Arts / Live bands and DJs to help mark Record Store Day
FLICKING through records, thumbing your way through CDs – for many, there’s a certain magic when it comes to music shopping.
For some in Shetland that magic comes with a strong whiff of nostalgia, harking back to the likes of Clive’s Record Shop, which shut up shop in 2011.
But a not-for-profit pop-up record shop in Lerwick which has been opening its doors to music lovers once a month for nearly five years is still going strong – and this weekend it is celebrating the international Record Store Day.
As the Bop Shop’s pop-up record shop is only open once a month, it is not able to be formally affiliated with Record Store Day, meaning it cannot stock the initiative’s exclusive releases.
However, this is not stopping the volunteers behind the Harbour Street project – which mainly sells second-hand vinyl – from marking the day, which honours celebrates record shops.
In addition to opening its doors on Saturday from 10am for sales, the Bop Shop will host live music from the Adam Guest Band and Isaac Webb Trio, as well as all-vinyl DJ sets from the hands of Lyall Halcrow, Brendan Hall and Simon Pallant.
Halcrow, who co-runs the Bop Shop, said Record Store Day is their “busiest and most exciting day of the year”.
“There is always a lot of buzz about the shop and folk always have lots of stories to share about shops dear to their heart and fantastic finds they’ve had over the years,” he added. “It’s a time to celebrate independent record shop culture.”
Halcrow said “vinyl just seems to get more and more popular” – although CD sales have picked up recently, especially among younger customers.
“We’ve got quite an eclectic bunch of customers, and everything sells well from pop to punk to metal to jazz, but I reckon classic prog rock albums are the quickest to shift off the shelves.”
In the age of digital music on Spotify and iTunes, Halcrow feels there is a certain magic to a record shop.
“Each one is completely unique, and you have no idea what you are going to find or discover each time you visit, particularly in second hand shops like The Bop Shop,” he continued.
“People’s record collections are an extension of them and it’s a pleasure to see the excitement people have adding to it.
“We also love having a rake through the stock at High Level, Shetland Home Co, Bigton Collective, Unst Partnership Pop-Up as well as many other great shops across Shetland.”
Clive Munro – of Clive’s Record Shop fame – works at Shetland Home Co as a team leader, and he oversees the music coming in as donations.
Meanwhile as mentioned above music is now available to buy at the new second-hand shop in the Bigton Kirk, which has been taken over by the local community.
Charity and second-hand shops may also have some decent finds if you get lucky.
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