Record Store Day may not be the big Saturday event it once felt like. There are many reasons for that.
One is the the flooding of major label releases into a day that was largely intended to celebrate independent record stores in our towns and cities, conflating the genuine moment of interest and buy-in from music fans with a more cynical limited edition completist fan fervour that detracted from the day and clogged up pressing plants in the process.
19 years in, it’s clear that there are only so many limited releases that have longevity – the songs were unreleased for a reason? But limited edition vinyl records from your favourite acts is one thing but what was I doing buying a terrible Crystal Castles limited 12″ for RSD back in 2004? FOMO is a hell of a drug.
Oh, I see. It’s worth money now. Maybe that explains all of this easily – opportunistic limited supply capitalism.
Furthermore, record shops have realised that buying Record Store Day stock is no guarantee of sales these days, and no shop wants unwanted inventory clogging up their already limited space. I don’t know if it’s the same deal but previously, Record Store Day exclusives are often not sold to independent shops on a “sale or return” basis meaning that they can’t send them back to the distributor – they are stuck with them.
These are some of the aspects that have affected its popularity – and has led to less enthusiasm and less Record Store Events taking place in shops in general – though this year some really nice things are happening in Ireland.
There are great record shops out there doing great business in person and online – with much improvements in recent years – Spindizzy’s digital shopfront has become a local Dublin market leader, Freebird are very active too now, and Tower Records has always been prompt and comprehensive and quick to ship to name three Dublin shops. All City and The Racket Space for a more electronic-leaning offering.
Music Zone and Plug’d Records in Cork and Steamboat Records in Limerick are come to mind – as places I’ll look to buy online from even if I’m not nearby.
Here’s a list of participating stores from RSD’s website and the UK site has a separate list for some reason.
All the ones listed below are ones that are doing something event wise along with RSD stock.
As for RSD releases?
OK so. Irish-interest RSD releases this year include a reissue of CMAT’s 2021 Diet Baby EP 12″ , The Mary Wallopers debut EP which we wrote about here way back in 2019, Cardinal’s 2024 debut EP, David Holmes’ This Film’s Crap, Let’s Slash the Seats reissue and Rory Gallagher’s Calling Card 50th anniversary edition and a Fionn Regan album from 2012.
Internationally, some interesting releases include Charli XCX’s ‘Party 4 U’ 7″, Ethel Cain’s Inbred EP on vinyl for the first time, Talking Heads’ 1975 CBS demos, English Teacher ‘Nearly Daffodils’ 7″, Self Esteem’s vinyl release of her 2020 EP Cuddles Please, Pink Pantheress Girl Like Me EP, Flying Lotus vinyl release of debut album 1983, Hot Chip Selected Remixes 06-10 with DFA, a new version of ‘Love On A Real Train’ by Tangerine Dream, and one seemingly especially aimed at me – Danny Boy’s Disko Mix.
Let’s take a look at what’s happening around Ireland cobbled together from a look around – if you have any to add email me on [email protected] or comment below. I’ll add to this as the week goes on.
Many shops are open at 8am.
CORK
- Doors at 8am with free coffee for the queue.
- Live sets: Inchworm, Rising Damp and Trick Mist
- DJs TBC
- MC’d by hosted by Artie Silver.
- Eist Radio and Brian’s Wines til late
DUBLIN
Junior Brother, Cormorant Tree Oh, Ger Eaton and Loah live.
Live performances from each acts, who will also have rare physical releases of their own music available in very limited quantities on the day. Free entry.
The Bernard Shaw / Racket Space
RSD 2026 Record Fair with independent record traders and Racket Store stock, along with 30+ DJs and vinyl selectors playing across the venue and Beatyard. In The Racket Space, label crews and selectors take over across the day, afternoon and evening, including afterparty with Rub A Dub Hi Fi x Absys Records present RADIKAL GURU. Doors – from 12pm til late
Full DJ and performance line up via https://thebernardshaw.com/rsd-2026
Pop Up Record Store & Awesome Tapes DJ Set
For Record Store Day, and a pop-up record store in the day time with Awesome Tapes goodies and a special collection of well known & rare South African jazz records with Freebird Records. Drinks and Sando Paradiso available all day and we’ll have music from Cyriac. No tickets needed.
Night event – is ticketed – Hen’s Teeth hosts Brooklyn-based tape deck DJ Awesome Tapes From Africa playing from collection of rare jams.
LIMERICK
Steamboat are teasing lots of stuff on Saturday including live performances, DJ workshops, coffee and cakes.
Live sets from: God Knows, Irish Wonders, First Class Rebel
DJ sets: DJØTY, P-Meeny, Niall Coonerty (Prince set), Daria, AISENMA
Cape & Clover Coffee And Bakes – first 50 in get a free coffee.
BELFAST
Not participating in the RSD stock but DJ sets from Neighbourhood Belfast Dub Club, Chris Frieze(Mystic Arts) & Conor Schmtz (Feline, After Hours).
if you have any to add email me on [email protected] or comment below.
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, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
