Live Review: Record Store Day

Record Store Day 2014 showed off an exciting range of music talent, a group of respected artists are being brought together to celebrate exclusively on Berwick Street in the heart of Soho, London. The main live stage curated by Sister Ray Records.

Presenter and Comedian Hardep Singh Kohli introduced the various acts and Soho resident Tim Arnold who open the day produced a snappy and colourful performance with songs from his album The Piccadilly Trot.

Second on stage was Edwyn Collins the ex Orange Juice front man. He sang a few songs from Understated, his new album but the classic songs Falling and Laughing and A Girl Like You that really got the crowd warmed up for main attraction a little later in the day.

Augustines, who recently changed their name from We Are Augustines, gave a full on rousing jump about indie rock set really throwing themselves about. The Brooklyn, NYC, group adding to the days’ great atmosphere.

80’s punk pop and new wave icon Adam Ant drew the biggest crowd of the day with a set
set list mostly from post punk debut – Dirk Wears White Sox. A white vinyl record was released for Record Store Day with collectables inside. He would also play a gig later that night at Hammersmith Apollo.

The days line-up also featured DJ Andy Smith who was spinning a mixed set which included his 60′s northern soul work and stage dancers.

The September Girls an Irish all girl band, from Dublin, blended garage rock and punk which gave the crowd some well earned girl power.

Ruts DC, an English seminal “late” punk band played songs Staring At The Rude Boys, Babylon Burning and In a Rut. The crowd was energetic and crazy mosh-pit circles formed. The band even posed for a photo with a vinyl bootleg of a 1978 concert. (see the slideshow at the end).

Berwick Street has been a destination for vinyl record collectors since the 1980s when it became known as ‘The Golden Mile of Vinyl’.

This corner of Soho is still home to central London’s largest concentration of thriving independent record shops; Sister Ray, Reckless Records, and The Music and Video Exchange as well as Sounds of the Universe around the corner on Broadwick Street, BM Soho on D’Arblay Street and Phonica on Poland Street.

Photography and Review by Solange Moreira-Yeoell at Record Store Day on April 19th 2014.

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