Off of a sold out show this past Saturday at NYC’s Le Poisson Rouge, we’re happy to announce that Ceremony will be playing a free release date in-store at Amoeba San Francisco on Tuesday, March 6. This Amoeba in-store is part of the band’s West Coast week of release that includes shows in LA (March 8), Anaheim (March 9) and Berkeley (March 10). Additionally in March you can catch the band at SXSW where they’ll be playing the Flowerbooking SXSW Showcase on Saturday, March 17 at Red 7 (more SXSW shows to be announced).
On top of this, Ceremony will be playing a string of dates in April in Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Boston and DC. See below for the full run of Ceremony touring & keep it here for more live Ceremony announcements.
Ceremony US Dates:
Tuesday, March 6 – Amoeba San Francisco release date in-store (6PM/Free/All Ages)
Thursday, March 8 – Los Angeles, CA – Center For The Arts, Eagle Rock
Support = Nails and Chelsea Wolfe (All Ages) Tickets
Friday, March 9 – Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction
Support = Joyce Manor, Cold War, Skin Like Iron, Rank/Xerox (All Ages) Tickets
Saturday, March 10 – Berkeley, CA – 924 Gilman Street
Support = Cold World, The Nubs, Old Firm Casuals, No Sir (All Ages) Tickets
Saturday, March 17 – Austin, TX – Red 7 (Flowerbooking SXSW Showcase)
Friday, April 6 – Portland, OR – Branx (All Ages) – On Sale February 10 – Tickets
Saturday, April 7 – Seattle, WA – The Vera Project (All Ages) – On Sale February 10 – Tickets
Friday, April 13 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean (All Ages) – On Sale February 11 – Tickets
Bull Moose: A college drinking game where you’re only permitted to drink beer from the left hand. If caught drinking from the right hand and someone yells, “Bull Moose” you are required to finish what is left of your beer.
OR
Bull Moose: One of New England’s best record outlets and a wholly independent music chain. For this week’s installment of this ground breaking series, we talked to Bull Moose’s Chris Brown about his stores, the future and bull semen.
1. Tell us briefly about your store.
There are ten Bull Moose stores in Maine and New Hampshire. We try to let each store fit its surroundings, so each Bull Moose has its own vibe and a different selection. We have a little more metal here, more video games there, etc. The stores near shopping malls are a little spiffier than the funky downtown stores. It’s important to let our customers determine what we sell and how the stores look. Over the years, Bull Moose has grown to include movies, video games and even books.
2. What got you into the independent record store business?
Retail is in my blood – my great-great grandfather had the John Deere dealership in Lyons, KS. He sold plows, implements and bull semen. I wanted to own a comic book store when I was ten. Of course, I was very involved in music, both as a performer and as a collector as a kid. By the time I was a teenager I wanted to be Keith Emerson or own a triple-story classical music store in Albany, NY. I applied at a couple of record stores back then and finally was hired at Bull Moose. I worked there in college and then went off to be a rock star. I was ready to give up that dream around the time that the owner of Bull Moose asked me to come back. 4. How have things been going from a business perspective?
Very well. 2011 will be Bull Moose’s best year ever.
5. What do you think spells the survival for an independent record store today?
Flexibility.
6. What are some of the coolest thing labels have done with you? Instores? Promotions? Sales?
First, Record Store Day because RSD incorporates everything that ever was cool about a record store, artists and record labels. Next would be the Live at Bull Moose CD series. Instores are awesome but usually only 200 people experience them. It’s wonderful to be able to share quality recordings of in-stores with thousands of people.
7. Why do we need record stores?
We need music stores the same way that we need plumbing. Pipes and music stores are the best way to get something essential into your home. A good music store is like a good faucet. You can have hot water, cold water, or whatever temperature you want. You decide.
Stores are the best place to buy music because stores are the home of the album. I’m not talking about LPs, necessarily. I’m talking about 35-60 minutes of music that is supposed to be good all the way through and hopefully move the listener. Singles are great, but it takes a full album to change your life.
9. Who are your top 3 favorite bands right now?
I’ll limit my answer to artists who released a new CD in 2011 – Graveyard, Tony Brown, The Modern Airline (my sister’s band)
Bull City – or Bull Cittay, as it’s sometimes known around here – is one of our favorite stores around. Owner Chaz Martenstein is everything awesome about independent record stores. His love of new music and his devotion to his local Durham scene are second to none and his store is far too awesome for one measly post but here goes…
1. Tell us briefly about your store. Bull City Records opened up in November of 2005. I opened the shop myself (with the help of credit cards and my partner Rachael) after working in various shops in various cities and I’m currently still the sole employee. And I still love it. For almost six years, I sat up in an upstairs attic space off of 9th St in Durham, NC, but recently moved to an actual storefront on a nicely busy street just a few blocks around the corner. The shop mostly focuses on vinyl revolving around the worlds of indie, garage, psych and whatever other weirdo releases I can get my hands on. I still have CDs, but I really only stock a small selection of brand new independent releases or CD-only reissues.
2. What got you into the independent record store business?
Well, like most future record store employees, my high school years were spent flipping through the used CD bins at my local record shops. After I realized there was a whole new world outside of Tower Records and regular rock radio, I discovered Plan 9 Records, Soundhole Records and the local college radio station at the University of Richmond. I heard Sonic Youth, Mudhoney, Fugazi and Superchunk for the first time and it was all downhill from there. A spark ignited in my head. There was a feeling of community, energy and experimentation embedded in this world of independent music that I’d never experienced. It was instantly addictive and freeing. A little to quickly it became obvious that I was destined to force myself into a world of tiny paychecks, but 24 hours a day/7 days a week of fun. The music world never slows down, there’s something new and amazing coming out every single week of the year. What other business can really offer that?? I wanted to be a part of that world and pass on that same electric feeling to anyone else looking for it.
As far as actual work goes, I worked my way up in the music retail business from pretty close to the bottom. I got my start while I was working in my college’s small independent bookstore in Williamsburg, VA when Barnes & Noble came in, bought it up and built a giant new building. As one of a handful of original employees, I was allowed to pick the department in which I wanted to work, so I of course picked the brand new music department. After I graduated I moved up to Cape May, NJ to kill some time and got a job working at the tiny ACRAT (Atlantic City Records and Tapes) there. That summer was a touristy blur of nothing but pop punk and Jimmy Buffet. It was a blast. From there I moved out to Boulder, CO and bugged Bart’s CD Cellar on Pearl St for about a year straight until they slipped a job my way. Bart’s was an amazing store to work in – it was always busy, it was two stories tall, my fellow employees were great and ridiculously knowledgeable in each of their own areas and Bart was one of the best bosses I’ve ever known. It was while working there that I got the inspiration to try a go at it for myself. Sadly, it was one of the shops that did not survive one of the many waves of record store closings.
