Record Store Day 2011

Today, Saturday, marks another installment in the ever growing Record Store Day, an annual event specifically set aside to both honor and, more importantly, patronize one of our most important American institutions: the independent record store. As their official website proclaims, “This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music.”

Record Store Day is a special day for music and music lovers around the country. Musicians rally to the cause of a sadly dying segment of our economy, providing limited edition vinyl pressings and special in-store appearances and performances, all in an attempt to turn the spotlight back on one the just 700 or so remaining independent shops we have left. Surely you’re already familiar with some of the larger indie shops still in existence (Rasputin’s and Amoeba come to mind first) but here in the San Diego are we are lucky to have a few of our own. This Record Store Day, and beyond, I urge you to frequent shops like M-Theory in Mission Hills and Lou’s Records in Encinitas as much as possible, learn something new from the knowledgable clerks and of course grab some great new music.

In an effort to entice us, the Record Store Day people have once again garnered support from a wide range of artists providing exclusive vinyl pressings and a few special CD releases as well. There is a TON of great looking stuff on the official release list (http://www.recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases) that caught my eye; with great acts and artists like R.E.M., Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Fleet Foxes, Pearl Jam, The Flaming Lips, Beastie Boys and Regina Spektor among many, many others offering special releases available ONLY on this day and ONLY in your local independent record store. Record Store Day is your best chance to grab some truly special music and support important local businesses all at once, not to mention the chance to possibly catch some special, intimate in-store performances from some of your favorite musicians as well. So be sure to get down to your local music shop asap, places like M-Theory and Lou’s Records and support these wonderful and important places, and of course cop some great new music too.