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A place for people who love collecting and experiencing their music on vinyl.

Vinyl Meetups... Everywhere!

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      Thursday
      Oct152009

      Analog Apartment on Meetup.com

      We are excited to announce that we have created a new Meetup group so fellow record lovers could come together in the real world to talk records, trade records, play records, listen to records, and more. Most Meetups will take place in and around NYC but we welcome people from everywhere to join the group and participate in the discussions.

      It costs nothing to join and our first Meetup will be a brief face-to-face introduction at WFMU Record Fair next weekend.

      We're looking forward to meeting fellow record lovers in person and seeing what types of Meetups we can put together.

      Click here to join.

      Thursday
      Oct152009

      WFMU Record Fair

      If you happen to be in NYC next week, WFMU is putting on their three day record and CD fair at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan.

      The fair is taking place next Friday, October 23rd through Sunday, October 25th. The $7 admission gets you access to the 10,000 SqFt event space filled with records, CDs, DVDs, and artwork along with live broadcasts, live music, movies in the AV Lounge, and more.  If you would like to one of the first to dig through the crates, they have an early access pass for $25 that gets you in 3 hours before the doors open (from 4PM to 7PM) on Friday and free re-entry for the entire weekend.

      We'll definitely be there and would love to meet some of our readers in person! Anyone else going? We'll have a little Meetup on Saturday at 2:00PM.

      Thursday
      Oct152009

      Turntable + record storage cabinet

      This morning, I came across a simple Danish teak record cabinet on Craigslist. I've seen these before but this design looks like a perfect way to have a dedicated music listening center for your turntable and records. 

      The unit is 45.5" wide x 25.5" tall x 19.5 deep. The hinged-top section on the right side is perfect for protecting your turntable from dust (although I'd still be sure I had a dust cover on it) and easily swings upward to allow full access to the turntable. On the left, there's space for a receiver and across the bottom, a sliding door section is perfect for storing a long row of records.  

      It's available here for $265 and for you DIYers out there, this could be a great weekend project. For additional inspiration, take a look at Test Collective's Volume record furniture here.

      Anyone using something like this?

      Tuesday
      Oct132009

      Mono 365 DJ Pack

      Here's a simple, all-purpose bag for that was designed for mobile, laptop-based DJs. We like it because it would also make a great daypack / commuter bag for someone that needs to have their computer with them but might want to pick up some records on their way home.

      It's called the 365 DJ Pack and it comes to us from Mono. Here's a bit about it from their site:

      Designed around laptop-based DJ setups, your gear is always right where you need it. The extra-padded integral sleeve secures up to a 17” laptop. The expandable record slot secures a small stack of vinyls. The main compartment features a center divider which can be removed to fit various controllers or even a portable mixer. Cables stay coiled. Deep side pockets fit a stack of gear, while the headphone pouch provides plush protection.

      The bag was designed after working with some of today's most respected DJs to determine the right balance of style, flexibility, and comfort. Here we see ?uestlove, drummer for The Roots, carrying his Mono 365 DJ Pack on his way out of the studio.

      It is available in both Black and Gray from Mono's website here for $189. It's a bit pricy for a bag but since it's versatile enough to be an everyday bag for the laptop user that is always looking around for new records, we're a fan.

      Monday
      Oct122009

      Vinyl spins at Stumptown Coffee

      For those of us in Portland, Seattle, and NYC, a trip to Stumptown Coffee Roasters is a real treat. In addition to the amazing coffee, the atmosphere of each location is enhanced by music coming from a record player. No iPod mixes or satellite radios here - just records selected by the resident roasters and baristas, played by them.

      We had a chance to exchange emails with Jim Kelso of Stumptown and learn more about the history behind the use of records and turntables at their locations. Here's what they said:

      The original reason for the Stumptown/turntable connection stems from Duane Sorenson, Stumptown's owner/founder.  The pacing of a vinyl record (an uninterrupted side followed by flipping to the other)  meshes perfectly with that of coffee roasting.  Stumptown's original cafe (45th ave/Division st., Portland) houses a roaster in the midst of a bustling cafe.  In this environment both the barista and the roaster then have access to the turntables in order to set an atmosphere comfortable for not only them, but the roasters as well. 

      A large percentage of Stumptown's first wave of employees were in bands that produced their own vinyl (Thermals, Swords, Starfucker, etc.), so access to turntables was key.  Duane also produced a vinyl compilation (titled "Workman's Comp.") that was played and sold in the cafes.  Currently, there are still a number of employees that are in vinyl producing bands (Lake, Sabertooth, Hello, Damascus, etc.) that contribute to extending this legacy. 

      The kinds of turntables used is not necessarily a constant.  We have had a barista, Tim Wenzel, that owned a vinyl/cd/tape store (Q is for Choir) that also refurbished turntables.  Many of our turntables over the years came from his shop.  We also have received a great deal of assistance from Fred's Sound of Music, also located in southeast Portland over the years.  They have a great vintage gear and techs that are able to maintain the equipment.  Our downtown cafe (3rd and Ash, Portland) does not, however, rely on whatever is available from the local repair shops.  There is a legit dj both with twin Technics, PA speakers and a board.

      The records available at each of our locations is not determined by anything other than the personal tastes of the roasters and baristas.  Over the years there are a few things that have become standards (Hot Snakes, for example, seems to be in every other employee's record bag), but for the most part the play lists match the varied interests and backgrounds of the staff.

      There has been some ipod pressure years, but it seems there has been a deliberate effort by many on the crew to return to our roots by bringing in more vinyl daily.  Fresh coffee tastes better than instant.  Vinyl sounds better than an ipod.  Simple.

      Well said. Enjoy a great cup of coffee while listening to employee-curated records at any of the Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland, Seattle, or the newly opened NYC location here.

      To learn more about and purchase their coffee, check out this page of their site.  Also, be sure to check out their great brewing guides to make the perfect cup at home. It'll go great with your turntable and record collection...

      Thanks again Jim and Stumptown.