3. Who are some of your favorite contemporary stores?
I’d have to probably base this on inspiration. I don’t get away from my own shop too often, but there’s an amazingly supportive group of indie record stores out there plugging away at it for the same reasons. For Bull City Records, I get daily inspiration from Harvest Records in Asheville, NC; Lunchbox Records in Charlotte, NC; Steady Sounds in Richmond, VA; Aquarius Records in San Francisco, CA; Speakertree Records in Lynchburg, VA; 1-2-3-4-Go! Records in Oakland, CA and Sound Fix Records in New York, among others. Celebrated Summer in Baltimore, MD is pretty rad too – it’s located in the back of a great book/comic shop. Oh! I also just recently visited a place out in Santa Cruz, CA called Metavinyl that was amazing! Solid vinyl shop for current indie and psych. It’s funny, even on short vacations away from my own shop, I still manage to somehow find myself in record stores every day.
4. How have things been going from a business perspective?
Things have been going pretty well actually. Moving into a ground-level space with a parking lot (and heat and A/C) has made a really positive difference. The store has a giant plate-glass window in front so it even manages to advertise itself when I’m not open. In the old second floor space, I had no way to really entice people to come in from outside. It was basically a destination-only space. With vinyl on the upswing as it is right now too, there’s finally a very real and positive hope for small shops like this to succeed and grow. It’s been a lot of fun to watch actually. The trends in music consumption and music production are always changing, which is another reason why I love this business so much. It was getting pretty hairy for a lot of folks a year and a half ago. I almost closed myself! That can really make a person cranky. So that’s definitely something to be happy about!
5. What do you think spells the survival for an independent record store today?
Customer service. Knowledge of stock. Those are the two biggies for me. At the root of it all, you really have to have a wild passion for music itself and be open to the ever-changing forms of music. If you can really figure out how to present good customer service, your love of and excitement for music can be shared with your regulars and newer customers. At Bull City Records I try to work within the niche of indie, garage and psych, so I’m constantly trying to read, listen to and explore new stuff. The fact that discovering and talking about music can still be a full-time job in this day and age is pretty amazing. Sometimes when things outside of the shop get ya down, it’s hard to remember the importance of customer service. There are days where it’s easy to slip, but you have to constantly be reminding yourself that it’s job requirement #1. Basically 100% of our stock is available for free online, so we really have to work at giving people a very real reason to come in. To me though, that’s half the fun of it! Connecting with people over this stuff is what keeps me going.
6. What are some of the coolest thing labels have done with you? Instores? Promotions? Sales?
To tell you the truth, Matador is one of my favorite labels to work with – and I’m not just saying that because you’re asking me the questions. There are a handful of indie labels out there that really act like partners with the stores who always give us more incentive to work hard or challenge us outside of our normal routine. Recently Rough Trade set up an in-store with Jeffrey Lewis when he came through town. Rather than playing songs, he set up a slideshow detailing the making of the artwork for his brand new record (which is great by the way). He even brought original ink drawings of his comic-style packaging to display. This was one of the best in-stores I’ve ever attended just because it was outside of the usual “come in and play a few songs before your full set of more songs later that day” box. It was a blast! Labels will also hold display-making contests in which we get to compete with other stores for most creatively designed display. It’s a great way for the labels to get their albums more display space and attention, while the stores are wrestling it out for hopeful credit with the label. I hope that’s not disclosing too much of a trade secret!
7. Why do we need record stores?
Wow. This is a heavy question. Like a good bookstore, it’s a breeding ground for culture I believe. Friends are made in the record store, connections are made in the record store, networking is done in the record store, a community is felt in the record store. Think about how boring and monotonous it would be if we only knew what was being pushed in the iTunes market or Pandora Station. We’d have no music to share with friends, because we’d all be seeing the same ads for the same bands! Ha! I feel that record stores must still be important and relevant to the growth and development of modern music too. There are still a bunch of new bands being formed every day who still say they’re influenced by hanging out in their local record stores. If you’ve got a good little shop in your town, chances are they’re playing some good, weird shit over their store speakers right this second! Go hear it!
On a more economically level, it’s also better for your city and state’s economy to shop independent and local. Plus, it keeps local folks employed! Those are really just general reasons to shop with independent stores anywhere though. I think it’s important to remember that we basically vote with our money. Enough preaching though. We all know that already!
8. What kind of taco is your favorite?
I’ll probably catch some flak for this, but honestly I can’t get enough of the taco tripa over at my local taqueria (one of the best in Durham), La Vaquita. The runner-up is always the taco chorizo. Their torta cubana is pretty out of this world too, but I need a strong, empty stomach on days that I go that route.
9. Who are your top 3 favorite bands right now?
This is definitely not a good question for a record store employee! It changes daily. Three of my favorite bands in general until the end of time: The Replacements, The Reigning Sound, the Velvet Underground. However, some of my most listened to current bands are: Wooden Shjips, Heavy Times, Kurt Vile, War on Drugs, Hiss Golden Messenger, Ty Segall, Woods, The Beets, Mount Moriah. It’s not a fair question, so I give a not fair answer.
10. What is your favorite thing about your store? And you can’t say the customers. That’s like saying Einstein or Ghandi when asked “If you could meet one person, living or dead…”
I can listen to music all day is a good place to start. I can bring my dog to work with me every day, that’s pretty important to me. It’s really hard not to say the customers, because none of us would exist without our customers… they’re more essential than we are! I really like the small world that it presents too. The connections with labels and people you make are amazing. It’s a whole culture and spiderweb of people who just enjoy what they do on a day-to-day basis. The fact that I get to interact with idols from my teenage years is pretty heavy too – Mac and Laura from Superchunk will stop in for records sometimes and I get packages from Sub Pop addressed from Mark Arm himself! Six years later, that’s still extremely exciting to me for some reason. Don’t let those packages stop coming, Mr. Arm! The basic act of passing on new music always gives me a thrill too. Apparently that’s another hard question!
11. What are your goals for the future of your store? Long term and short.
Simply to keep the doors open and the music moving. Obviously, I would love to keep growing my stock until it overwhelms the store too. Constant new vinyl coming into the shop keeps me pretty happy. I also wouldn’t mind growing my blog into a more interactive place for discussion. I’ve got some ideas, but I’m still reeling from the excitement of my new space!
12. Tell us about the cool used and collectable action you have going on over there.
This sounds like a question coming more from Mike than from the Matador Blog. You’ll just have to stop by the store to find out! Ha!
Welcome back, pals. How was your Christmas? Get everything you wanted? Get that $7 check from grams? We know you’ve got that and some other Christmas money stashed away and you’re just wondering, “Where should I spend it?” Well if you’re reading this from the Austin area, here’s a hint:
1. Tell us briefly about your store.
We (Dan Plunkett & Blake Carlisle) opened End Of An Ear in May of 2005. We’re located on S. 1st Street near Boshai’s convenience store. We wanted to create a record store that focused on genres that we felt were ignored and more obscure music that we championed, but also be a regular kind of shop that carries all of the popular new releases. We also wanted to have a place that focused more on vinyl and featured lots of higher quality used stuff. We also carry books, magazines, DVD’s, VHS, and stereo equipment (used and new).
