Save Your Local Music Retailer: Record Store Day in Toronto
With its burgeoning independent music scene, it made sense that Toronto took part in the annual Record Store Day which was celebrated across North America last Saturday. The eight-hour long event showcased a diverse array of local artists ranging from blues rock to straight-up country.
Held at Sunrise Records' 336 Yonge St. branch, Toronto's Record Store Day consisted of unplugged performances from Illscarlett, Neverending White Lights, The Sunparlour Players, Machete Avenue, Laura Barrett, The Joys, The Rizdales, Derek Miller and The Creepshow. There were a number of kids who camped out in the store from lunch just so that they could get a good glimpse of Illscarlett come dinnertime. Talk about dedication.
Come to think of it, didn't we all cut class at one point in our lives just so that we could be first in line for the latest CD (or cassette), or wake up at an unearthly hour for an in-store signing? Bragging that you were the first to buy that MP3 off iTunes doesn't quite cut it.
When was the last time you went inside a record store and actually bought something? With the death of the legendary Sam the Record Man last year plus countless other independent music stores (not to mention major retailers such as Music World and Tower Records), is the fate of these aural institutions truly dismal? Are record stores still relevant in today's technology-driven society?
Daniel Victor, Neverending White Lights: My dad used to take me every week to buy an album, then a cassette, then a CD. I just always thought that it's important to actually own an artist's body of work and I think that art form has lost its importance among today's culture.
Sarah Smith, The Joys: I'm too lazy to download. I like to going to record stores because it's so colorful and you can actually see the art on the cover... because sometimes it's not only the music that the artist wants to showcase. Reading who influences the artists on the sleeve reminds me so much of my childhood that's why I don't think I'll ever stop buying CDs.
Sean McNab, The Creepshow: My old band, we went to a record store on the day of our album release and took pictures. It was pretty exciting.
Laura Barrett: I live near the Annex and I still support my neighborhood record stores particularly Soundscapes, they carry a big local selection. Most of the people working in record stores are musicians as well, they know what's going on... and when you walk into a store and something's playing and you like it, you're more likely to buy it.
Alex Norman, Illscarlett: I'm a big fan of my record collection, it's just nice to look at and alphabetize... when you buy a physical record you listen to it as a whole as opposed to downloading, I usually just buy a single off iTunes. The problem with buying singles though is you lose the art of the album, the artwork and how the songs flow... like The Mars Volta's De-Loused in the Comatorium is a great example of that.
Photos by Jade Maravillas, more pictures in Flickr.
Comments (10)
As an optimistic musician and music business entrepreneur, I believe that records stores will never fully die. As records have lasted, so will CDs. Maybe we're all just getting old. What will our kids think of all this?
From wax to vinyl to tape to CD to downloads - I'm just glad music is still surviving, and evolving at a faster rate each day. The only thing to do is stay positive, and keep supporting those who rock out for the benefit of our entertainment.
I hope to see record stores around in 10 years, but with the industry truly going digital, it will be hard to find one. Now-a-days, we go online to buy everything... cars, clothes, electronics... Didn't we used to try things out before buying them? Today's world is about having it "now", and it takes two seconds to click and download something, rather than to walk a mile or more to your local record store. You'll always find a few true music junkies that will never go digital, but it's hard to ignore the instant gratification of a quick song download... As long as music continues to grow, we all need to grow with it. Although we may not like the changes, we wouldn't be where we're at without the digital era of music!
I've been a total music freak all my life. Worked in record stores for 10 years. Started with 45's ,thru lp,s- 8-tracks ,cassettes,cds to digital, today.Here's my take: Personally, i've never had it so good.the access to so much more music via internet radio stations that play music from all around the world, and being able to sample millions of songs,blows away any record stores capabilities. I was that guy in the record store . This is so much better if harnessed properly. As for album artwork: Love it. Used to cover my walls with it. Cds ruined it for me. Too small. But with digital and big computer monitors i think it could make a big comeback. Elaborate artwork will be much more feasible as a download vs the cost of printing and distributing
Hi Jade,
Awesome blog and photos. It's great that you documented this amazing event. Loved the mini interviews.
Emmanuel
Motivatorman
Ah, earth day...the day where we wish that the world bought more plastic discs and ink soaked paper like we did when we were kids. WTF.
Great article covering what it was like out there, Jade. It's great that everywhere, people were supporting their neighborhood record store that day.
So how much did you spend on CDs and vinyl? What free stuff did you score on top of that?
@ volume-addict: I have to admit I haven't spent much on CDs and vinyls the last few years but I do purchase a ton of show tickets AND merchandise. Sometimes I think $40 for a T-shirt is ridiculous but a) the money goes to the artist and b) it's nice being able to "capture that moment in time" you know?
I still do shell out cash for CDs though, especially for local indie acts. Nothing beats an actual inlay you can stare and the smell of the printing is something else. Haha.
The switch in technology is inevitable but I do support Record Store Day just because it would be a shame if, say our kids never even know what a record store is. It's a great place to share music information and ideas. True, so is the Internet, but a physical connection with someone at a record store is better than text in a forum.
Yeah Earth Day. AKA the day of this post.
I just think its funny that we can celebrate the old-timey record store one day and earth day the next. And not miss a beat.
Personally I love visiting old record stores - whether it's vinyl on the shelves or CDs. There's something about browsing through records and revisiting your musical past, the evolution of sound and tech and the discovery of a nearly forgotten album.
Music has to appeal to all senses, and record stores appeal mainly to the sense of touch; a sense overlooked when you don't play an instrument.
Digital music bars are springing up around the place too (In OZ) and it seems some smart cookies are combining the insatiatble appetite for downloads with the indelible experience of visiting and purchasing from record stores.
Great article - thought provoking, as are the comments.
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