On the 10th Record Store Day, Vinyl’s Role and All of the Events [Updated]

As a slew of special limited-edition records and free concerts spreads across Music City on the 10th annual Record Store Day on Saturday, it’s a good time to look at the music retail business. The landscape has changed significantly in the decade since the first RSD, but not necessarily in the ways pundits predicted.

“ ‘Things are going digital, record stores are obsolete — they’re going to be a thing of the past,’ that seemed like the standard line in every piece written about the music industry for a while there,” recalls Grimey’s co-owner Doyle Davis. “Record Store Day was created mainly to shine a light on [independent] record stores, many of which were flourishing and having some of the best years they’d ever had in business. At the same time, all the corporate retailers were collapsing, and you were actually losing a lot of your competition. Where the overall [sales] may have been down for physical goods, it was actually looking brighter for record stores, in lots of ways. And then we had the vinyl resurgence, which I think had a lot to do with Record Store Day. And that’s just lifted all the boats.”

As streaming music shows massive gains, sales of digital downloads and CDs continue to decline, leaving vinyl as the only music ownership format posting yearly increases in sales. Nielsen Music’s year-end report tallies 13.1 million vinyl records sold in the U.S. in 2016, the 11th straight year of growth. But that number could be even bigger. Manufacturing of vinyl presses stopped in the early 1980s, and despite plants refurbishing increasing numbers of old machines, there’s still a big gap between supply and demand. Consequently, independent artists and labels still have difficulty predicting when they’ll be able to press or re-press a record, and retailers often encounter long wait times to restock popular titles.

Even so, brand-new presses are finally rolling off at least one assembly line. In February, Third Man Records held a grand opening ceremony for Third Man Pressing, located at TMR’s satellite store in Detroit and outfitted with eight brand-new presses from the German firm Newbilt. Currently, a staff of 20 runs six eight-hour shifts per week, turning out 5,000 units per shift. Third Man’s Ben Blackwell says he hopes to ramp up to a 24-hour production cycle, but the focus will remain on making the highest-quality records possible. For large orders, Blackwell says he’d still choose Nashville’s United Record Pressing.

At the end of 2016, URP — one of the largest and longest-running vinyl plants in the U.S. — moved all of its operations to a facility on Allied Drive, which was purchased in 2014 as an expansion of its historic Chestnut Street property. A staff of 130 operates 26 presses, averaging an output of 45,000 units per day, an uptick of 10-15 percent from pre-expansion numbers. URP’s marketing and business development manager Kendale Rice tells the Scene that 10 additional presses are expected to be in service by the end of the year.

The number of places to buy records in Nashville has risen, too. Below is a rundown of local record stores celebrating RSD with a diverse array of free concerts from local musicians. Though they won’t have live music, McKay’s on Old Hickory Boulevard and The Great Escape’s locations on Charlotte Avenue and on Gallatin Road in Madison also carry exclusive titles alongside their colossal inventory of used records.

See a quick-reference guide to releases that caught our eye, from Jason Isbell and Dolly Parton to Pink Floyd and Prince, and see recordstoreday.com for a complete rundown of participating stores and exclusive releases.

Email music@nashvillescene.com

Boulevard Record Shop (2006 Belmont Blvd.), 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Belmont University’s student-run record store, which opened in August, will have RSD exclusive titles and a drawing for a mint mono copy of The Beatles’ The Beatles (aka “The White Album”). Two separate slates of bands will play.

Daytime Music Lineup (Free), 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Michael McMahon w/Luke Olson and Zach Rowell, Caleb Stewart, Man Up Yancey, The Hollows & Belle Rive

Night Music Lineup ($5), 6-9 p.m.

Afro Triangle w/Group Nap

Fond Object Records (1313 McGavock Pike; 535 Fourth Ave. S.), 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

Both the original “psychedelic department store” and the new spot downtown open at 10 a.m., offering RSD exclusives, food trucks and vendors, and lots of free live music. The party doubles as a grand opening celebration for the Fourth Avenue location as well.

