Back Alley Music hosts event for Record Store Day on April 13 in Charlottetown - The Guardian

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. —

Vinyl sales have been on the rise and show little sign of slowing down.

Last year, Nielson reported a year-over-year increase in vinyl sales of 67 per cent.

Part of this is due to the growing vinyl holiday of Record Store Day, an event designed to promote independent record stores and the culture they provide to their communities.

Held every year since 2008 on a Saturday in April, this year’s Record Store Day is April 13.

To celebrate, Back Alley Music, in Charlottetown, is hosting an all-day event from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., featuring live music from local bands.

And, of course, lots of deals on vinyl, including plenty of Record Store Day exclusives.

Dennis Ellsworth, an employee at Back Alley Music, said the turnout in previous years has kept the store busy throughout the day, but many of the regulars take their time getting in.

“A lot of regulars will pre-order stuff, so they don’t rush in to see what they can get their hands on because we’re holding it for them already if we got it.”

But due to the exclusivity of some of the releases, pre-orders don’t always guarantee you’ll get what you’re looking for, though access has been improving, he said.

“Last year I over-ordered things for myself because the previous years about 30 per cent of what I wanted would actually come in, but last year everything came in and it cost me a fortune.”

But don’t worry, Back Alley Music will have an amazing selection no matter what.

“For a small shop on the east coast of Canada we get a lot of stuff. It’s pretty impressive actually.”

So why have people embraced such an old format?

Of course, there are the gorgeous sleeves and liner notes, lyrics and credits, but Ellsworth thinks it’s simpler.

“There’s just something more engaging about having to get up half-way through and flip a side.”

That engagement means Record Store Day at Back Alley Music slowly becomes a gathering of people who love vinyl, regardless of the genre of music they listen to.

Given this, it’s not hard to understand Ellsworth’s favourite part of the day.

“The community.”

Information about the event, like a schedule of the bands performing, can be found on the event’s Facebook page.

from Entertainment - Latest - Google News http://bit.ly/2KCrHQ9
via IFTTT
April 13, 2019 at 04:03PM