Guys, I'm a nerd.
I've been hyped up about Record Store Day ever since last year's passed by my radar too swiftly. This year, I decided to go all out. As stores announced their in-store performances and stock of special RSD releases, I got more and more fidgety when my Twitter feed blew up with only #RSD12 updates. Is it sad that I started stressing out about my RSD itinerary more than a week before the date? After a Google spreadsheet (or two) and several back-and-forths mulling over which performance I really wanted to see, I planned my RSD 2012 down to the quarter hour, starting at a bright and shiny 10:45 a.m. Saturday morning.
My friends thought I was crazy. Well, no shit. No one in their right mind would be up at 3 a.m. on a Thursday night (Friday morning?) mapping out record stores on a Google Map with a sort of maniacal smirk plastered on their face.
So, after grabbing a less-than-healthy Bennison's apple fritter for breakfast to fuel the day ahead of me, I ran to catch the Purple line with a couple of (probably skeptical) friends. Here's my documentation of the chaos that ensued.
First stop: Reckless Records on Broadway. There was a line that spanned the length of the store for the RSD exclusive releases held behind the counter. There were only three RSD 2012 releases that I really wanted, and, lo and behold, after about 20 minutes in line, I was told by a very apologetic staff member that they were sold out of all of them. Okay, it's fine. I still had more stores to hit up than I could count on one hand. I instead bought an Xray Eyeballs CD from the used stacks — which I found while in line — for $1.08. I also swiped a free RSD compilation by Decca on the way out, so it wasn't a trip for nothing.
After a friend and I both found out that all of the releases we wanted were sold out at Reckless, we made a mad dash to the next stop on our itinerary: Dave's Records (which definitely wasn't "just down the street," not-so-helpful Reckless staff). However, we were disheartened again when we saw the long line outside the store. Turns out it wrapped around inside the tiny store as well. After about another fifteen minutes of waiting, I decided to ditch the line when I found out that another store down the street was carrying one of the releases I wanted, but was sidetracked when I ran into some other friends in line. Whoops.
Next stop on the list was Saki in Logan Square. One of my favorite record stores, it doubles as an art gallery that features a different artist (mostly local) every month. April's feature is Ryan Duggan, whose colorful gig posters lined the walls.
I gave up on trying to get the releases I wanted after I found out Saki had sold out of them as well. Should've been more of a nerd and gone to a midnight opening instead! Oh well.
The store was scattered with tons of RSD paraphernalia. Collaborating with BV Chicago and CHIRP for their RSD extravaganza, I thought Saki hosted the best RSD experience.
Though I was bummed I missed Bare Mutants as originally planned, I caught a great Cains & Abels set instead.
Soul, funk and jazz enthusiast Dusty Groove was next on the list. The store was packed with people, making it hard to navigate the narrow aisles. There was also a wheel of prizes that customers could spin with each purchase for additional goods.
Right on schedule, I went upstairs to the Otis Clay performance. I was slightly taken aback at the serene setting of the upstairs gallery in which Clay performed with two other musicians (and his great-grandson). Very different from the crowded in-stores at other locales, everyone was seated around Clay in the open gallery with smiles on their faces. Clay crooned impressively over the grateful crowd, which was a very welcome breath of air in my flustered day.
I ducked out after a while to walk a couple of blocks to Permanent Records – a different environment than Dusty Groove. I love both stores, but Permanent is definitely one of my favorites because of its in-your-face attitude. After a final failed attempt to get the releases I wanted, I instead purchased HoZac's Hookup Klub Round One from 2010, a compilation of the grimiest, grittiest psych/garage rock artists from the Chicago label – a fitting purchase from Permanent.
I caught local experimental group Vyto B and the Band That Never Made It during the last half of their set. Crammed at the back of the store with their faces creepily lit by a floor lamp, the trio drummed up a small ruckus for a crowded group of fans.
My final stop on my itinerary was the Numero Group pop-up shop, which was at The Empty Bottle a few blocks away from Permanent. By the time I arrived, most of the vendors were already packing up their goods, though there were still customers digging through the mind-boggling crates on crates of records.
So, after seven hours of a somewhat grueling scavenger hunt, I didn't find any of the releases I wanted, but I also didn't come home empty-handed. I purchased one RSD 2012 exclusive: the Tortoise double 7-inch from Saki. Along with other miscellaneous goods like a handful of pins, download cards, stickers and a tote, it was not a shabby haul.
I just need to be more of a nerd next time and start lining up for the midnight openings like it's goddamn Black Friday, only with better music.