Sunday, February 14, 2010

The Washington, DC Record Fair Returns - The Valentine's Day Edition!

DJ Schedule: Bluebrain 12:00 - 1:00 | Geologist 1:00 - 2:00 | Kid Congo Powers 2:00 - 3:00 | Eric Hilton 3:00 - 4:00 | Ian MacKaye 4:00 - 5:00 | Casper Bangs 5:00 - 6:00

What better way to show someone that their taste in music has you swooning than you and he or she joining us on Valentine's Day, Sunday, February 14 from noon to 6PM for a little rummage through the crates. Thirty dealers from up and down the East Coast worth of crates at the DC Record Fair!

And yes, yes...we heard your gripes in the past...TOO crowded...had to wait in lines, too cramped...etc., etc. But fret not! Our first Record Fair of 2010 lands at The Black Cat so you have plenty of room to rummage and roam and refresh. We heard you, ok?

All of this on a President's Day Weekend so if you, y'know, over indulge (wallet and gullet) you'll have Monday to dream it all away.

Click here to download the Record Fair Poster designed by our friend El Jefe to plaster all over your bedroom or blog. We're printing a ridiculously short run of these which will be available at the show. If we get a wildly enthusiastic comment to this post, we'll award one to one person who shows up in person to claim it.

So, we'll see you Sunday, February 14th from noon to 6 at The Black Cat, right? Brought to you by your pals at Som Records, DC Soul Recordings, and us!

If you're on Facebook, you can RSVP right here.

17 comments:

Marian said...

DC!!!!!

You have me blooming inside! I just can't believe the amazing music and art that I am just becoming more aware of. Events like this just keep popping up, and even though I'm broke, as long as they keep coming, I'm gonna dig around and look for some cash to come out!!

I can't wait to attend the first DC Record Fair of 2010, as well as my first DC Record Fair event! And everyone involved, it's awesome, from the stellar location (Black Cat, nice!) to the musicians involved from bands I have highly admired...and El Jefe created the design, which is tight! I just caught him speak at GMU a few months ago, which definitely inspired me as an artist!! He's got a recognizeable style :)

I'll start spreading the word on this!
Peace!

- Marian

Stevie said...

Hi mate...off topic....I'm a proud son of East Kilbride...that wee town where young families with kids flocked to, 10 miles out of Glasgow up on a hill (see High Land, Hard Rain) in the 60s...I grew up there...and have lurked around your blog for a while, but just wanted to say thank you for so much great music you have posted...alot of which is so very familiar to me and my formative years back in Scotland. I count myself blessed that i was a teenager around the time of Postcard...Frame was an old friend of my sister's...I got to meet him and Edwyn a few times... and well I'm sitting here in Sydney listening to The Bathers. A lost gem to many I feel. Saw them once in London. Was sublime. And whilst back in London for a two and a half year stint, I was lucky enough to see Sylvian, another of my heroes, on his last tour at the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank. Would greatly love to hear more of any live Sylvian tracks you have of his tour. I"m patiently awaiting the arrival of the Trashcans on these shores hopefully in a month or two. Anyway, from a Scot now far from EK, thank you. PS...I have a recording of Camera from an '81 gig in Edinburgh...not quite vinyl though!. Peace. Stevie

Unknown said...

Hey Stevie - you made my day.

Say hello directly and maybe I can make yours.

thevinyldistrict at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Very disappointing as this had to have been the most crowded record fair yet. Why hold it at the Black Cat but only use the mainstage area? There was no room to "rummage" or "roam."

Jon said...

Let me just say, it's wonderful to be critical anonymously, right? Better to leave your name and offer ideas as opposed to sour grapes.

The past 3 shows we averaged 500 people and it was crowded and tight. With that in mind we booked The Black Cat to open up the floor.

In reality, at final count this time had 1,460. Did we foresee that? Well, no.

Did I find it crowded myself? Sure.

Maybe it's growing and we'll have to adapt. We're TRYING.

But you...Mr/Mrs Anonymous...please stay the fuck home.

Marian said...

The record fair was fun! A good way to say screw traditional Valentine's Day rituals, and to get out there and find some good tunes on vinyl! I walked away with a Zappa and Alice's Restaurant...wish I had more cash on me! I was there for a good chunk of time, and it was defintely crowded, but I suppose that's a good thing - good for vendors, the Black Cat, and everyone behind the production! And real, real good to see so many people passionate about vinyl, I even saw little kids diggin thru crates. All in all, kickass treasure hunt, thanks to the DJs who provided live music, and thanks to everyone who contributed!

Dumbek said...

