Record fair off the charts

“It’s the one thing we share together.” This was the sentiment shared by Beechworth dad Neil Payn, joined by teenage daughter Emily as the duo showed off their new vinyl record purchases from the fourth staging of Wangaratta’s Kickass Record Fair at the Wangaratta Club on Saturday 31 October. For Emily, two new vinyl records of Jeff Buckley's 'Grace' and Pink Floyd's 'The Dark Side of the Moon' would make excellent additions to a growing collection, while Tom Petty, Joan Baez and Status Quo were among Neil's picks, a successful haul for the first-time attendees. “I’ve lost one of my records to this one, so I’ve got to replenish my collection,” Neil said. But this dad and daughter were just one of hundreds of avid music enthusiasts hovering over shelves of record, cd and cassette tape lining the room to the live soundtrack of DJ Stu and DJ Doug. Shelley Vezrer, and no doubt many other eventgoers, said she had a great appreciation for analogue music and this is the ideal setting to find likeminded people. “I think there’s something intentional about listening to music that you put on, whether it be CD or vinyl, as opposed to streaming,” she said. “It’s a really inclusive group… you can see who your fellow musos are.” Rijan Young and Tia Wishart from Myrtleford echoed similar views. “I think physical media is really valuable because you can have ownership,” Rijan said. The pair were also impressed by the selection of cds and vinyls on offer. “We love vinyl but CDs are also more affordable and are still great,” he said. Behind the stalls, the atmosphere was even more palpable. "This was full before," seller Simon Wilson said, gesturing to a half empty box of records of the hard rocky variety. A regular purveyor of the Record Fair, particularly for collectibles, Simon was rapt about the turnout and getting to interact with a mix of customers, as was Ian Price with Stone Age Records. "It's all well and good for people to get vinyl by going to Melbourne or mail order, but it's great when they can actually shop here," Ian said. Equally as impressed was organiser Ben Nyman, calling the event "one of [their] most successful". Ben said the No.49 Record Bar plans to deliver a similar concept in Albury and Beechworth next year, with dates yet unconfirmed, on top of the fifth scheduled fair for Wangaratta on 30 October.

Record fair off the charts

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