The joy of attending Record Store Day (RSD) is its ability to be many things to so many people.
This means that you can join the throngs who will be camping out in front of area record stores from Grand Rapids’ Vertigo Music to Grandville’s Corner Record Store in the hopes they will secure that special limited edition release that somehow you must have at all costs.
And while this first-in-line style is great for the person who enjoys the chaos of a Black Friday shopping event, the other side of this day is the experience of being in an independent record store, where a music recommendation via a real conversation is more powerful than an Amazon reviewer’s perspective.
Either way you choose to celebrate Record Store Day, don’t miss it because there is nothing else quite like this exciting event that has switched on a new generation, as well invited an established one, to think about the beauty of the local record store.
Highlights from three local venues celebrating RSD:
Vertigo Music - Local bands and DJs will provide entertainment throughout the day, along with refreshments from local businesses. Specials this year are listed on Vertigo’s Facebook event page.
Dodd’s Record Shop - Besides the usual RSD antics cooked up from the Rev. Charles Preston Smith and a host of indie music acts performances, Dodd’s is home to what is probably the first and only Record Store Day Parade. (It’s the Rev’s westside now, so keep bail money handy.)
Corner Record Store - Published list of acts performing this year will be The Other Brothers, Dangerville, Jake Stevens Band, Tired Blood, Oliver Draper, Nate, Devin and The Dead Frets, and Howard on Sax in between sets. Specials on used records all day long.