This Saturday, April 21st is International Record Store Day! And no, it isn't just one of those every day made up hashtag holidays. Record Store Day was founded in 2007 by independent musicians and record store owners as a way to get people in the doors so that maybe while you're there, you'll even buy a record of... The Doors??
Record Store Day "is a day for the people who make up the world of the record store—the staff, the customers, and the artists—to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role these independently owned stores play in their communities."
For some of us (like me), Record Store Day is like Second Christmas. It's definitely the Black Friday of the music world, especially for serious vinyl collectors. But "aren't records old news?" Nope! They've made a comeback in recent years, outselling all other physical forms of music. Some of this is because with new artists, new albums, and some remastered vinyl, you get the physical album as well as a downloadable version so you can play it on your record player and also your smartphone. Now this should go without saying but that won't be true of any used albums you may purchase or your parents' collectibles of course, but it's an ongoing trend that has helped skyrocket sales, making 2017 the highest grossing year of vinyl since they began tracking sales in 1991.
Record Store Day involves tons of sales, specialized merchandise, rare presses, free goodies, and all kinds of fun events to get people involved not just in Record Store Day in Tampa, but also the community and the habit of shopping small and supporting local businesses in your area. The locations in this article are confirmed Record Store Day in Tampa Bay participants, and below is what they will be offering this coming weekend!
Mojo Books & Records
2540 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 971-9717
Mojo Books & Records is no stranger to the magic of Record Store Day in Tampa. Among their vast collection of vinyl, CDs, cassettes, and books lie some RSD merch from years past. They open bright and early at 8 a.m., and have all kinds of fun stuff lined up for the first ten people in line when they open. They also hold a vegan bake sale outside the store to help homeless animals which is a Mojo Record Store Day tradition, and a great way to help their immediate community.
SALES & SPECIALS:
- Free drawing for people in line before the doors open at 8 AM (former RSD releases and more)
- Free Mojo T-shirt for the first 10 people in line
- Free drink of your choice from the coffee bar for the first 10 people in line
- Free official Record Store Day goodie bags with purchase (while supplies last)
- Free PBR (with valid ID) after 5 pm when music starts
LIVE MUSIC:
All performances are free and all-ages. Bands begin at 5 p.m.
Opening- DJ Suspiria
- DieAlps!
- The Easy Button
- Laundromat
- Justin Myers
- Story Mode
- Computer Date
- Hello Joyce
- Large Father
"Music portion Co-produced by Mojo Books & Records and Pocket Sand"
Kingfish Records
26024 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 351-5177
Kingfish Records is not only celebrating their eighth Record Store Day, but also the grand opening of their new location so it is sure to be quite the party! They too will have special surprises for the early risers and live performances later in the day as well as food and drink options for purchase.
SALES & SPECIALS:
- Kala has donated 3 groovy Ukuleles, T-shirts, and stickers for drawings.
- First 25 customers in line will receive an RSD 2018 tote bag filled with CD's, Kingfish Records commemorative button & sticker, RSD 2018 poster, prior RSD releases, and assorted other goodies.
- All day giveaways & drawings
- Live music on the patio
- Cold Beer
- Food Truck
- Pop-up vendors
Sound Exchange Tampa Bay
14246 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, FL 33613
(813) 978-9316
Sound Exchange Tampa Bay will be celebrating their 11th year participating in Record Store Day in Tampa. There are a few locations, but the one on Nebraska in Tampa is your best bet for formal Record Store Day in Tampa Bay events and specials. Their close-out location at Park & 49th in Pinellas Park may not have 2018 RSD titles, but will have titles from previous RSDs and Black Fridays. That location will be open 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
SALES & SPECIALS:
- Tampa & Pinellas 66th St. stores will open at 9 am.
- Carrying official & unofficial RSD titles.
- Limited Edition Dogfish Head beer poster giveaway
- $3.99 and under are BOGO (at Pinellas Park location)
Microgroove Records
4906 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33603
(813) 667-7089
Located in the heart of Seminole Heights, Microgroove Records is calling the whole community for their event. They will have all kinds of local vendors, musicians, and discounts for supporting their ever-growing community. They'll also have PBR (with valid ID) at the time of the shows. What better reason to check it out?!
