Vinyl fans flocked to independent stores on Saturday, with more than 200 record shops taking part in the seventh annual Record Store Day.
In Milton Keynes, equipment aces
Richer Sounds backed the event, but if you wanted to get your hands on the limited editions issued on the day, you had to make tracks further afield - to SpunOut in Northampton.
It was the fifth year
SpunOut had participated, and the most successful: "...this year topped anything that had gone before, and then some," store manager Chris Kent told
www.totalmk.co.uk
"The first person to start the queue arrived at 3.15am and by opening time it was 100 people strong. Everyone had specific releases they were after from their favourite bands - including the much in-demand One Direction picture disc, Midnight Memories. We were excited to see whether we had enough copies for everyone, and only allowed one copy per person as they were so limited."
As soon as the doors opened at 9am prompt, the searching for desired vinyl began in earnest: "We had a semi formal countdown to opening and then we were instantly mobbed - especially around our main counter area, where a lot of the biggest releases were situated...staff had an hour of requests being shouted at them until the initial rush calmed down."
Not that things quietened any - the store offered live music from sixties-influenced catch rockers The Barretts, followed by turntable sets courtesy of Andy S Kank delivering ska and reggae to the ears, and Kev Palmer, who offered a Northern Soul set. Snakeman 3 followed with a psychedelic rock and beat set, who even took a guitar solo out into the street.
"The calibre of all the music played by our host of local artists in store was amazing and a great example of what can be discovered in our pubs and clubs."
As for the
Record Store Day deliveries? By the close of play there were more than a few empty racks!
"We probably had 400 of the 600 items released for the day," Chris thinks, "...some of them actually turned up during the course of Saturday, but such was the interest that by the end of the day, there were probably only about 100 titles left, and they are still going fast.
"It was a resoundingly successful day and we have had loads of feedback from customers who had a great time..." he added.
As soon as the doors opened at 9am prompt, the searching for desired vinyl began in earnest: "We had a semi formal countdown to opening and then we were instantly mobbed - especially around our main counter area, where a lot of the biggest releases were situated...staff had an hour of requests being shouted at them until the initial rush calmed down."
Not that things quietened any - the store offered live music from sixties-influenced catch rockers The Barretts, followed by turntable sets courtesy of Andy S Kank delivering ska and reggae to the ears, and Kev Palmer, who offered a Northern Soul set. Snakeman 3 followed with a psychedelic rock and beat set, who even took a guitar solo out into the street.
"The calibre of all the music played by our host of local artists in store was amazing and a great example of what can be discovered in our pubs and clubs."
As for the Record Store Day deliveries? By the close of play there were more than a few empty racks!
"We probably had 400 of the 600 items released for the day," Chris thinks, "...some of them actually turned up during the course of Saturday, but such was the interest that by the end of the day, there were probably only about 100 titles left, and they are still going fast.
"It was a resoundingly successful day and we have had loads of feedback from customers who had a great time..." he added.
