Kids, before there was streaming, even before those silver plastic discs that played music, there were vinyl records. We old folks liked the big album art, lyric sheets and popping crackle sounds – and you can spend hours flipping through the racks in a record store; you never know what you might find. Here’s where find out what gatefolds and RPMs are – at a used record shop in Edmonton.
Head down to this cozy shop packed full of vinyl in the gallery and shopping district on 124 Street – or before you go, check out their blog to see this week’s new picks and listen online. They’ve dubbed themselves: Edmonton’s eclectic music emporium, which means if you are into exotic, esoteric experimental or avant-garde music, you’ll feel right at home. Imported Spanish prog rock, anyone?
Revolver has two stores – one in Londonderry Mall in the city’s northeast and one in southeast Bonnie Doon Mall. Bring your oldies to trade or sell and then pick up a whole new batch. The shops specialize in hard-to-find records, cassettes, CDs and DVDs. You’ll also find band posters and T-shirts, wallets, lunch boxes (kids still need those, right?) and lots of other pop culture collectibles.
Save your dollars to invest in a turntable and speakers from these purveyors of all things music. Their new larger shop in Old Strathcona carries fine musical instruments and the city’s biggest collection of classical and jazz CDs (those silver disceroonis, remember?). Come have a careful look around their collection of artist-quality horns, flutes and saxes – and indulge that rock-star harpist fantasy awhile.
You might be able to snag a turntable here too – a vintage one – and they always have crates of records and a wall-shelf of cassettes. Then, take a spin around this cool basement shop full of rotary phones, film cameras, mugs and dishes, hats, glam costume jewellery, hip-kitsch home decoration and retro pop culture swag from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Throw in a lava lamp and you have yourself a real far out pad there, brother.