2. What got you into the independent record store business?
Being music lovers and collecting records mainly. Dan had done a record label/magazine (ND), and had previously co-owned another Austin record store (33 Degrees) for 8 years. We wanted to try and become a place that put a magnifying glass on the types of records that were being overlooked. We also wanted to eventually become a place that was filled to the brim with an ever-rotating inventory of used records.
3. Who are some of your favorite contemporary stores?
Jive Time in Seattle, Friends Of Sound and Breakaway in Austin, Vinyl Edge in Houston. Academy in NYC, Double Decker in Allentown, PA, Armageddon Shop in Providence, RI and Boston, MA, Record Surplus in LA, Grimey’s in Nashville, Stinkweeds in Phoenix, Jackpot and Mississippi in Portland, to name a few. A lot we need to visit.
4. How have things been going from a business perspective?
We are still growing and this year will be our best year yet. We are in a lucky spot in Austin where there are several major music fests such as SXSW, ACL, Chaos in Tejas, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Pachanga and several others that help bring attention to the shop. A lively and supportive local scene and just a general flow of people who are interesting and seeking out good music.
5. What do you think spells the survival for an independent record store today?
You have to stay on your toes. Besides DVDs, CDs, vinyl etc we expanded into selling new and used turntables, receivers and other audio equipment.. We also want to do more with books which we have done well with.
6. What are some of the coolest thing labels have done with you? Instores? Promotions? Sales?
We have been lucky to have a lot of cool instores: Band of Horses, Beirut, Cave, FM3, Peter Walker, Thurston Moore, Gary Wilson, The Bats, Ted Leo, Peelander Z, Exene Cervenka (and birthday party), Pierced Arrows, Rorschach, Tiny Vipers, Homosexuals, Colin Stetson, Jad Fair, Suisho No Fune, Eagle Twin, Nadja, Veronica Falls, Renderers and more that I’m forgetting.
We have done a few label features and sales such as Numero, National, Light in the Attic, VP (classic reggae titles), SPV (Krautrock titles), 4AD, Finder’s Keepers, etc.
As far as promotions, we have done giveaways via Twitter and Facebook such as free records, autographed goodies, free tickets, or get into a soundcheck and those kind of things.
7. Why do we need record stores?
Because living in a computer-only world is a sick, depressing idea. Don’t you get bored of iTunes, Amazon, Facebook and being on a computer in general? We do, and by having our store we try to reinforce the notion that going out in public, talking to people, sharing thoughts/opinions are integral steps to living an interesting and meaningful life.
8. What kind of taco is your favorite?
Anything from: Taqueria Amy’s, El Primo, Taco-Mex, Habanero, Tamale House, Maria’s, or Arranda’s. We’re into Al Pastor, Barbacoa, Carne Asada, Brisket Tacos, Lengua, Chorizo/egg, Migas plate from either Maria’s or Tamale House. Also, any food from Curra’s is amazing. Trust us we’ve lived here forevs.
9. Who are your top 3 favorite bands right now?
It would change by the second – but for now in this instant lets say: Total Control, John Maus, and Mist.
10. What is your favorite thing about your store? And you can’t say the customers. That’s like saying Einstein or Ghandi when asked “If you could meet one person, living or dead…”
Being in an old, weird building from the 60′s that’s kind of like a strange compound, and being able to live and work in an enviornment that has such a unique and historical past. We like the fact that occasionally the opportunity comes up where we can physically expand the shop, which we’ve done a few times and plan to do again in the future. The shop space itself is like an ongoing project.
11. What are your goals for the future of your store? Long term and short.
Short term – Keep improving our inventory/selection and the way the store looks.
Long term: To have Scott Walker or Robert Wyatt do an instore with an open bar and a feast catered by a kick ass Indian restaurant.
Sometimes over here at Matador HQ we like to try wacky shit like making videos featuring famous funny guys or buying a single Soda Stream for 15 people to use and then wonder why it runs out of gas after a day and a half.
But this time we’re doing something a little more simple and a lot more awesome.
As you already know, Girls are playing Terminal 5 on Saturday January 14. As you probably know, tickets are disappearing faster than (insert Kardashian wedding joke here). So just for you, NYC, we’ve teamed up with some of the best independent records stores in the Big Apple to offer a FREE TICKET when you purchase a copy of Father, Son, Holy Ghost (while supplies last, of course).
Simple as that. Buy the new album at regular price, get a free ticket to the show at Terminal 5.
For Volume 3 of our groundbreaking featurette, we dug in with Sharod Bines and Bradley Ellison, the two Floridians who run Retrofit Records. These guys rule and apparently have the kind of taste that would fit right in at Matador HQ. I dig them because they say “motherfucker” a lot.
That photo down the bottom there that’s Sharod and Bradley with a special friend. They’re clearly radical dudes.
1. Tell us briefly about your store. SB: Retrofit Records is located in Tallahasee, Florida, in the heart of downtown Tallahassee. Our store is about 950 square feet. Within our small space we host in-store performances, community events like BBQs, potlucks, listening parties, and anything else fun that we can think of! About 95% of our stock consists of new and used vinyl, while the remainder consists of about 60-80 CDs (at any given time), shop related apparel, a few publications, vinyl accessories, and new record players.
2. What got you into the independent record store business? SB: A love for music and the need to contribute in a bigger way to our city’s music scene. That, and we’re the only record store in town where you can find new and current released music. Before we opened it was a little embarassing when a band came through town and would ask us to direct them to the nearest record store and we’d have to tell them none exist. Now that we’re open, we just direct them to our shop! BE: Honestly, it also felt necessary for us (instead of anyone else) to start the store. We, to put it bluntly, are music nerds, and our knowledge of music is a little more intense and comprehensive than many other people in our town. So it really came down to who would be capable, willing, and knowledgable enough to present and sell music to our town. Plus, It’s a handy tool for instructing and recommending albums to people based on maybe one band that they are into. 3. Who are some of your favorite contemporary stores? SB: Radio-Active Records in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Vinyl Richie’s Wiggly World in Orlando, Fl, and Criminal Records in Atlanta, GA BE: Aquarius Records
4. How have things been going from a business perspective? SB: So far things have been great! I don’t come from a retail background at all (never even worked a register before now hah), so I was definitely nervous about opening a record shop. However, we actually lucked out, as in, we opened a week after major construction concluded on the main thouroughfare where our shop is located, and we opened a week before fall semester classes started, which really has helped sales and word of mouth regarding the shop. Even one of the universities interviewed us and put the article on the front page of their “Arts & Culture” section, which was really nice! So far this year has been great for us! We’re hoping 2012 goes just as smoothly. BE: Some people have questioned our logic and asked aloud “why start a vinyl store when music sales are on the decline?” We’ve proved the naysayers wrong pretty quickly by succeeding at our mission.