I had a great afternoon at the record fair. I thought it was crowded, but manageable, but I came later in the day. You had to be patient and not-very-shy about making your way to the bins, but they were accessible and there was plenty to be found.

Lots of great vinyl, fun DJs and beer. An A+ day in my book.

Thanks TVD!

Anonymous said...

Hi again. Unsure why my point is any less valid, because you don't know my first name. My objective was not anonymity, but rather to quickly voice my disappointment, without having to register, and perhaps come back and receive an answer to my question. Apparently this was too much to ask.

You advertised this event as having more space than previous record fairs, but clearly this was not the case. So I came to, what I believed, a reasonable place to say I was disappointed, and ask why the entire Black Cat space was not used in order to avoid this problem. I made my point clearly, but I received a completely rude non-response.

It is unfortunate that the polite and friendly record store owners are associated with you, as I am sure none of them would speak to a customer that way. You charged an entry fee (however modest, and I do appreciate the overall goal of the event) and I, as a customer of yours said I was unhappy and asked why a logical step was not taken to prevent this from happening.

I will gladly not come to any future events of which you are associated if only because of your gross misuse of the phrase "sour grapes." You might want to reread some Aesop.

Jon said...

Forgive me, but you did receive a response however terse after a long day coordinating and working an event to which many came - far more than we anticipated.

The Black Cat IS a bigger spot than where the first three were held - so it was advertised correctly and fairly.

Did we foresee attendance almost 300% larger than previous fairs? No. Had we, I'm sure we would have utilized additional space and perhaps we will in the future.

Your nameless, anonymous post would have been better served with perhaps a direct note to me or the 3 other organizers with some thoughtful concerns and ideas. NOT a deflating comment after much energy and time was expended.

If anything bears rereading, it's a politeness handbook.

I'm happy to refund your $2 and insist you do indeed stay home.

Anonymous said...

My original comment simply said I was disappointed by the event, and it left me wondering why only the mainstage area of the Black Cat was used, while the backstage, and downstairs bar area were left empty. In turn, I came to a location where the event was marketed heavily. Surely, this is a thoughtful concern and should not have been met with such a rude response.

Again, the actual businessmen and women who come to sell their records, would never have treated an unsatisfied customer the way you responded. As I have come to know many of them, I am sure they would have said they were sorry I did not enjoy myself, and answered my question as to why the additional space in the black cat was not used. I am sure there is a reason, but you still have not answered my original question.

The irony of you telling me to be more polite Mr/Mrs "Please stay the fuck home" is a bit unsettling, but still, please reread "The Fox and the Grapes."

Jon said...

It was I who after a long day felt your comment to be rude and dispiriting.

Your question was responded to twice. Now, please stop. Shoo!

Anonymous said...

You thought it was rude that I came to a place where the event was advertised and said I was disappointed? People who market events have unsatisfied customers all the time. I am positive you are in the minority in thinking telling someone to "stay the fuck home" is a suitable response.

You have said you did not anticipate a larger crowd, but that still does not answer my question. Even if the crowd had been a third the size, the fair would have been more enjoyable if everything was more spread out. I was merely curious why the additional space in the black cat was not used. If the answer is simply because you did not anticipate a larger crowd, then you made a mistake. Simply saying that would have sufficed.

Hope next time has more space. See you there!

Jon said...

Tell ya what - if you do make the next one, introduce yourself to me.

Perhaps you can help me break down the tables and lug them all through The Black Cat — which was when I received your note of bitter disappointment that it didn't meet your personal standards — while still working the event.

Perhaps you'll then understand the well from which my response was borne and you'll note that however rude, it was wholly appropriate.

We're not businessmen putting these together, we're just attempting to do something genuine for the music community and fans of vinyl in particular.

If we were a promotions firm or something similar, perhaps you'd have a point beyond your personal level of disappointment.

You can remain anonymous and complain or you can DO something.

You've obviously chosen the former.

Good day.

Jon said...

Allow me to add one last thing to this mindless back and forth...the first three venues did not charge us for use of their space - they got a cut of the door and the full bar.

In an effort to secure a larger space, the four event organizers ponied up for the first time to pay The Black Cat's rental fee out of our own pockets. That's how much stock we put into a larger space to remedy past concerns.

I hope we can hit you up too next time, Anon.

Jon said...

Y'know...allow me to apologize in this public forum for my initial response to Anon and toss this in for balance:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/general/2010/02/15/was-the-dc-record-fair-too-crowded/

wafflecake said...

Yeah, I'm definitely going.
I'll get there early though; if the line at Crooked Beat Records on record store day was bad, I can only imagine what this will be like.

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