From Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to the lakeshore, Saturday’s Record Store Day — after a stifling pandemic — brought throngs, live music, a parade and more to indie record stores. The report and photos.
Record Store Day Parade: Rev Charles Preston Smith led the sunny procession on on Saturday. (Photo/Local Spins)
SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTO GALLERY, VIDEO
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
Saturday had it all: Mammoth stockpiles of vinyl records, brilliant sunshine and summer-like temps, ebullient live music and, yes, even a festive parade.
The return of Record Store Day across West Michigan after a stifling pandemic gave record collectors and music lovers plenty to celebrate and smile about, with independent record shops throwing open their doors to offer special releases and compilations — and in some cases, band performances and giveaways.
Familiar Scene: Record lovers lined up in stores like Green Light Music. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
Perhaps nothing symbolized vinyl joy more than Rev Charles Preston Smith leading his short but much-beloved Record Store Day parade for a couple of blocks down Bridge Street on Grand Rapids’ West Side, launched from Dodds Record Shop and Rev Charles’ Museum of Music and Memorabilia. With Beaver Xing providing the drumbeat for the brief march, a few dozen happy souls joined the afternoon parade, the first staged since Record Store Day 2019.
Elsewhere, vinyl collectors packed Vertigo Music in Grand Rapids, Green Light Music in Kalamazoo, Corner Record Shop in Grandville and other stores to commemorate Record Store Day, a national event that started in 2008 as a way of paying homage to independent record shops and supporting these music retailers.
While the pandemic has restricted the celebrations the past couple of years, things were almost back to normal on Saturday at Grandville’s Corner Record Shop, 3562 Chicago Dr. SW, which hosted a day of live music, food and a variety of special deals.
“I had to stop in after my shift at work to pick up a few records,” said customer Kyle Overholt. “And I just really enjoy the atmosphere here and seeing all the people that come out to show their support.”
Mooch Globe: Rocking on Record Store Day at Corner Record Shop. (Photo/Robert Novak)
A slate of band performances added to the store’s immaculate atmosphere. Mooch Globe played an intense alternative rock set, followed by Old Fire, which unleashed an equally impressive hardcore skate-punk performance. Other bands which performed on Saturday: Flood the Desert, Slumlord Radio, Hillbilly Nightmare and Moto.
While the music flowed, shoppers browsed bins and purchased vinyl, cassettes and CDs.
“Having a day like Record Store Day is so important because we need to support our local establishments. People often forget about local shops, like Corner Record Shop, but they do so much for the community,” said shopper Pete Bruinsma, who’s also a longtime programmer for WYCE (88.1 FM).
The scene was much the same at Vertigo Music on S. Division Avenue in Grand Rapids and Green Light Music at 4717 W. KL Avenue in Kalamazoo, where a line of record buyers wrapped around the building prior to the store’s opening in anticipation of deals and giveaways.
PHOTO GALLERY: Record Store Day 2022
Corner Record Shop, Dodds Record Shop, Green Light Music, Vertigo Music
Photos by John Sinkevics, Robert Novak, Derek Ketchum, Anthony Norkus
VIDEO: Dodds Record Shop’s Record Store Day Parade
Copyright 2022, Spins on Music LLC