5. What do you think spells the survival for an independent record store today? SB: SUPPORT within the community! I can’t stress that enough. Considering that we’re the only contemporary record store in our city, we’d like to hope that people would treasure something like what we’re doing, and would want us to succeed and therefore inspire others within the community to create their own cultural exchange, no matter what form it comes in, be it music, art, culinary, etc… That being said, a large part of the onus lies with us. Part of our job as a record store is to inform and educate the public/scene on what’s available. You know, not just what’s cool or new, but what’s out there beyond mainstream radio and TV. BE: The size and focus of a store is also important. There’s no way a store can survive if it becomes bloated and tries to appeal to everyone’s slight whim. We saw a store in town fall apart by trying to grow and grow – Vinyl Fever RIP – but let’s face it: with the rise of the Internet, plus with the dreck that passes for mainstream music, most people no longer see the need to buy records. But there are always music fans out there, willing to dig and listen to new things. By keeping small, you can provide a more diverse collection of music and you don’t compete with chain stores in any way. 6. What are some of the coolest thing labels have done with you? Instores? Promotions? Sales? SB: At this point we haven’t done as much as we would like to with labels, in fact we want to do a lot MORE! Maybe the labels are waiting to see if we’ll be around in a year, or maybe they just want us to buy more inventory haha. It’s cool though, the labels we work with send us the usual schwag (posters, promos, limited edition stuff, etc..), which we more than appreciate. Some labels don’t send us anything! Either way, we’ve hosted some really fun in-store shows and events with the likes of Nobunny, Shannon & The Clams, Moon Duo, Jacuzzi Boys, Cheveu, Paul Collins Beat, etc… Oh yeah, almost forgot Keith Morris (Black Flag, Circle Jerks, OFF!) came by the store and bought a bunch of records, which was pretty cool!
7. Why do we need record stores? SB: Who doesn’t need a hang spot where you can listen to awesome records?! BE: Why do we need to breathe? Why do we need to love? Because otherwise, life would be life would merely be a dull, inescapable throbbing pain.
8. What kind of taco is your favorite? SB: I don’t eat tacos often, but I’m a pretty straight forward guy. So I’ll have to go with the original: ground beef, lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheese. BE: Oh my god! The taco, you see, is imperative to life. I prefer using tempeh and vegetables (done the same way that typically comes in a fajita), adding some guacamole and melting some cheese on the motherfucker. And before you ask, yes it’s in a hard shell. Goddamn, maybe I should start a Mexican food cart.
9. Who are your top 3 favorite bands right now? SB: The Spits, Yussuf Jerusalem, and Davila 666! BE: How cruel, cutting it down to three. Anyway, lately I’ve been obsessing over Sun City Girls, Dungen, and The Bug.
10. What is your favorite thing about your store? And you can’t say the customers. That’s like saying Einstein or Ghandi when asked “If you could meet one person, living or dead…” SB: Fulfilling one of my dreams! ..and the pride of ownership. It feels really nice to work hard for something and then see it come to fruition, there’s nothing like it. BE: Swag. No but for real, it’s what i’ve wanted to do since I was a kid.
11. What are your goals for the future of your store? Long term and short. SB: Retrofit Records world domination?! BE: Surviving and thriving motherfucker!
Recently we broke ground on our newest Matablog feature Get To Know Your Local Independent Retailer with L.A. vinyl gurus Origami Vinyl. This week, we travel up the Pacific Coast to Portland for a chat with Terry Currier (pictured below, on the right), owner of Rose City institution Music Millennium.
1. Tell us briefly about your store.
Music Millennium opened on march 15th, 1969. It grew to a full catalog store. Music Millennium pioneered live music in a record store putting in stage on our 10th Anniversersary with a permanent sound system. We do about 150 live performances a year.
2. What got you into the independent record store business?
I started in record retail in 1972. I did not grow up listening to the radio or recorded music. I played clarinet and was going to go to college on music scholarships. I got a car at 16 1/2 after riding a motorcycle in the rain and snow for the first six months of my 16th year. The radio got me interested in music and 2 weeks before my senior year of high school, I went to my first concert – Leon Russell & The Shelter People. Two weeks later I applied for a job in a record store and they hired me on my enthusiasm and didn’t ask me what I knew about music or I would have not got the job. 3 weeks later my girlfriend (met at the store) told me she had a surprise for me that night. It turned out to be a trip to Music Millennium. I went there almost every night after work in my record store job reading album covers back to back, specially their import section. In 1984, after the middle ownership at Music Millennium was going to file bankruptcy, I went to work for the original owner as he assumed the debt and the inventory and building. I bought pieces of of it and eventually bought the whole thing. I paid it off around the dawn of downloading.
3. Who are some of your favorite contemporary stores?
I have so many favorites but Twist & Shout in Denver and Waterloo in Austin have pretty amazing stores. Fingerprints‘ new store in Long Beach is really incredible. I always gravitate towards the vinyl section of any store i get to visit.
4. How have things been going from a business perspective?
The past decade has been very trying, especially the past couple years. The economy really has been a factor in slowing business the past couple years. It’s sad to see stores like Ear-X-Tacy go from being one of the best record stores in the country to having to close.
5. What do you think spells the survival for an independent record store today?
Anyone still doing it is doing it for the right reason – the passion of the music. That is why they are still open. Many indie labels have succeeded in these times and had much success though. I still feel that physical goods are viable and the market could increase with a unified effort. Vinyl is a bright spot as new consumers get into it everyday. Had vinyl stayed around instead of the CD in the late 80′s, the industry would have not been effected as much by digital. Everything about vinyl is great; the sound, the covers, the jackets.
6. What are some of the coolest thing labels have done with you? Instores? Promotions? Sales?
We pinch ourselves every once in a while over the instores we have hosted. Joe Strummer, Randy Newman, Soundgarden, Steve Earle, Paul Westerberg, Sleater-Kinney and Keith Emerson!
7. Why do we need record stores?
Record stores use to be community centers. Many still are but to a lesser extent. When you go to a good record store, you are going to get turned on to music you did not even know existed. You browse on the internet, you read magazines, but record store employees that you connect with can make your day. Browsing in a good store you will discover so many things. And for shopping vinyl, especially used, you have a chance to find those coveted pieces you have been looking for for years or just a fun piece like a “How To Bowl” record or “Music For Your Plants’ record. Sure, you can search online but takes the fun out it.
8. What kind of taco is your favorite?
Shrimp. With a real good and flavorful hot sauce. You don’t want to hide the flavor of the shrimp, you want to enhance it.