- Commune + Co. Coffee will be there serving nitro-tapped coffee in the morning for the early risers
- Cappys Pizzeria Seminole Heights will be opening early at noon to sell/serve slices.
- Jug & Bottle Dept. will be there serving Kombucha.
- Uncle Mince's World Famous Seitan will have Vegan sandwiches available.
- The Independent Bar and Cafe will be offering 10% off your tab (with your RSD Microgroove receipt) all day!
LIVE MUSIC:
Begins at Noon (schedule subject to change)
12:30 pm - SPORK
1:30 pm - DieAlps!
2:30 pm - Expert Timing (Orlando)
3:30 pm - Alexander & The Venus
4:30 pm - Spirit and the Cosmic Heart (Lakeland)
5:30 pm - Will Quinlan
Planet Retro Records
226 Dr M.L.K. Jr St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33705
(727) 218-7434
Planet Retro has live music, limited edition releases, and even limited edition beer (!!) for the day's events. Girls Camp Rock St. Pete will be fundraising for their summer program, which helps local girls get involved in music and provide resources for their endeavors, Come out and help support their cause while enjoying some crafty drafts.
SALES & SPECIALS:
- Open at 8 a.m.
- Large selection of limited edition, indie only releases
- Exclusive beer for that event provided by Deviant Libation
LIVE MUSIC:
Starts at 11 a.m. and goes well into the night. More bands to be announced. Schedule subject to change.
- Lazer Mouth
- Kevin K. Band
- Squadron (from Atlanta)
- Changer
- Silver Alert
- Switchblade Villian
- The Nervous Girls
- Navin Ave
- Broken
- Negative Split
- Path of Increased Indifference
- Community Couch
- Snacking
- 76 Cut Short
- Spar
Daddy Kool Records
666 Central Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 822-5665
Daddy Kool is gonna be too kool for school, hosting their 11th Record Store Day in St. Petersburg spectacular. Early bird gets the worm with complimentary continental breakfast featuring doughnuts by Black Crow Coffee Co and coffee by Brew D Licious (purveyors of No Name Java Coffee). If you miss out on free breakfast or need more sustenance after shopping, you should check out the new Maple Street Biscuit Co that just opened nearby last week.
SALES & SPECIALS:
- Open at 8 AM
- Record Store Day exclusives
- Live music
- Limited Edition RSD t-shirts
Bananas Music
2887 22nd Ave N St. Petersburg, FL 33713
727-327-4616 Ext 1
Bananas Music is also having fun and food trucks featuring Vanchetta Food Truck. They too have special prizes and performances. They are even making their own unique T-shirts for the event courtesy of Extra Medium Screen Printing which helps out yet another local artist. Its gonna be Bananas! (Might I suggest Gwen Stefani's "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." album if you need to remember how to spell bananas.)
SALES & SPECIALS:
- Open at 9 AM
- Raffles & Prizes
- RSD giveaway items for those who purchase merchandise
- Food Truck
- Live music
- Exclusive customizable Bananas RSD 2018 shirts provided by Extra Medium Screen Printing
LIVE MUSIC:
Kalani will be DJing from opening to the start of the bands. The rest is as follows:
11 am - Ries Brothers
12 pm - Chasing Lovely
1 pm - John McEuen (of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
2 pm - Big Little Lions
3 pm - Danielle Mohr Music and The Moonlight Madness
4 pm - The Vultures
5 pm - FayRoy
As you can see, Record Store Day in Tampa Bay is going to rock! If supporting local record stores isn't totally your thing, you could still win out this weekend with free coffee, live performances, new music, and if nothing else, there will be beer (& undoubtedly cool people). It really does mean a lot to these small store owners not only to make a few sales but to make new friends and new connections in the community. It also helps them and the artists performing and producing get some much-needed exposure in the area. Help keep vinyl alive, make your community thrive!
Be a part of so many events in Tampa Bay by staying here at 813area. And make sure to register, it's free!
Photo courtesy of author.
