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Record Store Day, the semiannual celebration of brick-and-mortar music shops, takes place this Saturday and your favorite spots are preparing accordingly. In addition to the special releases record labels sell specifically for the day, local spots have a few more sales, specials, and surprises planned.
Red Onion Records in Dupont Circle has posted its list of offerings to its Facebook page and plans to open at 11 a.m. The following day, when things calm down, the store will host an in-store concert featuring D.C. experimental artist Janel Leppin, Brooklyn-based ambient act Lucienaga, and Massachusetts’ GRNDMS. Som Records on 14th Street NW won’t have a full list of their offerings but will open at noon. Smash! on 18th Street NW has posted its list to Facebook via video, so keep your finger on the pause button.
In Georgetown, Hill & Dale will run a right ship: only 25 to 30 people will be permitted in the shop at a time and each offering is limited to one per customer. On U Street, Joint Custody will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and, in addition to its RSD specials, will also offer 100 copies of GIVE’s Electric Flower Circus on purple vinyl.
At Adams Morgan’s Crooked Beat, RSD specials include a Phish live recording from New Year’s Eve 1995, Foo Fighters‘ Songs from the Laundry, and the original Paul McCartney composed soundtrack to the film The Family Way (a full list will be posed to Facebook later today). In addition to those items, D.C.-based indie rock band Mittenfields will provide a few early copies of its newest release, which won’t be out until April 28, and local artist Brad McCormack will also debut his T.T. Topperz (above), vinyl art figurines that have a special base so they can sit on top of your turntable while you play records.
The CD Cellar in Falls Church offers works from Frank Zappa, Violent Femmes, and D’Angelo among many others, while College Park’s CDepot has offerings from George Clinton and will release its full list of offerings later. Mobius Records in Fairfax, which debuted last summer, opens at 9 a.m. to sell its long list of RSD items. They welcome dark bluegrass act Atoka Chase and the stringband Two Ton Twig for a performance at 2 p.m. Joe’s Record Paradise hosts the DC Vinyl Headz for DJ sets throughout the day, starting at noon.
If you’re not interested in specific special releases but are looking for a good deal, head to Memory Lane CDs and Records in District Heights, which will offer extensive markdowns on albums throughout the store. You’re bound to find something to buy, whether you venture near or far into the ‘burbs.
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