9. Who are your top 3 favorite bands right now?
My favorite albums of 2011 are Unfazed by Delorean and Sky Full of Holes by Fountains of Wayne. You can’t go wrong with the new album Viva Voce The Future Will Destroy Us. If i had to name my favorite bands of all-time – The Kinks, Spirit and Mott The Hoople.
10. What is your favorite thing about your store? And you can’t say the customers. That’s like saying Einstein or Ghandi when asked “If you could meet one person, living or dead…”
The favorite thing about the store is the feel. The store has character. It still has the feel it did 40 years ago. We have tried to preserve that as we have made changes over the years. You can feel the passion of the music as you walk through the store.
11. What are your goals for the future of your store?
The goal is be able to continue to be a great full catalog store.
A few weeks back we posted a little piece about how – contrary to the general perception – there are plenty of independent record stores out there who are doing just fine. That post was met with such excited fervor that we’ve decided to go one step further and profile some of those stores who are out there in your town, slinging rock and taking names. For our first installment we caught up with Neil Schield, owner of one of our favorite new record shops, Origami Vinyl in Los Angeles; a small store who pack a ton of punch and are really beginning to cultivate their own community in the Echo Park area.
1. Tell us briefly about your store. Origami Vinyl is a new and used vinyl shop located in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. We opened on April 3rd, 2009 and feature a ton of amazing in-stores, a robust selection of local music, and are very active in our local community. Our shop is only 400 square feet but packs in a very diverse curated collection of independent music from a wide range of genres.
2. What got you into the independent record store business?
It started as a dream in high school that became more of a fantasy once I started my career in the music industry out of college. After being in the industry for 10 years, I was laid off twice within a matter of 2 years. I was pretty over the whole corporate landscape. Down and out and not sure where to take my career, I had a yard sale to purge some things I didn’t need, including a bunch of LPs that my parents had given me that I didn’t really listen to. That yard sale changed my life. Within hours I had sold nearly 40 records and was amazed by how many people were interested in the records I didn’t want. An old man who lived across the street came over in amazement that I had records. He had a little building in front of his house that used to be a store front. I made some joke to him that he should let me rent that front building out and turn it into a record store. He laughed and said no.
But something in me started to think that maybe it wasn’t such a far fetched idea. A couple weeks later I really started to give the dream much more thought and approached the old man again. He politely declined, but I was determined to figure this thing out. I went down the street to my friend Jeff’s bar, El Prado in Echo Park. He asked me what I had been up to and I told him about my subsequent layoffs. He asked what my next plans were, and I said I was having this crazy idea about opening a record store. His eyes lit up and he told me that him and Mitchell Frank, who also co-own The Echo, had just purchased the building next door to The Echo and were looking for a tenant. The record store would be perfect there. The next morning we met at the space and shook hands on it. Within 9 months, on April 3rd, 2009, the shop opened it’s doors.
3. Who are some of your favorite contemporary stores? Mississippi Records in Portland is by far my favorite. I love the personality of that shop. It’s so small and quaint, yet has such a tremendous amount of amazing music. I really respect Aquarius Records in San Francisco. They are one of the best shops to turn you on to unknown/obscure music. I’ve always enjoyed their level of knowledge and recommendations.
4. How have things been going from a business perspective?
It’s pretty crazy. I never was sure what to expect. I didn’t lay out a business plan or anything, but we have been blown away by the amount of support, press, and foot traffic that come through our shop. It’s been the most fulfilling decision I have ever made in my life. I’m constantly learning all the nuances of owning a retail shop and the unpredicatbility of sales trends, but the challenge makes it that much more fun.
5. What do you think spells the survival for an independent record store today?
Community. It’s our mission to be as active with our local community as possible. As a record store I believe you have to have some sort of responsibility to support your local music scene. We pride ourselves on that. Any band that wants to take the time to release something on vinyl, our doors are open for them to sell it here, promote it here, play an in-store here. Without local independent bands we wouldn’t exist.
In addition to this its extremely important to get involved with local non-profit organizations, support local education institutions, work with other local retailers and the chambers of commerce, and DJ at local venues and bars.
I also believe the future of independent record stores must be based on smaller, more curated, neighborhood shops, than big, huge warehouses of music. There’s been a major movement over the course of the last few years to support small local retailers, and we feel that. People really appreciate customer service. Having an approachable, knowledgeable staff, that get excited that they share the same interests as the customer is extremely important.
6. What are some of the coolest thing labels have done with you? Instores? Promotions? Sales?
The most memorable and maybe the most infamous, was our in-store with Jonsi. Not only was it the most amazing performance we’ve ever hosted, but the fact that it will never happen again was pretty special. I feel bad that he was so uncomfortable being so close to his fans, but at the same time, I hope he realizes in retrospect how magical that night was for everyone that witnessed it. If you haven’t seen it, check it out.
Another rad thing is 2 months after the store opened, we had one of my favorite bands of all time, Sonic Youth, completely take over the shop to celebrate their album, The Eternal. SY came up with a new store name and sign, hand selected their favorite records to sell and had 2 bands they curated to play the shop. It was insane!
Other than, we have hosted numerous epic in-stores with bands like Florence and the Machine, Superchunk, Ben Harper, Holy Fuck, Lou Barlow, Entrance Band, Dengue Fever, Youth Lagoon, Yuck, Male Bonding, The Strange Boys, Eleanor Friedberger, J Tillman, The Growlers, and so many more.
7. Why do we need record stores?
Because we’re fun people to loiter with.
8. What kind of taco is your favorite?
Al Pastor from Taco Zone in Echo Park.
9. Who are your top 3 favorite bands right now?
I’d say the top 3 albums of the year for me are from Bill Callahan, PJ Harvey, and Tune-Yards.
10. What is your favorite thing about your store? And you can’t say the customers. That’s like saying Einstein or Ghandi when asked “If you could meet one person, living or dead…”
Knowing that my dream came true.
11.Tell us about the used and collectible action you have going on over there?
We are pretty selective about what we bring in but we have some gems right now from Can, dEUS, Tom Waits, The Germs, Chuck Berry, Felt, Amon Duul, Kraut, Galaxie 500, Godflesh, Sun Ra, Mogwai, Lydia Lunch and more!
12. What are your goals for the future of your store? Long term and short.
Short term: Open an online store that focuses on LA based bands and artists. Long term: Origami East…hello Brooklyn!?
Here at Matador HQ we couldn’t be more upset at the announcements of the closures of Ear X-Tacy and Slowtrain, and the uncertain ground that Criminal Records now sits on; however, what a lot of people don’t seem to realize (or at least recognize) is that there is a growing community of independent record stores out there, many of whom are not only doing great business but in fact growing.
Just as it’s much easier to slam a shitty record than it is to praise an excellent one, there seems to be a trend to point out the independent record stores which are closing rather than highlighting all of the amazing new stores that are popping up on what seems like a monthly basis. Many of these have quickly become a part of our daily, weekly or monthly routine.
