Hunt for records and meet fellow fanatics at The Vinyl Countdown

Sep 13, 2018 | by Maurice Dharampal | Event, Lifestyle, Music

About the author

I’ve been a music hoarder all my life and it was I who coined the phrase: ‘Every genre has something to offer’ (patent pending). My main infatuations are House, Disco, Jazz, Funk, Hip Hop and every subgenre in between. As long as the tunes spark up a euphoric feeling. Writing about Music expresses my passion for the art.

Music is literally everywhere where both the eye can see and the ear can hear; streaming services, CDs (yep, these are still being sold), pirating, DJs… Even the Albert Heijn around the corner plays music suited for doing the groceries. Then, of course, there is vinyl for the wicked individuals who are always on the search to expand their collection. Through this demanding crave, record fairs are increasingly emerging to supply the hungry needs of vinyl collectors. Though vinyl records are obviously the main focus at these fairs, the setting, vibe, and social aspect will make a record fair stand out, something The Vinyl Countdown knows all too well. They’ll hold the third iteration of their record fair at RADION in October.

A social get-together

With record sellers SEAWOLF RECORDS, Tech Records, Spacejunkie Universal Vinyl and many more, you know you’re going to find at least a few records you were looking for. But what I personally love about record fairs is the fact that you have a diverse group of people in one place with music as a common interest. This always creates great opportunities for interesting conversations.

You might be digging through a crate and feel your neighbor eyeing that Samba record in front of you while he’s flipping through his crate. That Samba cut might mean nothing to you, but it could be the holy grail for your neighbor. A conversation ensues which makes you rethink your opinion on Samba. But while this is great and goes for every record fair, The Vinyl Countdown takes it a step further: they could invite to take a seat on the small stage to tell about your collection, what you’re looking for and what you’ve found. This will be heard through their live stream, but also throughout the speakers at the record fair itself. They really took a great aspect of record fairs and gave it a prominent position.

Taking the stage

At the same stage where the interviews will be held, various DJs will provide the soundtrack for your digging sessions. But they aren’t just playing any record; you can actually buy the records you’ll hear throughout the day! No need for Shazam, just step up the stage and sweep that record up straight away. And while you’re up there you can grab a raffle ticket from Miles. You might even win an ‘exclusive’ record, like the Guru’s Jazzmatazz Volume 1 25th anniversary edition I almost won last June.

So whether you’re gritted your teeth in a specific style or just a casual collector, visiting a record fair is always a good idea. But The Vinyl Countdown is pushing the boundaries a bit, trying out new things. Theirs provide for a unique vibe, something other record fairs could learn a thing or two from. Check it out for yourself!