FOMO gets the better of me, and so I have one of my infrequent trips to a local record fair. Managed to grab a decent haul too. RSD or record fairs? That is the question.
Hey David! I'm with you, I went to one RSD years ago, and that was it for me. I don't have the patience for waiting in line, so I get what I want after the fact. If their crates are packed and you can't flip through easily, I move to next vendor. James Dewar, so underrated. I agree, 'Shoot Out' was a very good follow-up to 'Low Sparks'. Cheers!
Haha you survived Bilston ! Did you grab some orange chips 🍟- I quite like that fairs at the Robin as you can get a decent bacon sarnie too ! Food and records - that’s all you need .
Hi. I remember Jim Capaldi doing a disco version of the Everly Brothers song Love Hurts in 1975. Scottish band Nazareth covered it too around that time.
Hi David! I'm not a big RSD guy, but do enjoy record fairs. I like those coasters you got. If I ever stop by your house for drinks, I wouldn't stain the coffee table with those in place! 😂The record fairs are pretty decent around the Boston suburbs. I've had some great luck the past year. They are always located in a hotel ballroom here, so the lighting is never an issue, or space for that matter, dependent on the number of attendees of course. I do run into the odd overstuffed bin, and I move on as I don't have the patience. I have the first 3 Steve Forbert albums and really enjoy them. I know he is still active playing small concerts here and there. I have 2 of those Nelson Riddle/Ronstadt albums and I find them just mediocre.
When I was checking-out dates/flights/hotels for your summer bash, I was already thinking about record fairs and shops! I once spent a week at Harvard doing the Harvard/MIT Program on Negotiation 'Train the Trainer' course. I had a brill time, and managed to spend a chunk of money in a record shop in Cambridge. If I recall correctly, I picked-up a couple of near-mint Pat Metheny ('Wichita' being one) albums (amongst others). It's good to know that you and I share opinions on the Linda/Nelson albums. `I thought `I was being a bit unfair, especially as they're somewhat regarded as audiophile-level, but they're nowhere near as good as Good ol' Frank!
Here in Canada, the organizers sell early entry for $20 or $25. So if you are paying the regular $5 admission, by the time you get in, lots of the good/rare stuff has been snatched up by the early birds and by the vendors themselves who go round to other vendors and make deals. On top of that, vinyl hunters are some of the most aggressive assholes around. And prices have gotten crazy. 10-20 years ago there were tons of $1 and $2 records to be found. Not so anymore. At 67 I have another vinyl to listen to for the rest of my life. I have probably at least 500 albums that I have never even listened to.
500? I thought I was mad! :-) I have quite a lot in that vein, but I kind of like being able to pick them from my 'library' shelves on the occasion someone makes a recommendation or one catches my eye. I keep promising myself to cull the amount, but it's a slow process.
I thought we were the only ones with bad lighting in record fairs. Overstuffed bins are ridiculous as are unpriced records. That makes no sense at all. I will have to listen to some Al Di Meola. I totally lost trck of the Waterboys after Fisherman's Blues. I have loved everything I have heard from the Sleaford Mods, though I only have one LP from them. Interesting pickups!
Another feature of this record fair was a couple of dozen (at least) or bins marked £2, £3, £5 each, presumably designed to shift units. Cheap, but sketchy when it comes to condition. I think it pays to be prepared to pay a little more, but be a lot more selective. Nevertheless, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if London and the South East record fairs price gouge as much as they can get away with.
The late 80s /early 90s i used to spend a lot of money in record fairs but not on vinyl, instead i picked up a lot of bootleg concerts on video and audio cassette. Probably all worthless now as you can find almost everything here on RU-vid.