Of course, the landscape is changing – this isn’t news to anyone. However, we are constantly seeing proof that there are still people out there who would rather spend the majority of their free afternoons in a cramped record store than most anywhere else. As we all grow as professionals, businesses and people it is our job to find out what those people need and want.
A trend seems to be arising from the flux: stores that are far smaller, more curated and focused than the rock and roll pleasure domes of years past. Unfortunately, those days are over. However, this means little for the record store itself, especially the record store that is growing and adapting in this new physical culture.
I think the thesis here is that stores are becoming less commercial entities and more cultural ones, which in our opinion is great. That’s what a record store should be and places like Origami, Other Music, Good Records and scads of others are becoming beacons of the rock community in their respective locales.
Now more than ever getting your hands on new music is simple (and free if you want it to be), but what new and blossoming record stores have realized is that their brand is becoming more than a point of purchase. Rather they have become a name to be trusted and a place to convene. The record store is once again becoming a destination.
A few facts:
Permanent Records (Chicago) just opened a location in Los Angeles which is thriving and filling a void that has long plagued LA; a store that is smaller and more personable than the ever-amazing Amoeba yet a bit more mid-sized than vinyl mavens Vacation and Origami.
Speaking of Origami, in their three years they have become a hub of their community sharing both remarkably memorable events and giving back as a charitable entity, working with non-profits such as 826LA, Los Angeles Arts Alliance and various local schools and their fundraisers.
End Of An Ear (Austin) is in the midst of constant expansion while continually having fiscal years better than the previous. 2010 was their best year yet and they’re already 23% over that for 2011. Take a look at the store in 2005 and take a look at them now.
By December, Guestroom Records will open their third location in downtown Oklahoma City.
Bull City recently finished their move into a bigger store in Durham.
Slowtrain (Salt Lake City) is about to close their doors but what the general public seemingly fails to recognize is how the closing is a personal family decision on the part of the owners whose interests have understandably shifted from running a record store to starting a family. What remains unnoticed is how Slowtrain has been steadily growing since they’ve opened: their total sales for 2011 we’re up 11% from last year.
Meanwhile new independent record shops are popping up all over the nation, not the least of which are Steady Sounds (Richmond, VA), Cyklopx (Forest Park, IL), All Day Records (Carrboro, NC), Co Op 87 (Brooklyn), and Saki (Chicago).
These examples are just a small sampling of so many positives in the independent retail community and I wish we could point out each and every one. We simply felt it was our job speak to the fact that while things may seem like they’re going downhill for small record stores, in most instances it is just the opposite. Whereas most people on the periphery of what we hold so dear to our hearts see the decline of the independent record store, we down here in the trenches realize that we sit on the precipice of something great. We see the new dawn of physical retail just over the horizon and we’re fucking psyched beyond words to be a part of it.
Please feel free to use the comments section of this post to tell us what your local indie shop has going on. Thanks.
What better way to wrap up a big, long and assuredly exhausting national tour than to come home, hang out in one of the world’s best record stores and play a free show for all of your hometown friends and fans?
Girls are doing exactly that at 2pm THIS SUNDAY, October 9 at Amoeba SF. Lucky.
And if you haven’t picked up the new album Father, Son, Holy Ghost be sure to do so soon, as the band will be hanging out after their set to sign your copy.
After taking NYC by storm this weekend, Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks continue their tour across this fine land. And to the good folks of Nashville, you’re in for a double-shot of Malkmus And The Jicks who play the Mercy Lounge on Tuesday, 10/4 AND will also be hanging out at Grimey’s doing a signing earlier that day at 3PM. Be there!
You like pizza. You like Girls. You like the respite that your lunch break provides. Why not combine all three at your other favorite thing… A RECORD STORE!
Next Thursday, September 29 Girls are playing a free, all ages, lunch hour instore at Reckless Records’ Broadway store with those Chicago-style pizzas and drinks for you hard workers out there. What better way to spend a lunch hour?
And if you just can’t tear yourself away from the desk at 2pm next Thursday, be sure to catch Girls that night at Lincoln Hall. But let’s face it, you’ve probably just been playing Snood all morning. Amirite?!
Flash back a week to when we said that Girls were going to play a free, all ages concert this Friday at Grimey’s down in Nashville. Remember that? Good. Now, fasten your socks lest they be knocked off.
To celebrate today’s release of the freshly BNM’dFather, Son, Holy Ghost – and pay homage to the hundreds of indie record stores who have it on sale – we’re going to be live webcasting Friday’s Nashville concert from Grimey’s across the websites, blogs and Facebooks of participating independent record stores across the nation. It’s the first ever NATIONWIDE in-store performance. GIRLS ACROSS AMERICA!
So this Friday 9/16 at 5pm CST make sure to tune in to your favorite record store’s website, blog or Facebook to watch the performance Live From Nashville.
……aaaand there’s more: As another nod to indie record stores, Girls will create a limited edition vinyl release exclusive to stores participating in this live streaming event, to be made available later this year.
Check out participating stores HERE and LONG LIVE INDIE RETAIL!
Remember when I told you that Girls were playing an instore in Nashville a few days after their new album comes out and you were all like, “Oh man, Mike. Jeez I wish they’d come up to the Big City and play a free, all ages instore for us Big City folk”?
Well yea, we heard you, dude. And like the ultimate facilitators that we fancy ourselves we went ahead and booked a free, all ages Girls instore at NYC rockshop Other Music. Check. It. Out. But before you do that, check out the impending Girls tour dates after the jump.
September
Wednesday 14 - Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
Thursday 15 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
Friday 16 – Nashville, TN – Grimey’s (instore performance – 5PM)
Friday 16 - Nashville, TN – The Mercy Lounge
Saturday 17 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
Monday 19 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
Tuesday 20 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
Wednesday 21 — New York, NY — Other Music (instore performance — 9PM)
Thursday 22 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
Friday 23 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
Saturday 24 – Boston, MA – Paramount Center
Sunday 25 – Montreal, AL – Corona Theatre
Tuesday 27 – Toronto, ON – The Mod Club
Thursday 29 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
Friday 30 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theater
October
Saturday 01 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
Tuesday 04 – Vancouver, BC – The Biltmore Cabaret
Wednesday 05 - Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
Thursday 06 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Saturday 08 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
Sunday 09 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
On Friday September 16 – mere three days after their sophomore effort Father, Son, Holy Ghosthits our shores – Girls will be in Nashville (or Smashville or Nashvegas, depending on what kind of tourist you are) to play a rock and roll concert at Music City mainstay Mercy Lounge.
BUT a few hours prior they’ll stop by Music City institution Grimey’s for a free, all ages instore. You really shouldn’t miss either.
The above clip — and building anticipation for tonight’s performance takes just a little bit of the sting out of the way we’ve been publicly outed as censors of the lowest variety.
