘The Master of Ceremonies,’ on Thursday, May 15, from 5 p.m.-Sunset at Winfrey Point (White Rock Lake),” Jenn wrote. “Parking is extremely limited, so we ask that you Uber or Lyft to the location. Dress code is whatever you would like, but Dickies coveralls are strongly encouraged.” She also shared that the memorial would be streaming live for people who can’t make it.
Pharr, TX | The record store that resurrects Rio Grande Valley’s lost grooves: In the middle of the 20th century, the South Texas border region became the epicenter of influential, international musical styles. Labels like Falcon Records, in the farming community of McAllen, and Rio Grande Music Company, in San Benito, the birthplace of Texas music legend Freddy Fender, put on vinyl genres that mixed musical styles from across Mexico with those of local performers and European immigrants. There flourished Tejano Conjunto, small groups that prominently feature the button accordion from central Europe and the bajo sexto, a stringed instrument popular in Mexico that provides a bass line. There sprouted the orquestas tejanas, larger groups that incorporate horn sections. And there took root norteño, a blend of genres with a more prominent bass and percussion. …Then vinyl records started to fall out of favor. The original recordings of culturally important musicians disappeared into garages and attics.
Waynesville, NC | Full circle: Astro Record Store opens in Waynesville: One recent afternoon, while wandering the Historic Frog Level District in Waynesville, the sounds of hard rock act AC/DC drifted out the front door of 24 Commerce St. The retro sign on the window states Astro Record Store. The friendly face behind the counter is Kevin “Lippy” Mawby. “There’s enjoyment and there’s convenience,” Mawby said. “As things become more and more convenient, I think people look for ways to invest their time and find enjoyment.” One of those ways is collecting and listening to vinyl records. Once disregarded as dusty, scratched relics of a bygone era in the music industry, the tangible, yet incredibly intrinsic product that is an actual record has roared back to life over the last decade. “The thing about these records—Led Zeppelin, Queen, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac—they’re all supremely well-recorded,” Mawby said. “And you absorb those records—you listen instead of just hearing.”
Eugene, OR | Vinyl Revival: How records are thriving in Eugene’s digital age: In a digital era dominated by streaming apps, where consumers have access to millions of songs at the tap of their fingertips, vinyl records have made an unexpected resurgence. Music lovers across the country are rediscovering the joy of analog sound, and Eugene is no exception. Among the city’s bustling music scene, House of Records and Moon Rock Records have become essential stops for collectors, proving that vinyl is far from a relic of the past. Vinyl lovers can also get their fix at The TOP SCORE Record Show at Level Up Arcade, Sunday, June 1. For many, vinyl records offer an escape from the passive listening experience of streaming. The practice of placing a record on a turntable, flipping it over and listening to an album all the way from start to finish enables listeners to form a deeper connection with the music compared to the simplified listening session one would have through Spotify or Apple Music.
Melbourne, AU | For the record: Melbourne’s Greville Records named among world’s best vinyl stores: This Prahran store has been giving Melburnians their music fix since 1979. When it comes to top-notch record stores, Melbourne is a true treasure trove. So when the UK’s Financial Times dropped its global list of the world’s greatest record stores, we were chuffed (but not surprised) to see one of our city’s own holding court alongside some of the best of the best. Music-loving Melburnians will know this cult fave all too well. We’re talking about the one and only Greville Records—a local music institution that’s been fuelling Melbourne’s vinyl obsession for over four decades. It’s a bonafide crate-digger’s haven. As its name suggests, it’s located on Greville Street (just off Chapel Street) in inner city Prahran and has been around since 1979.
London, UK | Vinyl has infiltrated my local pub, and even the West Ham fans agree it is a match made in heaven: Turns out crate digging and a pint of IPA pair surprisingly well. There’s no two ways about it – physical media, vinyl especially, is back in vogue. It feels like every week we write about the revived record, whether it’s a story on vinyl’s record-breaking sales or a cool new special edition record we “need”, or a feature on why we love the format so much. Based on my last round of interviews with record store owners (and going by the fanfare shown on TikTok), it is also clear that young people are showing an increased interest in vinyl, which is no bad thing. But last weekend, I had a fantastic experience that demonstrates the phenomenon at a local level. Specifically, at a pop-up shop appearing at my local pub in north east London, The Forest Tavern.
Berlin, DE | Wax Works Berlin celebrated the physicality and craft of analogue recording: …The excitement was palpable. For the last 12 hours, a team of 20 plus people had been engaged in the labour-intensive multi-stage process of creating a vinyl record – from recording, to mastering and cutting the acetate. Now, the final product was ready to be played. The lacquer, which had been cut across the hallway, was paraded into Bar Neiro, the high-spec audiophile bar attached to Analogue Foundation’s Brewery Studios, where the aforementioned recording session had taken place. What ensued was a moment of collective reflection and, for many, release at what had been achieved in the one-day timeframe. A celebratory moment, but also an affirmation of the values that underpin the analogue recording process that sat at the core of the Berlin Wax Works project. The work in question being a multi-instrumental series of jazz-indebted vocal explorations.
IE | 10 record fairs taking place in Northern Ireland this summer vinyl hunters should check out: Vinyl hunters takes note—here’s where in Northern Ireland you could pick up that ‘crown jewel’ of your collection. Vinyl remains the format of choice for many physical music collectors, as the once ‘dead’ medium continues its 21st-century resurgence. For some collectors, this means a payday trip to a local record store or one of the major musical retailers in Northern Ireland. For others—the more dedicated enthusiasts—weekends are spent trawling through crates in church halls or at market stalls. Eager to find a rare 7-inch single or that bootleg live album that should never have been released, record fairs have become more than just places to buy and sell records. They’ve also evolved into communities for sharing knowledge and offering collecting advice. So, where should locals head to browse someone else’s collection?
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