Record Store Day

Posted on April 21st, 2015 Filed under Beer, Galleries, Holidays, Trips

For the past 8 years, there’s been an annual Record Store Day. Its purpose is to celebrate independent record stores by providing limited releases of vinyl records. Some are albums never printed before. Some are re-releases on pretty picture discs. You leave with something exclusive that you can’t get otherwise, and it supports these small stores. I’ve gone for the past 4 years and this year decided to spend it with friends in Phoenix.

Here are pictures from this trip. The first isn’t related. We stopped by a friend’s bar. I ordered some light raspberry drink, but instead I was served the fabled Founder’s KBS stout. That was a treat.

We had a cookout after coming in to Phoenix. I picked out a pineapple for the grill. Oliver needed some play time with it first.

We got up early the next day and went down town. We were about an hour and a half early and landed 100ish in line. Time went by pretty quickly. Then after going in, we were there for maybe 15 minutes before checking out.

I expected to leave with 6 of my 11 most wanted albums, and 6 I left with. These are:

Oneohtrix Point Never – Commissions II – I often start my day with this artist. This was my top pick going in.
The Wrestling Album – Think 1987 when WWE was the WWF. In this record, Hulk Hogan, Mean Jean, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and the rest are performing 80s pop hits. Bought for nostalgic cheesiness. I effing loved WWF in 1987.
The Decemberists – Picaresque – It’s my favorite Decemberists album, yet I’ve never owned it. This whole release is beautiful, with a big lyrics book and thick vibrant translucent red vinyl. This is my favorite RSD release this year.
Abstractum: The Electrogenic Music of Val Stephen – This sounded interesting on paper. It’s a classical composer who was one of the pioneers of electronic music starting in the ’50s. It was a lost work and only put into print via these 500 vinyl copies. It is certainly abstract. It’s a neat collection piece.
A$AP Rocky – Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2 – A guilty pleasure artist that I like. It’s some mindless Brooklyn rap, but I like it.
Kid Cudi – SATELLITE FLIGHT: The Journey to Mother Moon – Spacey experimental backpack rap. I love this stuff.

We dropped off our records and went back out for a brewery tour. We started with lunch and a beet beer at Wilderness Brewing Co. Then to San Tan for a full flight of deliciousness. Then the Beer Research Institute stalked us on social media and said to stop by, so we did. Then off to Sleepy Dog for nap time, and finally Four Peaks for a Hopknot. San Tan edged out Four Peaks as my favorite Phoenix brewery.

Enough with the brewery tour. Time to go listen to our records.