Each year, Manchester goes all out with special offers, deals and exclusives galore for Record Store Day. This year, there are a huge range of evening and afterhours events too taking place both in record shops such as Eastern Bloc and venues including Soup Kitchen and Hidden. We’ve rounded up the five best FREE things to do, and a few other highlights too.
Record Store Day & Night @ Eastern Bloc Records / 9am-2am / FREE
It’s an early start for this specialist record shop, no stranger to selectors on the decks on the regular. They’ve hauled in a heavy rotation of DJs for today, with some sets to be broadcast on Reform Radio. Deep breath: Darryl Marsden, Mark Turner, Gary Sloan, DJ Cutterz, Hidden Spheres, Andrea Trout, Karl Roscoe, SNO, Damo B, Alga-Rhythms, Tom Houghton, Space Afrika, Draze, Moid, Ayrtan and Vendel all spin the mostly black circles.
Fair Play Record Fair @ Behind Closed Doors / 1pm-8pm / FREE
The Northern Quarter’s coolest evening record fair opens its doors a few hours early, with DJs playing all that good stuff.
Athens Of The North vs Mr Bongo Records @ Cottonopolis / 2pm-2am / FREE
Two of the UK’s premier record labels clash. Edinburgh’s AOTN highlight long forgotten and obscure jewels, while Mr Bongo specialise in jazz and soul, their roster having featured the likes of Terry Callier, Jorge Ben, Joyce, Seu Jorge, Prince Fatty, Incredible Bongo Band and Marcos Valle. There will be records for sale from Athens Of The North, Dig Deep Records and Planet Rock plus support from Mikey D.O.N, Out of Quiet, Dave Ruf and 45 Live’s Paul Thornton.
Record Store Day: Live Bands @ Common / 5pm-midnight / FREE
The NQ institution teams up with Piccadilly Records to host DJ sets from the shop and Pins, plus live music from Francis Lung, The Foetals and Secret Admirer.
Suck It And Spin Vinyl and Arts Fair @ Jimmy’ s / noon-2am / FREE
Record traders from across the north, a ‘play your purchase’ deck takeover and club night from 11pm.
Levelz: LVL 41.3 @ Hidden / 11pm-4am / £5
Levelz MCs and DJs host all vinyl sets at Hidden. There’s plans afoot for free afternoon action as well: last year the crew set up an impromptu sound system in the city centre, so keep an ear out inbetween traversing record shops and keep an eye on their social media.
Tickets: £2.50 / £5, www.skiddle.com
Record Store Day Live @ Soup Kitchen / 4-10pm / £5
Vulgarians (‘loud riffs and boastful drums’ – CLASH), Inland Taipan (haunting vocals and classic guitars), Possum (jangly emo fun) , Mutabase (electroshock), I’m6 (infant alt rock) and Strange Friends (noisy loser rock).
Tickets: £4, dice.fm / £5 on the door
The Hyena Kill EP Launch @ Deaf Institute / 6pm-10.15pm / £10
The band celebrate their new EP ‘Spun’ with support from Under. Slow Hand Clap and Giant Boys.
Tickets: £10, www.seetickets.com
Have a look at some of Groovement’s recommended RSD special releases here, including a playlist.
- Words:
- Agent J
- Published on:
- Mon 16 Apr 2018