*** UPDATE: Both stores will be open, but due to rain, all shows have moved to 535 Fourth Ave. S. Updated schedule below. ***

Riverside Stage (Back Room) Music Lineup

12:30 p.m.: Soft Opening

1:30 p.m.: Reality Something

2:30 p.m.: The Medium

3:30 p.m.: Gunther Doug

4:30 p.m.: The Mighty Jabronis

5:30 p.m.: That’s My Kid

6:30 p.m.: Spodee Boy

7:30 p.m.: Ian Ferguson

8:30 p.m.: Mom and Dad

9:30 p.m.: Skyway Man

Downtown Stage (Front Room) Music Lineup

Noon: Erin Rae

1 p.m.: The Fruit Flies

2 p.m.: Modern Convenience

3 p.m.: The Minks

4 p.m.: Microwave Mountain

5 p.m.: Oliver John-Rodgers

6 p.m.: Lawndry

7 p.m.: Teddy and the Rough Riders

8 p.m.: Yumi and the System

9 p.m.: Alanna Royale

Grimey’s New and Pre-Loved Music (1604 Eighth Ave. S.), 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Along with RSD exclusives and DJ sets from Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities director Sarah Bandy, Mayor Megan Barry (who’s confirmed to go on at 12:30 p.m.), Tennessee Democratic Party chair Mary Mancini and DJs from community radio station WXNA, one of the day’s highlights is a set from Nashville ’80s rock heroes Raging Fire, who will perform These Teeth Are Sharp, their outstanding new album recorded after a 30-year hiatus, in its entirety.

Music Lineup

9 a.m.: DJ SRC (outside)

10 a.m.: Grimey's and Grimey's Too open

Noon: The Gripsweats

12:30 p.m.: DJ Mayor Megan Barry

1 p.m.: Raging Fire

1:30 p.m.: DJ Sarah Bandy

2 p.m.: The Bad Signs

2:30 p.m.: DJs Mary Mancini and Freddie O'Connell (Liberadio(!) Reunion)

3 p.m.: Cory Branan

3:30 p.m.: DJ Aaron Hartley

4 p.m.: Paul Burch

4:30 p.m.: DJ Brady Brock

5 p.m.: Sun Seeker

5:30 p.m.: DJ Astrobrooke

6 p.m.: Idle Bloom

The Groove Records (1103 Calvin Ave.), 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

In addition to exclusives and a storewide sale on non-exclusive merchandise, the cozy East Side shop offers an eclectic lineup, including a surprise appearance by The Weeks, who headline Cannery Ballroom later in the evening; Robyn Hitchcock on the day after his self-titled album drops (see our story for more); and All Them Witches performing on the roof of Porter Road Butcher next door. The whole concert will be broadcast by online radio station Acme Radio Live.

Music Lineup

Noon: The Whistles and the Bells

12:50 p.m.: Lawndry

1:40 p.m.: Idle Bloom

2:30 p.m.: The Mumzees

3:20 p.m.: Okey Dokey

4:10 p.m.: The Weeks

5 p.m.: Skyway Man

5:50 p.m.: Robyn Hitchcock

6:40 p.m.: All Them Witches

Third Man Records (623 Seventh Ave. S.), opens at 10 a.m.

As usual, the store-slash-label founded by Jack White offers up a heap of special goodies and activities, including a special pressing of “2+2=?,” Bob Seger’s 1968 debut single for Capitol Records; The Blue Series: The Story Behind the Color, a book of interviews conducted by Ben Blackwell with White and other Blue Series artists, bundled with a 7-inch featuring unreleased recordings by First Aid Kit and Gibby Haynes; and signed smoke-colored copies of Lillie Mae’s debut LP Forever and Then Some. The grill on the patio will be fired up, and three top local bands will play the Blue Room.

Music Lineup

Noon: Lilly Hiatt

12:45 p.m.: Steelism

1:30 p.m.: Adia Victoria

Vinyl Tap (2038 Greenwood Ave.), 1 p.m.-midnight

You won’t find any RSD exclusives at the bar-slash-record-store that’s taken over the original Family Wash location, but swing by for a vinyl sale, tapes from local label Cold Lunch Recordings, a special beer from Southern Grist Brewing Co. and some live tunes rotating between indoor and outdoor stages.

Music Lineup

1 p.m.: Liz Cooper and the Stampede

1:45 p.m.: Spiderberries

2:15 p.m.: Adrien and Meredith

2:45 p.m.: Keeps

3:15 p.m.: The Highland Reunion

3:45 p.m.: Sad Baxter

The Vinyl Bunker (144 Fifth Ave. N.), 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

In August, Muddy Roots Music’s Jason Galaz opened this shop in the ground floor of the parking garage adjacent to the L&C Tower. In addition to RSD exclusives, the Bunker will have live music interspersed with WXNA DJs. Another neat note: Bring old, unplayable vinyl for The Wreckerd Mill to upcycle into jewelry and accessories, and you’ll be entered into a drawing for passes to the Nashville Boogie in May and Muddy Roots Music Festival in September.

Music Lineup

Noon: Dana Leigh Kenney

1:30 p.m.: Charlie Treat

2:30 p.m.: Kristina Murray

4 p.m.: Wild Ponies

5 p.m.: Pat Reedy and the Longtime Goners