Unfortunately Southampton has lost several record shops over the years, and an extremely limited choice remains. While HMV has been able to keep its doors open for the time being, and the Oxfam Music shop struggles on, independent stores have been unable to survive. Now in its seventh year, Record Store Day (RSD) 2014 is set to be the biggest yet, with over 600 hundred releases available. To make sure that Southampton-ers don’t miss out, here are our top suggestions of record stores you can go to around the south coast to support and celebrate RSD.
Rose Red Records, Bournemouth
Not only will Rose Red Records have an array of the RSD releases, but customers will get a complimentary cake with each purchase made in the shop! Three live performances will take place in the shop, with Not Made In China on at 12pm, Galahad at 1pm and a stripped down set from Embargo at 2pm. All of the releases which will be available can be found here.
Pie & Vinyl, Southsea
It’s quite a simple concept, the owners created a shop selling a combination of their favourite things. Pie & Vinyl in Southsea has been open for just over two years and is putting on a huge celebration for RSD. Not only will they be looking after those keen punters with warm drinks from 6am, but they’re also launching two brand new pies. The Subpop Pie is filled with dandelion and burdock roasted gammon with a sweet mustard, and the Pias Pie will be brimming with onion marmalade sausages, with lentils in a red wine and sage liquor. To coincide with RSD, there will also be a fête with live music on Castle Road, with more details available here.
Reflex Records, Gosport & Southsea
Details of the records which will be available in the two Reflex Records shops this Saturday are available on their website. Apart from the releases, Laura Sister will be performing in store and to the queues at the Southsea shop, while Dylan-esque French singer Cedric will entertain shoppers in Gosport. Sausage rolls, sticky buns and plenty of free coffee have been promised, and The Edge has also been tipped off about the possibility of an appearance from the mystery frontman of a global act, who will be releasing RSD exclusives under two morphs of the same act. That could certainly be something to look out for.
Flat 13 Records, Bournemouth
Flat 13 will be open from 8.30am stocked with plenty of RSD releases and offers on other products in the shop. They will also be teaming up with local bar 60 Million Postcards from 8.30pm where there will be live music from homegrown band Jawbone amongst other acts, and a pop-up record shop stall.
Square Records, Wimborne
In the market town of Dorset sits Square Records, which will play host to live performances from Graham Dee at 3pm, Robbie McIntosh at 4pm and Galahad at 5pm. Outside of the shop, there will also be buskers playing on the streets of Wimborne throughout the day.
Record Store Day takes place this Saturday, 19th April. For more information about participating records shops across the UK, click here.
