UK | More than half of men and a third of women have collections on the go—survey. Books, jewelry, watches, and vinyl records were among the items that people said they collected, NFU Mutual said. More than two-fifths (44%) of people consider themselves to be collectors, with Gen Z adults particularly likely to have a collection on the go, a survey suggests. Men are more likely to be collectors than women, at 55% compared with 33%, according to NFU Mutual. Books, jewellery, watches and vinyl records are among the items that people said they collect, with some also saying they collect cryptocurrency, the research found. Seven in 10 (71%) Gen Z adults (born after 1996) and more than half (51%) of Millennials (born from 1981 to 1996) said they collected items highlighted in the survey, making them more likely to do so than the 35% of Gen X (born from 1965 to 1980) and 29% of Baby Boomers (born from 1946 to 1964) surveyed.
Leeds, UK | New electronic music record store opens in Leeds: Leeds has welcomed a new destination for electronic music fans with the launch of a specialist record store dedicated to dance music culture. The new space is a collaboration between vinyl retailer Plant & Deck and local institution Peppermint Records, bringing together carefully curated new releases, second-hand records and community-focused events under one roof. Located on the top floor of Doghouse Bar and Bagel Shop on Kirkgate, directly opposite Tribe Records, the store aims to become a hub for vinyl collectors and DJs alike.
Point Reyes Station, CA | Loose Joints Records spins into fifth year: Dylan Squires drops the needle onto side two of Albert King’s “Blues at Sunrise,” an album perched atop a small wooden shelf with hand-painted sky-blue lettering that reads: Playing Now. When customers are in his record store, he says, there is never any dead air. At Loose Joints Records, the Point Reyes Station shop he co-owns with Brian Ojalvo, two turntables are always spinning; when one record fades out, another disc starts up immediately. Audiophiles instantly appreciate the gear humming behind the counter. A vintage Altec tube amp paired with a set of sought-after Klipsch speakers pour out warm, three-dimensional tone as if a band is playing in the room. Finely tuned details and a carefully cultivated atmosphere have been the focus for the business partners since they opened in 2021 as West Marin’s first and only record shop.
Manchester, UK | Inside the new Northern Quarter cafe where you can test vinyl before you buy it—sip on espresso or natural wine as you browse: Onsite Records combines a barista station with custom listening booths, letting customers sample everything from dubstep to disco over a flat white. A new space combining a record store, coffee shop, and wine bar has opened in the Northern Quarter. Started by two friends, Onsite Records is designed as a hybrid hangout for music lovers, featuring dedicated listening stations where visitors can test records on turntables before deciding to buy them. The shop stocks a wide variety of vinyl across multiple genres, including dedicated sections for drum and bass, dubstep, downtempo, and disco.
Ariana Grande holding global ‘petal’ record release parties: Independent record stores across the globe will be holding special record release parties to mark the release of Ariana Grande’s new album, petal. Her official account posted a list of all the stores that are participating, which includes nearly every state in the U.S., as well as stores in Canada, the U.K., Europe, Japan and New Zealand. The events run from July 31 through Aug. 2, so you have to contact your local store to find out the time and date. Many stores will also be offering giveaways, exclusive merch and vinyls. One store in Long Island, New York, will also be offering a “limited menu of Ariana-inspired matcha drinks.”
Bristol, UK | Five record shops and a beer factory: how Grandmas House are marking their debut album. Ahead of the album, Grandmas House host a free listening party at Bristol Beer Factory on July 31st, with branded beer cans and a meet-and-greet with mascot The Headless Man. Bristol band Grandmas House have released ‘Blue Oblivion’, the final single before their debut album Baby You’re A Winner, due August 21st on Brace Yourself Records. …Alongside the single, Grandmas House have announced a UK in-store tour, opening at Banquet Records in Kingston on the album’s release day and taking in Vinilo in Southampton, Truck in Oxford, Jacaranda in Liverpool and Vinyl Whistle in Leeds, before a hometown date at Rough Trade in Bristol on August 27.
SG | I found Singapore’s cosiest vinyl listening session—here’s what it’s like: Softerfields moves between venues and community spaces—the next session is July 24. I now know more about Jimi Hendrix than I ever did before, all thanks to a recent event I attended at Softerfields – a sanctuary for music lovers and the culturally curious. Founded by JJ and operating on an ad hoc basis, Softerfields is a gathering space that’s not defined by a single purpose. Instead, it’s an indulgence in culture as a whole. One day, you might find yourself deep-diving into the discography of a legendary artist; another, you’re swapping recommendations with fellow music lovers over a listening session and some grub. Whether you’re here to discover new sounds outside of the internet, learn the stories behind the records, or experience a different side of Singapore’s cultural landscape, Softerfields welcomes it all.
Reno, NV | Have a cocktail in the 1970s at California Avenue’s newest bar, The Living Room: Stepping into The Living Room feels like walking onto the set of That ’70s Show or into your grandparents’ living room. Translation: They kind of nailed the aesthetic. As someone who grew up on The Loving Cup, it was interesting to see the new digs. I could piece together what had been where before, but the truth is, The Loving Cup is gone, and The Living Room wasn’t a quick facelift to get up and running. Instead, the bar really redid the tired aesthetic and committed to the theme.
Beat’s Bizarre Adventure: Record Journey brings us together. …Record Journey is a non-linear, globe-trotting, time-hopping anthology of stories centered on music and connection. While there are clever links between each story, you don’t need them to get a full experience. The first adventure focuses on a group of women, one of which inherited a collection of records from her grandfather after he died. Together they try to track down the origin of a foreign record bearing the same name as one of them. The second adventure is set in a nebulous eastern country on the communist side of the Iron Curtain…
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