Record Store Day 2015: The sights, the sounds, the Dandy Highwayman – word from Probe, Dig Vinyl, Constellations & more

The city of Liverpool celebrates Record Store Day 2015 in the sunshine. Getintothis’ Shaun Ponsonby checks it out, complete with an Adam Ant cameo.

Naturally, we are at the bubbling hotbed of cultural debate and the very inconsistencies that exist inside us all, so whilst we may have our complaints about the way Record Store Day has seemingly become another money-making tool of the big wigs, we’ll be damned if we’re going to miss it. It takes a lot to get the Getintothis team up early after a long Friday night, but when you can smell the sunshine outside your window, and you can feel the hot fun in the summertime, then we’re out the front door before you can say “stand and deliver” (oh! You bet your sweet ass that’s foreshadowing).

So, in the spirit of that…these are some of the sights from around Record Store Day 2015…

Lots of great #RSD2015 vinyl from @ProbeRecords inc @fieldmusicmusic @metronomy @JanelWeaver @LeisureSociety @TheCaitlinRose and free beer!

— Dan Copley (@dan_copley) April 18, 2015

Probe was the obvious epicentre at the beginning of the day, with queues starting early as the shop opened up with the lark at 8am.  Early sell-outs at Probe included exclusive releases by Brian Wilson, Deep Purple, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Replacements and Sly & The Family Stone.

Yet despite the queues and the busyness, the atmosphere was laid back and relaxed, with some special Record Store Day beer to boot!

Pop-up stores found their way to bars across the city, with the Arts Club, Shipping Forecast and the Jacaranda being among the main culprits, complete with DJs to beautifully soundtrack the festivities. Constellations – still hosting the excellent No Homer’s Club exhibition and full of Simpsons paraphernalia – also got in on the act, with a DJ housed in a makeshift Flaming Moe’s (there’s a metaphor for life in there somewhere).

Dig Vinyl didn’t initially appear to be much busier than any other Saturday, but it was about to be.

Amazingly, they had 80s uber-legend Adam Ant in store to sign copies of a special re-release of his debut album Dirk Wears White Sox. He is in town to play a sold-out show at the Arts Club, and stopped off at Dig for a special Record Store Day appearance.

The demand seemed to be much higher than expected, with the queue (at the back of the store on Wood Street) stretching right around the block. Contrary to preconceived notions, much of the crowd was surprisingly heavy on whippersnappers, with fans from all generations looking to meet him.

One person we spoke to claimed to have been there since 5.30am (a fact that was corroborated by staff on our way out). As time wore on it became clear that only half of the people in line would get to meet the Dandy Highwayman.

The release is definitely special. Adam told us as he was signing our copies that he had put it together himself and “really dug some stuff out of the archive”. Along with the white vinyl, there are postcards, posters, lyric sheets, stickers, pamphlets, old fan club newsletters and all manner of fan-friendly collectibles.

If you missed out on the day, fear not – 3b Records will be open today (Sunday) to rid the stock they didn’t sell.

For anyone who missed out on Record Store Day were open tomorrow 12-4pm. Still plenty of goodies left #rsd

— 3b records & tickets (@3brecordsLTD) April 18, 2015

Same time next year?

Pictures by Getintothis’ Martin Saleh

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