Everyone talks about how much things have changed in music, but no one talks about instores.
It was the ultimate fan gig, with the band playing in a tiny room, just metres away. When Redd Kross did an instore at Waterfront Records, I was blown away to hear them playing acoustic.
Hanging out there at Waterfront, or other Sydney record shops like Phantom or Red Eye, you’d sit cross-legged and squashed in on all sides, tucked between record stands, with dust a constant fixture. The people sitting around were most likely in bands or otherwise impossibly hip, but just by being there for these impromptu shows seemed like it lifted your standing somehow.
There were a couple of great instores at my friends Thommy Tran and Chris Wu’s shop Gifted, but they were packed – standing – and no wonder, with, from memory, Bill Callahan and Architecture in Helsinki.
I guess there are a million ways to get close to your favourite band these days, via a splatter of social media offerings, but hanging out in a tiny shop with a bunch of like minded heads was pretty great.
Repressed Records in Newtown still do them, normally at least once a month. I’ve only been along once to see Hit The Jackpot, but it was a good vibe.
Comment by Shaun — December 9, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
I remember seeing the Archers of Loaf at Waterfront Records (not acoustic!).
In Adelaide, Big Star records have put them on instores quite a bit, though fairly sporadically. Over the years I’ve seen a few – Plush, Merzbow, Pimmon, Francisco Lopez, M Ward (with guest appearance by Beth Orton) … also for a while they were having weekly instores by local bands but that’s stopped now.
Comment by Stu — December 9, 2009 @ 5:42 pm
Yeah – instores are fun – probably my fav was the legendary Lou Barlow instore at Waterfront – only way to get in was to either write a plea letter or, as in my case, record a cover version of one of his songs. I did a version of ‘Magent’s Coil’ and that earned me a place. Killer intimate gig!
Comment by pimmon — December 10, 2009 @ 5:42 am
I wish I could spell Magnet
Comment by pimmon — December 10, 2009 @ 5:43 am