If you’ve been tuned in to CNN this blog lately, you may recall how today marks two very important future cultural benchmarks. First, today sees the release of Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks’ new album Mirror Traffic.
Second, to celebrate the aforementioned release, Stephen and the Jicks will be playing a free, all-ages instore this evening at Hollywood’s seminal rock outlet Amoeba Music at 6pm PST. The entire performance will be streamed on Amoeba’s website so even if you’re not in LA, you can still check it out and find out who won the best fucking contest of all-time the contest to help Steve find an alternate word for “blowjob” so that the radio will play his single Senator.
Funny I should mention THIS CONTEST now because contrary to our having told you guys we were going to announce the winner in a few weeks, we’re just so damn excited that Stephen will be announcing the winner during this evening’s performance of Senator on Amoeba webcast, so be sure to tune in and find out if you’ve won. And while we’ve only got a few hours until showtime, we’ve still yet to determine that perfect “blowjob” substitute. So get your last minute entries in right now. Seriously, we’re shutting it down (boss) in a few hours.
And if you just can’t wait another minute to get your SM/JCKS online video fix, check out Mirror Traffic’sfirst video right now.
In addition to two other instores later this week, the band will be hitting the road for a very awesome and very extensive tour in a few weeks’ time. Those dates below.
9/20 – Detroit, MI, Majestic Theater – tickets
9/21 – Toronto, ON, Phoenix Concert Theatre – tickets
9/22 – Ottowa, ON, Ritual – tickets
9/23 – Montreal, QC, Corona Theatre – tickets
9/24 – Boston, MA, Royale – tickets
9/26 – New York, NY, Terminal 5 – tickets
9/28 – Philadelphia, PA , Theatre of Living Arts – tickets
9/29 – Baltimore, MD, Ram’s Head Live – tickets
9/30 – Charlottesville, VA, Jefferson Theater – tickets
10/1 — Saxapahaw, NC, The Haw River Ballroom – tickets
10/2 – Atlanta, GA, Variety Playhouse – tickets
10/4 – Nashville, TN, Mercy Lounge – tickets
10/5 – Indianapolis, IN, Earth House – tickets
10/6 – Chicago, IL, Vic Theatre – tickets
10/7 – Milwaukee WI, Turner Hall – tickets
10/8 – Minneapolis, MN, Pantages Theatre – tickets
10/11- Seattle, WA, Neptune Theatre – tickets (with Ty Segall)
10/12 – Vancouver, BC, The Biltmore Cabaret – tickets (with Ty Segall)
10/13 – Portland, OR, Crystal Ballroom – tickets (with Ty Segall)
10/16 – San Francisco, CA, Treasure Island Music Festival – tickets
10/19 – Los Angeles, CA, The Music Box – tickets (with Ty Segall)
10/20 – Solana Beach, CA, Belly Up Tavern – tickets (with Ty Segall)
He loves them much so that rather than hit up Top Of The Rock, take a horse carriage ride around Central Park or walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, he’s planning to spend an entire evening in two of New York City’s finest independent record stores. SM will be playing two acoustic instores on Thursday August 25. You’re silly not to make one.
He’ll be at Brooklyn’s Academy at 6pm and Manhattan’s Other Music at 9pm. Both performances will be followed by a signing. And did I mention the exclusive poster you can ONLY get at these instores?
And if you can’t catch either of these ridiculously intimate instores, you can catch SM and the Jicks on their upcoming tour (the incredible Ty Segall supports where noted):
Find these, and many other new and classic Matador, True Panther and distributed releases here. Spend over $50, and get free shipping AND while you’re at it, pick up a new Matador tote bag (cuz let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a tote? )
Last week we posted the Belle and Sebastian video for “Come On Sister” and if that’s not enough video goodness, Belle and Sebastian have another video out today for “I Didn’t See It Coming” (Richard X mix) by Glasgow based artist, Lesley Barnes.
This summer, you’ll be able to pick up the new Belle and Sebastian 12” (July 26 release). This vinyl-only release includes reworked versions of Write About Love tracks – including a Cold Cave remix of “I Didn’t See It Coming”.
Come On Sister 12” Track Listing:
Come On Sister (Tony Doogan mix)
I Didn’t See It Coming (Richard X mix)
I Didn’t See It Coming (Cold Cave mix)
Blue Eyes of a Millionaire (Album version)
Pre-order the Come On Sister 12” on the Matador Store
Remember back when we told you that Fucked Up had a new album on the horizon? Well that time is racing towards us faster than you can say “Byrdesdale Spa FC.” However we’ve still got a little ways to go before the June 7 street date. But alas! We’ve found a way to not only get you the whole album early but for you to score a bunch of exclusive content. We’re talking bonus 7″es, non-album tracks, posters.
The time has come for us to welcome back our dear old (and newly trademarked) friend Buy Early Get Now.
For its ninth birthday, Buy Early Get Now is getting the Fucked Up treatment and by placing a pre-order via mail order directly from us*or at a trusted local independent retailer for David Comes To Life on CD or 2xLP beginning Tuesday April 26, you’ll get the following:
- Instant download of 5 non-album songs plus the pre-album digital singles as MP3s on April 26.
- A full 192k album stream and hi-quality album download in 4 parts over 4 days from May 10-13.
- The CD or 2xLP and exclusive poster mailed to your house via Matastore or available to pick up on June 7.
- Download of Record Store Day Exclusive David’s Town comp on June 7.
- 4 bonus 7″es of 7 extra non-album songs available to pick up on June 28.
And, as always, if you don’t live anywhere near a participating retailer, you can always pre-order David Comes To Life directly from the Matador Store.
For more info on Buy Early Get Now click HERE or email buyearlygetnow@matadorrecords.com for more details.
I told you we had more Kurt Vile instores to announce. And you know what? We’re not even done. But for now, all you Seattleites…. Seattleuns???…. Seattleers??? whatever. Go see Kurt at Sonic Boom. It’s free and it’s gonna be awesome.
And let us not forget Kurt’s proper show with the Violators at Sunset Tavern that evening. I hear they have pizza now.
Cold Cave’s forthcoming LP, ‘Cherish the Light Years” “official street date” is April 5 but those in the NYC area can pick up a copy one week early (aka NOW) at Cold Cave member, Dominick Fernow’s awesome record boutique, Hospital Productions (60 E. 3rd St. NY, NY). And although the Cold Cave CD/LP shouldn’t be too hard to find once you get there, be sure to pick up some of the other treasures to be found at the store.
To be perfectly frank, we thought about blowing off Record Store Day this year. It’s not that we don’t support record stores – far from it, it’s what 37 of 38 employees prefer – but the huge glut of supposedly limited-edition releases, the scrum to get to the counter in the morning, and then the instant reappearance of many of the records on eBay at inflated sums are all an unintended and unwelcome side-effect of the event.
