Your financial situation be damned, Record Store Day 2013 is coming this Saturday, April 20, to drain your wallet of life and those little green pieces of paper.
This Saturday your dance card should be full with all the major indie record stores in Houston and the surrounding areas offering up giveaways and special RSD merch, along with their own in-store markdowns.
This year's RSD ambassador is Jack White, the veritable king of the modern vinyl movement, who loves wowing fans with oddball promotions through his Third Man label.
As part of the festivities this year, certain stores -- including Cactus Music -- will be showing the documentary Last Shop Standing: The Rise and Fall and Rebirth of the Independent Record Shop, based on a book by Graham Jones and directed by Pip Piper, centering on dwindling British shops.
LAST SHOP STANDING IS THE OFFICIAL FILM OF RECORD STORE DAY 2013 from Record Store Day on Vimeo.
Black Dog Records Black Dog head honcho Cliff Dotterer says that their new location is working out great, this being their first RSD in their new Bissonnet digs.
"We ordered a lot of Record Store Day merch. I hope like last year we receive most of our order," Dotterer says. "Always a crapshoot."
Their doors will open at 10 a.m. and starting at 3 p.m. they will be offering refreshments for the surely-famished RSD hordes.
Sound Exchange "Throughout the day we'll have a phalanx of DJs spinning records they bought at Sound Exchange," says store czar Kurt Brennan. "We'll be unveiling a new T-shirt design. our first in something like twenty years."
Sound Ex also notes that a ton of collectible vinyl they've been stowing away will finally hit their racks.
"Like last year, we will have a live chimpanzee 'manning' the cash register for one hour during the day," Brennan adds.
Vinal Edge Vinal Edge will be opening an hour earlier than usual, at 9 a.m., and focusing on their vinyl stock, noting that there will be special used trade-in vinyl too. Owner Chuck Roast is also putting more of his personal collection out for sale. Vinal Edge is also partnering with Boomtown Coffee -- just across the street -- for a free sampling a new iced coffee. Coffee as you all know, is a must-have for hardcore record shopping.
Cactus Music Cactus is showcasing the new book Mojo Hand: The Life & Music of Lightnin' Hopkins at 2 p.m. To commemorate the book's publication, co-author and Rocks Off contributor David Ensminger will read from Mojo Hand and speak about the exhaustive research and work that went into writing it, and sign copies of the book afterwards.
Coinciding with Mojo Hand, John Egan and The Mighty Orq will perform a set of Hopkins songs.
The Virginmarys will play the Cactus stage at 5 p.m., just hours after their afternoon BuzzFest appearance.
Cactus promises to have thousands of RSD exclusives ready for customers at 10 a.m., with record collectors no doubt camping out the night before. At 8 a.m., local coffee makers Katz Coffee will begin brewing a special "Black Vinyl Blend" for those in line. Design studio Culture Pilot will be offering a continental breakfast while supplies last.
Shoppers can register to win autographed "Happy Record Store Day" posters, signed by the likes of Civil Twilight, Against Me!, Of Montreal, Best Coast, and They Might Be Giants. There are also a number of other prizes that Quinn Bishop and his crew are still sorting through, including a signed Band of Horses LP, a print signed by Stephen Stills, and a Bloodshot Records work shirt and beanie package.
Sweet Spot Audio and Records The store will be having door prizes and three live bands, including a Misfits tribute act. Owner Nigel Harrison is looking to get rid of the some 5,000 promo posters he is sifting through, in addition to all the sought-after RSD releases.
