SIFTING through records and picking up something that catches your eye; the sheer pleasure of hearing something for the first time and knowing you’re going to love it for the rest of your life, the feeling you get when you find your new favourite band…… Whatever the future of music may be, you can’t replace the experience of record shopping. And it’s one that the Glaswegian Record Fair will hope to replicate when it opens its doors for the first time on Saturday 4th March 2017 at The Old Hairdresser’s in Glasgow.
Founded by Elina Lin of The Ninth Wave, the event will bring some of Glasgow’s best DIY labels together with a number of live performances in a day-long celebration of local music. Ready to put her exciting and innovative idea into practice, TTV caught up with Elina to hear more about the fair and what inspired it.
“I wanted to put up a record fair in Glasgow because I felt like there’s a lack of these sort of events. There’s been one or two label markets in the past couple of years but I know a lot of bands who put out releases on their own and I wanted to give these bands a collective outlet to sell their physicals and merch while also not forgetting all the great DIY labels we have.”
“It’s such an important time to support music and bands especially at grass root level. This event is purely there to support all the bands and labels who are getting involved. The main event is an all-day split event consisting of a label market during the day and band merch stalls and live music during the night. All the proceeds will go towards covering the costs of the event and directly to the bands playing on the night.”
By providing a brilliant platform for Glasgow music and offering a strong network of support for the surrounding music scene, the non-profit event is destined to have a resounding local impact. With more and more music fans investing in tangible forms of music, vinyl sales have become an increasingly important form of income for record labels and musicians; particularly those who work independently.
And while this revival has been hugely encouraging, this record fair comes at a time when it is more important than ever to support emerging talent and independent labels; records are now being sold in mass supermarkets and free music is more accessible than ever on a variation of streaming platforms.
With different modes of consumption now available, it means that many listeners, like Elina, are opting to use a number of listening devices: “I buy vinyl and listen to them at home. I really enjoy listening to albums at whole. Then again I also like to have my music on the go and Spotify just happens to be the most convenient way.”
It’s a sentiment that many music fans will relate to and a telling observation of the current musical landscape. It has yet to be determined whether the future lies in the time-tested format though: “Who knows to be honest! It’s hard to say how all the new technology will affect music consumption, but at least for now I think vinyl has definitely found its audience.”
And the Glaswegian Record Fair will hope to attract this audience when it opens its doors for the first time in March. A city awash with fantastic independent labels and exciting new talent, the Glasgow music scene has a fiercely DIY yet strong collective culture sown into its fabric and will therefore provide the perfect setting for such an event.
By taking things back to the most traditional form of music discovery, the proceeds will, most importantly, go right to the labels and bands who take part. When asked about her ambitions for the event, Elina said: “First and foremost I hope all the bands and labels involved will benefit from the event and gain a few more fans. I’d like the event to create some conversation amongst the industry, Glaswegian record fair will be a place where everyone is coming to do the same thing; appreciate great music and meet others who are there to do the same.”
Giving music fans the chance to become acquainted with some brand new music and bespoke records from a label market featuring Fuzzkill, Dead Beet, Bloc Music, Struggletown and more, this unique event will also allow people to see some of the city’s best emerging artists in one of Glasgow’s most intimate venues. Stripped back live sets will come from Catholic Action, Sweaty Palms and The Van T’s. “Expect a day filled with music, great people and atmosphere and surprising live performances”, she said.
A great way to support the local music scene, Elina is encouraging others to do the same: “Go to gigs and find your new favourite band, not every band you see will be your cup of tea but if you find that gem and support them continuously you won’t regret it. It is amazing to see a band grow! It is also vitally important for you to share tracks or videos you like on the social medias because this is one of the best ways to help bands find new audiences.”
The event kicks off at 1pm on Saturday 4th March at The Old Hairdresser’s on Renfield Lane.
