the more i live in and learn about vancouver, the more I like it. I already knew it had an amazing community activist vibe, a cool alternative, bohemian cultural scene, and an awesome music sensibility where live music is concerned. Now, in the past few weeks, I have discovered a couple of excellent rekkid stores.
First of all, there's Zulu Records (www.zulurecords.com), on the hip 4th Avenue in Kitsilano. This store not only sells the most interesting array of cdee's, dvd's and vinyl, and doubles as a ticketing outlet for Vancouver's indie music scene, but it also has a cool as feck listening lounge. here you can sit back in comfy lounge chairs set around a funky coffee table, with your headphones on, listening to a potential cdee or vinyl purchase, while reading a book and/or sipping on your coffee bought from the Jitters cafe next door.
Hows that for customer satisfaction! I like it!! So much so that I bought their T-Shirt!! Only 10 bucks!! value plus....
Then there's Scratch Records on Seymour Street in Downtown. For those of you who are familiar with Melbourne, I would rank it as a peer to Au Go Go, Polyester, and Missing Link record stores. It kinda has that punk d.i.y. feel about it, its a place you know you could find that obscure 7" single from that even more obscure band from the back waters of Ontario, and when you asked the staff about it, they would not only know who and what you were talking about, but they'd most likely be wearing that bands t-shirt at the time. Ala early era Au Go Go, this shop also has its own awesome recording label for local indie acts (http://cdn.scratchrecords.com/scratchlabel.cfm) .
It's also in a location that unless you were in the know, or sought it out deliberately, you probably never knew it existed. I sought it out, as i do, and I nearly even walked past it before i noticed the sign hanging over this doorway opening to a hallway, which leads right down to the back of the building. the other giveaway to its location was the blaring Black Flag music that assaults you once you open the front door.
this is on top of the haunt just down the road from me on Commercial Drive that I spotted months ago called Highlife Records. This place is a haven for those into world music and reggae, as well as stocking the usual smattering of local indie releases.
Given my poor attempts at saving moolah at the mo, these discoveries could be rather damaging. I'm doing my darndest to just keep on walking by when i get near these shops, as when i walk in, I invariable end up buying something - either a cdee, gig ticket or some other random paraphernalia.
anyway, i got pretty excited about these and just to let someone (everyone) know.
also, caught up with my mate Sam Perry the other day - he plays bass guitar in Architecture In Helsinki, a Melbourne who made a blink-and-you'll-miss-it, whistle-stop tour thru Vancouver, playing at The Media Club, while on their 5-week American tour....scroll down for a few pics.
cheers,
tony
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