TOMORROW is Record Store Day, so get ready to go visit at your favorite shop (if you're lucky enough to still have one in your area that is, providing behind the annual event). In honor of the day, PopMatters has enlisted the help of artists and staff to celebrate favorite stores and hangouts. The lengthy pool of artists was split in half this week, with Part 1 and Part 2 full of memories plus current music. (Be sure to check out The Darcys in Part 1, who I saw recently in a solid supporting slot for the Bombay Bicycle Club at Bowery Ballroom).
The PopMatters staff picks include my own personal top three: Amoeba Music in L.A., Sound Garden in the historic neighborhood Fell's Point, Baltimore, and of course my town's beloved Johnny's in Darien (recent blog post here). I have such fond memories of all three, treasures in their own right from the tiny but chock full of memorabilia and memories at Johnny's to Sound Garden's open square footprint of both new and used items, with the best sticker selection I've ever seen anywhere. Amoeba's in L.A. looks like a big supermarket from the outside, but inside is a vast warehouse of musical finds. The store hosts many live performances and some day I'd love to be there for one...
RecordStoreDay.com posted a full list of events and special releases or NPR has a list of "A Dozen Reasons to Visit Your Local Record Store Day on Saturday," for those who still need more convincing.