Sales of CDs and records continue to decline in the face of digital downloads, file sharing and other new trends in music distribution, but Denver’s independent music stores refuse to give up.
To celebrate their survival and the unique place they occupy in the local music community, Independent Records, Wax Trax and Twist & Shout will be participating in Record Store Day on Saturday along with 20 other independent retailers in Colorado and hundreds around the world. The annual celebration of music, localism and independence includes exclusive music releases, live performances and free goodies.
On the surface, Record Store Day might look like the last, desperate gasps of an obsolete enterprise, given headlines that continually predict the death of the brick-and- mortar retailer.
The actual event, however, simply strives to celebrate the diversity of indie stores with a sense of humor.
This year, the clever folks at Record Store Day’s headquarters roped in notoriously witty rocker Josh Homme, of the bands Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal and Them Crooked Vultures, as spokesperson. Homme’s promotional video — viewable on YouTube and on the Record Store Day website — perfectly encapsulates what Judy Negley, co-owner of Independent Records, calls the “snarky enthusiasm” of the event.
In the video, Homme suggests that independent record stores act as community centers and gathering places for like-minded strangers and friends — a notion that flies in the face of everything that the admittedly less-expensive big-box stores represent. Larger corporate entities can use their buying power to procure and sell CDs for far less. But a visit to Target or Best Buy is unlikely to result in new friendships or new musical discoveries found at the indies.
“People are relaxed. They hang out. It’s a dating service. It’s a kill-time service. And it has been for decades,” Negley said.
The small stores also give something back to music buyers: a local attitude.
“We all have our ear to the ground and care about what happens in our communities,” says Paul Epstein, owner of Twist & Shout.
Walk into Epstein’s store, across East Colfax Avenue from East High School, and you’re immediately struck by the prominently displayed releases by local artists. “It’s something that’s been exceedingly important to us over the years,” the 22-year- veteran business owner said.
“The average local band can’t just waltz into Wal-Mart or Best Buy and put their records on the shelf, and they can here.”
Negley echoes Epstein’s sentiments. “We wanted to have an atmosphere where people felt more like it was their living room than a retail store, and we definitely achieved it.”
Proving its commitment to local music, Independent’s Saturday festivities will feature performances by local musicians (Speakeasy Tiger and DB and the Catastrophe in Denver), as well as other entertainers.
Meanwhile, just a few blocks east, Twist & Shout will host performances by Citizen Cope and Bonobo, serve cake and feature local DJs including the Pirate Signal’s DJ A-What.
Over on Capitol Hill, Wax Trax will be getting in the game as well, hosting performances from local rockers between 2 and 6 p.m. Featured bands include Ideal Fathers, Speedwolf, Accordion Crimes and metal mavens Tauntaun.
