Record Store Day Ireland 2016 – What’s happening in shops
Artwork: Donough O’Malley/The Public House for Nialler9.
Record Store Day, the annual celebration of independent record shops and its stock returns on Saturday and this year, it feels like there’s a lot less focus on the actual Record Store limited releases and more of a focus on the actual physical shops that exist and the communities that surround it.
Perhaps that’s a combination of experience (ask yourself, of all of the RSD releases you’ve bought, how many do you actually cherish?) and the bad press that’s come from vinyl pressing plants which are full to capacity with novelty releases – does anyone actually want Space’s Spiders on vinyl in the 21st century?
Here’s a full list of records stores participating in Ireland and the list of special releases available worldwide in limited quantities.
However, I say just visit your local record shops and hang out, talk to people there and buy something – it doesn’t have to be some exclusive overpriced picture disc, just an album or release you’ve always wanted to own. And then do it again, next month and the month after that. That’s its own reward and more sustainable than a bunch of limited releases.
Here are the special Record Store events and things taking place on the day throughout Ireland. It’ll be updated as more stores announce their day details or as I find them.
Dublin
Tower Records, Dawson Street & O’Connell Street
A lot of Record Store Day releases promised from 8am.
A Vinyl Sale to coincide with RSD.
Live music from September Girls, Fangclub, Wolff (AKA Johnny Stewart) , Black Bank Folk, The Young Folk and Bantum @ Dawson Street
TXFM broadcasting from 7am -11am @ Dawson Street
The R.A.G.E./Record Spot @ Fade Street
RSD special releases, giveaways and spot prizes from 8:30am
Street party with live music & DJs.
Me and My Dog, Oh Boland, Paddy Hanna, Tandem Felix
Early DJ Sets: DJ Dennis “The Harbourmaster” Cassidy, Kid O’Brien
Late DJ Sets:, We Three Kings, DJackulate, dip DJs – Robbie & Enda
Talks:Conor Harry Cusack – “Me vs. ‘The Industry'”, Nathan Thomast – Guitar Tech 201
Modern art installation: Barry’s Balloons
Afterparty: Record Spot DJing in second room at Telephones in Tengu.
Little Gem Records @ Kildare Street
This independent record shop has moved to three different locations since opening: Cavendish Row, The Grand Social and now, Kildare Street.
Live music from Divil A’ Bit, Strength, Fuzzy Hell, Ewa Gigon, Cal Folger Day, Robert John Ardiff, Laura Ann Brady.
1pm – 6pm All ages/Family friendly event
7pm – 1030pm May be a little loud for small ears
All-City Records RSD instore @ Temple Bar
“Tunes, balloons, sandwiches, cake, smiles, balloons (again) n shit”
DJ sets from those in the know and perhaps, an international guest – no promises, this is just me going off previous years.
Afterparty in The Bernard Shaw @ Betty from 6pm
Chris Holten, All City Fam, Cian O’Connell, DJ Deece, Karl Delaney, Duncan Ukiyo
Freebird Records @ Wicklow Street
Record Store Day releases .
Live sets from 2pm from Wounded Healer, Owensie, Participant.
Golden Discs @ Stephen’s Green Swords, Blanchardstown
Blanchardstown Centre:
Danny C
Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre:
Hermitage Green
Swords Pavilion
Fangclub & Gary Gamble
Unrelated to RSD, but HMV are hosting a Record Fest.
Spindizzy Records
8am opening, stocking Record Store Day releases
Sound Cellar
TBC
Belfast
Forthcoming
Cork
Plugd
To celebrate Plugd Records and Gulpd Café’s fifth year in the Triskel Arts Centre Plugd will be hosting a day and night of events across the building.
Daytime: ‘Vinyl Love’ curated by Stevie G in Plugd Records.
Night-time:
A gig in the TDC featuring The Bonk launching their first single ‘Ancestor’ with support from Barchester Chronicles, Laurie Shaw and Roslyn Steer.
Stevie G and guest DJ’s in Gulpd Cafe from 9PM til late.
Relics & Records
Live music, djs, wine & cheese.
2pm Ciara B vinyl dj set (funky house)
3pm Colin and Jules DJ Set ( indie)
4pm San Pedro
5pm Dr Quigley DJ set ( northern soul)
6pm M.Sea EP pre launch (freak folk)
Musiczone @ Douglas
Special RSD CDs and Vinyl releases.
Live sets from
11am – Raising Jupiter (Rock’n’roll)
Noon – Duke Special & Greg Butler DJ set (78rpm / gramaphone set)
1pm – Cry Monster Cry (harmonic folk pop)
2pm – Anna Mitchell (John Blek)
3pm – Crojayn (blues/alt rock)
Golden Discs, Mahon Point, Patrick Street
Mahon Point Shopping Centre:
Raising Jupiter & Daniel Anderson
Patrick Street:
Marlene Enright, Colm Fitzpatrick, WaspsVsHumans, Slow Motion Heroes & Lynda Cullen
Galway
Wing Nut Records
Fun promised.
Kerry
Dingle Record Shop
A visit to Mazz O’Flaherty’s shop is always worth it.
20% off all stock.
Kildare
Golden Discs – Newbridge
RSD releases.
Live music:
Peter Doran, Vagabonds and Thieves, and some great DJ performances in store!
Kilkenny
Rollercoaster Records
RSD releases. TBC.
“And don’t forget Record Store Day is not just about overpriced,limited edition reissues that nobody wanted in the first place.There’s also a load of crap reduced up the back we can’t give away so maybe get some of that.” Facebook.
Night-time:
RSD party @ Set Theatre
Louth
Classified Records, Dundalk
RSD releases.
DJ sets
Sligo
Liber Books & Record Store
Sligo-based music collective Turn It On present an afternoon of live vinyl DJs in-store at Liber from 12-3PM. With special guest Donal Dineen.
Noon to 3pm.
Waterford
Ben O’Neills 64 O’Connell Street, Dungarvan
RSD and picture discs. Pics.
Wexford
South East Records Music Shop
Wolff (formerly Johnny Stewart) – 11am [Acoustic set]
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Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.