That said, we couldn’t help ourselves, and neither could three of our artists, so we proudly announce the following limited-edition items. They’re all awesome, they’re all limited, and if you don’t succeed on getting your hands on them on Record Store Day, just remember that the prices on eBay will (most likely) come down over time.
SO, on Saturday, April 16, Matador will have the following RSD exclusives:
From Byrdesdale Garden City in the UK comes the compilation album DAVID’S TOWN. Featuring 11 unreleased tracks from local bands including Gacy and the Boys, Animal Man, Grain and Hateful Coil, in styles varying from DIY to post-punk to power pop, this limited edition from FU-Discs was recorded in Byrdesdale between 1976 and 1979 and not released until now. An essential document of a thriving scene.
Next comes the new 7″ single from THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS, “Moves.” Currently moving up the radio charts, and of course featured in Tom Scharpling’s genius video for the track, it comes with the unreleased B-side “Drug Deal Of The Heart,” recorded at the sessions for the album Together. (Note: the band is playing Coachella on RSD weekend, and then will tour out of there through April and May.)
Finally we have the new 12″ from ESBEN AND THE WITCH, the great trio from Brighton, UK – many of you will have seen one of their great shows at SXSW this month. They just wrapped up their US tour and returned to their homeland. The single is the radio edit of “Chorea” and features a remix of their pounding classic “Eumenides” by Stuart Braithwaite of MOGWAI, along with an entirely unreleased 18-minute version of “Corridors” recorded for The Creators Project and only played at a special installation in London for Karl Sadler‘s Lit Forest. (Note: Esben return to the road in the UK starting this Friday.)
As usual, we will be taking down our webstore in observation of Record Store Day. Get out there, get in line, and spend some money, goddammit!!!
Only this time, it’s in congress with his current run of dates opening for fellow long-hair guitarissta J Mascis.
Kurt is confirmed to stop in a few more record shops around here before heading west (but don’t fret… there are even more to come).
You guys are so lucky.
03/01 Boston, MA – Newbury Comics (Newbury Street store)
03/02 Washington, DC – Red Onion Records and Books
03/02 Baltimore, MD – Sound Garden
03/04 Philadelphia, PA – AKA Music
03/08 Brooklyn, NY – Academy LPs (with Northampton Wools)
03/08 New York, NY – Generation Records
03/08 New York, NY – Other Music
03/10 Ithaca, NY – Castaways (with J Mascis)
03/11 Toronto, Ontario – The Great Hall (Canadian Music Fest) (with J Mascis)
03/12 Kingston, Ontario – The Mansion
03/13 Burlington, VT – Monkey House
03/14 Milford, CT – Daniel Street
03/19 Austin, TX – Ground Control Showcase at Auditorium Shores (SXSW)
03/22 Brattleboro, MA – Headroom Stages (with J Mascis)
03/23 Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live (with J Mascis)
03/24 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge (with J Mascis)
03/25 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg (with J Mascis)
03/26 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall (with J Mascis)
03/28 Red Hook, NY – Bard College
03/29 Pittsburgh, PA – Andy Warhol Museum
03/30 Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop (with J Mascis)
03/31 Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig (with J Mascis)
04/01 Chicago, IL – Subterranean (with J Mascis)
04/02 Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry (with J Mascis)
04/03 Iowa City, IA – The Mill
04/05 Gambier, OH – Kenyon College
04/06 Nashville, TN – The End
04/07 Atlanta, GA – The Earl (with J Mascis)
04/08 Athens, GA – Melting Point (with J Mascis)
04/09 Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle (with J Mascis)
04/10 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle (with J Mascis)
04/21 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
04/22 San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill
04/23 Portland, OR – Bunk Bar
04/24 Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern
04/25 Vancouver, British Columbia – Waldorf Hotel
05/11 Berlin, Germany – Festaal Kreuzberg
05/15 Utrecht, Netherlands – Tivoli
05/19 London, England – Corsica Studios
05/20 Liverpool, England – Sound City Festival
05/21 Glasgow, Scotland – Stag & Dagger Festival @ Captains Rest
05/25-29 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Festival
06/30-7-3 Roskilde, Denmark – Roskilde Festival
As previously reported Kurt Vile And The Violators will be touring North America this Spring in support of the forthcoming Kurt Vile LP, Smoke Ring For My Halo.
We’re happy to report some more dates to the touring schedule, including a West Coast headline run at the end of April (new dates below in bold).
But before all this kicks off, don’t forget, Mr. Vile will be doing a run of East Coast solo in-store dates around Smoke Ring For My Halo’s March 8 release. You can find all in-store date and location info here.
Kurt Vile And The Violators Spring Tour
Thursday, March 10 – Ithaca, NY – Castaways #
Friday, March 11 – Toronto, ONT – The Great Hall (Canadian Music Fest) # Saturday, March 12 — Kingston, ONT — The Mansion **
Sunday, March 13 — Burlington, VT — Monkey House **
Monday, March 14 — Milford, CT — Daniel Street ** Saturday, March 19 — Austin, TX — Ground Control Showcase at Auditorium Shores (SXSW)
Tuesday, March 22 – Battleboro, VT – Headroom Stages #
Wednesday, March 23 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live #
Thursday, March 24 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge # (SOLD OUT)
Friday, March 25 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg #
Saturday, March 26 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall # Monday, March 28 — Red Hook, NY — BARD College **
Tuesday, March 29 – Pittsburgh, PA – Andy Warhol Museum **
Wednesday, March 30 – Cleveland Hts, OH – Grog Shop #
Thursday, March 31 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig #
Friday, April 01 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean #
Saturday, April 02 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry # Sunday, April 03 — Iowa City, IA — The Mill **
Tuesday, April 05 — Gambier, OH — Kenyon College **
Wednesday, April 06 — Nashville, TN — The End **
Thursday, April 07 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl #
Friday, April 08 – Athens, GA – Melting Point #
Saturday, April 09 – Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle #
Sunday, April 10 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle # Thursday, April 21 — Los Angeles, CA — The Echo **
Friday, April 22 — San Francisco, CA — Bottom Of The Hill **
Saturday, April 23 — Portland, OR — Bunk Bar **
Sunday, April 24 — Seattle, WA — Sunset Tavern **
Monday, April 25 — Vancouver, BC — Waldorf Hotel **
# Supporting J Mascis
** Kurt Vile And The Violators Headline
Pre-order Smoke Ring For My Halohere for 15% off + a free poster
Listen to “Jesus Fever” here
In anticipation of the release of his upcoming ‘Smoke Ring For My Halo’ (out 3/8), Kurt Vile will be running around the northeast and stopping in some of our favorite independent record shops playing a series of solo acoustic (and one full-band) instores. Some very special guests are in the works, with Northampton Wools (Thurston Moore + Bill Nace) already confirmed for one of the three NYC engagements.
