Records

Bargains & beats, DJs and drinks: Record Store Day is Saturday, April 20, 2013, and here’s a very House Music-centered guide to getting it on in Chicago:

Easy to forget, but when Record Store Day was conceived six years ago, the claws came out. It seemed contrived – like the anti-piracy campaigns that Steve Albini has characterized as “a kind of pity fuck from the market”. If that market was moving on, well, all the pity fucks in the world wouldn’t make you desirable again.

Yet now, today, in 2013, Record Store Day (that’s Saturday, April 20, 2013) is an industry phenomenon, more anticipated (and probably celebrated with more sincerity) than Valentine’s, Father’s Day and a host of other Hallmark holidays.

We know of three Chicago establishments with a House Music focus that are throwing down this year on Record Store Day, and we’ll start with:

 

Kstarke Records

1109 N. Western Avenue (Western & Division), Chicago
[event link]

Opening at 10am this Saturday, April 20, Kstarke is hosting The Spin & Dig featuring music by DJs Lady D, Rude One, Tim Zawada, Shazam Bangles and Shred One. If you’ve been to parties at Kstarke (and we’ve even thrown one or two ourselves), you know the man delivers: free drinks, free food, free giveaways and some Record Store Day releases, including limited vinyl from Roky Erikson and the Aliens, PiL, Frank Ocean and more.

 

Gramaphone Records

2843 N. Clark Street, Chicago
[page link]

Open from 10am to 8:30pm, Gramaphone features performances from Bonobo, Innerspace Halflife (Hakim Murphy and Ike Velez) and Qwel & Maker, and DJ sets from Leonard Part Sixx, Garrett David, Tim Zawada, Jesse de La Pena, Blue J, NuMerix, Jay Caston, Adam Rowe, Harry T and Carlos Vasquez.

 

Groove Distribution

346 N. Justine Ste 202, Chicago
[event link]

Note: This is taking place on Friday, April 19, not Saturday. Glenview Records, Four Play Music, Mathematics, Tug Boat Edits, Strictly Jaz Unit, Prescription and Groove host a sort of release party/in-store on the eve of Record Store Day, with DJs Glenn Underground, Ron Trent, Boogie Nite, Hieroglyphic Being, Andrew Emil, Samone Roberts, Studio Casual, Tim Zawada and Hector Lopez.