Oshawa, ON | More ‘sweet,’ less bitter as Oshawa gives proper send-off to music scene’s biggest booster: The community came out this month to thank a true community builder in downtown Oshawa and say goodbye, though the object of all that affection insisted he’s not going anywhere. Can a business be called ‘iconic’ if it has been in the same spot for just three years? Maybe not, but the crusty Irishman with the heart of gold who runs the place—or did until a week or so ago—certainly fits the description, 42 years since arriving in Canada to stake his claim as a writer, music historian, record store manager and old-fashioned denim-clad community builder.
Orlando, FL | Park Ave CDs: Orlando’s hidden gem: Founded in 1984 and located at 2916 Corrine Drive, Park Ave CDs has served and supported the Orlando community for more than 40 years. …Founded in 1984 and located at 2916 Corrine Drive, Park Ave CDs has served and supported the Orlando community for more than 40 years. Park Ave CDs sells vinyls, CDs and cassettes for music lovers. They also sell books, DVDs, VHS, Blu-rays, T-shirts, posters, specialty sodas, toys, Japanese candies, buttons, stickers, greeting cards and unique gift items you won’t find anywhere else. The wide variety Park Ave CDs has to offer beyond vinyls is enough to keep customers coming and to open its audience to new people who might have not considered shopping or browsing here.
Hayward, CA | Hayward’s Mighty Delrokz brings lo-fi nostalgia to ‘Jackin’ My Beats.’ Teacher, DJ and record-store owner Gabe Dela Cruz delivers a laid-back instrumental album inspired by hip-hop, community and late-night Adult Swim memories. …I’ve yet to formally meet Gabe Dela Cruz, but we’ve orbited around each other as people active in their community often do. Between starting up The Stacks Record Shop, performing DJ sets at local businesses like Buffalo Bill’s and supporting youth walk-outs at Mt. Eden High School, Gabe’s investment in Hayward is as robust as anyone’s. From what I’ve seen at his shop, with jazz records alongside hip-hop albums and sidelines including MF Doom action figures and retro NES games, Jackin’ My Beats brings a number of those influences into a 12-song set that will have listeners bobbing their heads, possibly before they realize it.
West Ashley, SC | Weezer fans can hear the band’s new album before it’s released by visiting this SC record store: You can “Say It Ain’t So,” but only one South Carolina record store is hosting an official listening party for Weezer’s new album. The band posted a list of participating U.S. record stores on Instagram on July 29, along with a promise that those who attend the events will hear the band’s upcoming album, “Weezer,” commonly known as the “Gold Album,” before its official release date on Aug. 21. “The time for gold is approaching. Those who gather on August 15th and 16th will hear Weezer first,” the caption on the post states. Monster Music & Movies in West Ashley is the only record store in the Palmetto State hosting a listening party, according to the list.
Seattle, WA | Swap vinyl records at Seattle wine bar Nine Hats: Sometimes, the best thing to pair with a glass of red wine isn’t Gouda or Gruyere; it’s the dulcet, crackly tones of a finely aged Tom Petty vinyl or nostalgia-inducing Pat Benatar album. Perhaps it’s the DIY record your high school music teacher made, or the surprisingly danceable album you unearthed from your ’80s collection by Seattle power-pop band The Heaters (or The Heats, depending on who you ask). All of these and more can be heard at Nine Hats, a winery in Sodo, on the last Friday of every month for their vinyl swap nights. No matter the genre or vintage, connoisseurs of both vino and vinyl have the opportunity to bring their favorite records to play and exchange while enjoying an artisanal glass or two of wine for a discounted price.
Seoul, KR | In Seoul, These Record Shop Cafes Carry On a Heritage Of Sound: Korea’s historic dabang are this nation’s cultural answer to the Japanese kissaten. Historically originating as teahouses, dabang adapted over time to shift towards a drinking culture more primed for coffee, functioning as a space of social exchange and liberation. They served as area for scholars and artistic intellectuals to congregate during the Japanese occupation, a safe-haven for freedom fighters as the common people rebelled against restrictive regimes, and a meeting spot for the burgeoning youth culture of the ’70s and ’80s to gather, sipping on coffee and listening to the latest records. Music cafes and listening rooms, filled with smoke, the scent of brewed coffee wafting from a cup, and the sound of songs, were truly social icons of mid-20th century Korean culture. Today they represent a bygone era—but not entirely bygone.
Forget vinyl and CDs: These 4 other retro audio formats deserve a renaissance. It seems that as the realities of streaming media dawn on people all over the world, a desire for physical music media is on the rise. Whether you’re just sick of losing access to music without warning or you don’t want to pay an infinite subscription to just listen to the same dozen albums over and over again, physical media has a reason to exist. CDs, vinyl, and, for some reason, even cassettes are making a comeback. However, if we’re going to revive old formats, there are other more interesting and sometimes clearly better options.
Cleveland, OH | The Cleveland West Record Riot! Over 15,000 LPs in one room! Monday Sept 7th. A giant record store lands at Great Northern Mall in North Olmsted! Dealers from far and wide converge for a giant music sale! Monday, September 7th, LPs, tapes, CDs, and live recordings too. All types of music from punk to funk to country to classic rock, hip hop, soul/jazz, and more. Dust off that turntable and come on down. Regular admission starts at 11 AM ($5) with early admission at 10 AM ($15). Don’t miss the BIG VINYL DIG! The Record Riot will take place across from Victoria Secret between Prime Time Sports and Torrid!!! Come hang with the vinyl nerds!
A British Hi-Fi Brand’s New Affordable Turntables Aim to Make Vinyl Hi-Fi Easy: They’re designed for those just getting into vinyl and want to upgrade “from a basic record player.” Just a few months ago, Majority introduced the Auto, a belt-drive turntable with a built-in phono preamplifier, and the D50X, a set of compact powered speakers. When paired together, it’s an entry-level hi-fi system aimed at people who are just getting into vinyl. Fast forward a few months, and the British audio brand has introduced new models of its entry-level turntables that it claims are designed for new vinyl fans “taking a first step into record collecting or upgrading from a basic record player.” Majority has upgraded both of its entry-level turntables, the Stylo and the Folio, which are quite different.
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