Record Store Day

Ahhh another commercial holiday forcing my hand into my wallet to buy things I don't need. I managed to slide by unscathed from Valentine's Day this year but I was not so lucky on April 17, 2010. Record Store Day however is a holiday/cause I don't mind supporting. RSD was first conceived in Maine and is held on the 3rd Saturday of April. In the past I had heard of RSD but never participated...but that was all about to change.

Like most awesome locations on this globe, Philadelphia had tons of fun (and free) happenings to commemorate this sorta-special day. Among the various live in store performances, Blood Feathers at Main Street Music and Kurt Vile down at Beautiful World Syndicate were my top choices. Both were playing at 4, but the former made the mistake of playing in Philadelphia's worst neighborhood. Thus I was headed down Passayunk later in the day.

Earlier however I stopped in AKA Music while strolling through Old City. Lured in with free coffee, my weak-willed and hungover brain was no match for the copious amounts of music in front of me. Got my coffee and Surfer Blood's "Astro Coast" and left before I could spend anymore of my rent money. I haven't stopped listening to it and I think it was a necessary buy with summer right around the corner. After a couple spins I rode mi bicicleta down to the Kurt Vile show.

I'd never been to Beautiful World Syndicate but they had the right idea for RSD. Grill blazing outside with hot dogs, keg on second floor, and of course the tunes. Kurt Vile and his posse of Violators were true to form. Long haired, guitar shredding, Yuengling drankin' grime kids. Lucky enough to snag a great spot by the front counter, I was able to see him in all his glory.

It was a great time with great weather, people, and of course music. And therein lies the true purpose of RSD if you ask me.

Record Store Day, check.