Record store day.

Record Store Day. The one day of the year that up until now i've not bothered with for a few simple reasons.

1. I don't own a turntable
2. don't have the money 
3. don't have the time
   

Dan Whitehouse

I decided that this year i would bother however as this time i had two of those things and the excellent Left for Dead shop in the Custard Factory was having live performances. The shop was stocked up full  of special edition RSD releases, Including the Tame Impala Live Album on coloured vinyl, Parquet Courts 'Sunbathing Animal' single and one or two others. i didn't buy anything however due to reason #1

Hoopla Blue

I decided to stay because of the live music. The first act i managed to catch was the solo acoustic singer Dan Whitehouse. the sparse, emotional acoustic songs were livened up using guitar pedals, including  one that allowed him to loop what he had just played backwards, giving his songs a cool psychedelic feel. 

Following this was the experimental trio Hoopla Blue. Who played 4 sets at different record stores before playing that the Hare And Hounds that night. Which is kind of impressive. I don't mean to be a little nasty but i couldn't tell for half the time whether they were soundchecking or playing their songs. Their sound isn't too far from other local experimentalists such as Deaf Inspector, or Ultimate Grand Supreme. Ultimately it wasn't really my thing. 

Schnauser were the last band I got to catch before i walked on up to work. A trio of bristol experimentalists who pay tribute to the golden era of progressive rock, as the artwork  on their 7' Vynil single and choice of cover version for the b-side confirmed. The line up includes a singer on keyboards, a guy on bass and a man with ginger sideburns banging on the drums. the have songs inspired by hatred for their singers boss, and 'the lifecycle of a wasp'. They'd just come back from some gigs in Italy, and the next day I read a review of a show in Classic Rock magazine. So they must be making waves. I decided  a long time ago that Prog isn't my thing, but these guys deserve credit, there are hundreds of bands paying homage to the Smiths, or Joy Division, Or Metallica but few evoking the sounds of ELP, King Crimson  or Genesis. I'd recommend this band  to any fans  of those  groups. 

 I had to go to work after this  so i missed a band called  Grand Union and the previously blogged about Mutes, and The Mighty Young. 

Record Store day is a great thing, anything that helps in the independant shops is a good thing, and i may get involved more next year if i get a Turntable. but if you are lucky enough to have a good local indie then use it! for me everyday is Record Store Day

Dan Whitehouse:
http://shop.dan-whitehouse.com/
https://www.facebook.com/danwhitehousemusic?fref=ts

Hoopla Blue: www.facebook.com/HooplaBlue

Schnauser: www.facebook.com/SchnauserMusic