Record Store Day, the annual event in which stores put out their best inventory, dorks jostle for those elusive RSD exclusive releases, and everybody throws down a nice all-day party, is back again. There are plenty of festivities at all the Valley independent retailers, and, hey, maybe this year you'll actually chat up one of the many unconventionally good-looking strangers awkwardly nudged against you between the stacks!
After the jump: Everything you need to know about Phoenix Record Store Day 2013 festivities.
Lost on no one is the fact that this year's RSD happens to coincide with National Chronic Pots Day, where lore has it that famed reggae man Robert Marley performed 420 miracles during a marathon extended jam of "One Love," among them the telekinetic levitation of a hackey sack and the freezerless preservation of a pint of Chunky Munky in the afternoon Kingston sun. I don't know much about dank nuggets or "reefing the leafs," as they say, so Jah bless and stay safe, I suppose. Here's a rundown of all the neat happenings unrelated to 420:
Stinkweeds (12 W. Camelback Road)
Headlining the day in live music (which kicks off at noon) will be L.A. skate punks FIDLAR and London outfit Cheatahs, in addition to locals Playboy Manbaby, Spirit Cave, Wally from Wooden Indian and Tucson's Dream Sick. DJing throughout the day will be Mike Bell from Lymbic Systym, Michael Krassner from Boxhead Ensemble, and Bruce Heimbuck from Crescent Ballroom. Food will be provided by Short Leash Hot Dogs, Pizza People, and Mamma Toledos. Giveaways will happen all day, beginning at 9 a.m.
Read More: The best hard rock exclusives of Record Store Day.
Eastside Records (707 S. Forest Ave., #A, Tempe)
Eastside Records took to its official Facebook page to announce the highly specific discounts (and one drastic mark-up) available on Saturday:
ARE YOU GUYS READY FOR RECORD STORE DAY? WE ARE OPENING AT 7:47AM! 20.374% OFF ALL USED RECORDS! 11.232% OFF ALL NEW RECORDS! DOLLAR RECORDS ARE GONNA BE 2 FOR $1! 33% OFF CD'S! 25% OFF STEREO EQUIPMENT! TAPES WILL BE MARKED UP BY 15%. 10" RECORDS WILL BE 30.10% OFF. WE WILL HAVE A BUCKET OF COFFEE JUST FOR YOU.
In addition to paying, like, a buck extra for that cassette copy of Harvest, attendees can look forward to live sets from Tucson's HIV Hunters as well as locals Girl Boner, Olivia Neutron-John, and Mr. Atomm's Bombs beginning at 7 p.m.
Revolver Records (918 N. 2nd St.; 3306 S. McClintock Dr., Tempe)
For both locations, all stock will be 20 percent off (except Record Store Day exclusives.) The Phoenix Revolver location will get started nice and early, unleashing its exclusive RSD releases at 8:30 a.m., while 600 new-arrival LPs will hit the floor at 1 p.m. Locals performing on the Phoenix location's outdoor patio will be Minibosses, Man Hands, Dogbreth, and Button Struggler. The Tempe location will have 400 new record arrivals on the shelves at 11 a.m.
The Record Room (Scottsdale - 4211 N. Scottsdale Road)
One of the newer stores in the Valley, the Record Room in Scottsdale will get started at 9 a.m. with giveaways and free coffee and doughnuts, plus a record swap on the store's back patio. Performing live at 3 p.m. will be the She*Riffs, featuring OG L.A. punk Alice Bag and members of French Girls and JJCnV. In an expert move, The Record Room will also have two check-out registers set up for those nerds who'll be speedily bopping around town.
Zia Records (4 Valley locations)
The Valley's biggest indie record chain has festivities all over the metro area. In addition to a performances and signings by SoCal heshers Wavves and hard rock chart-toppers Halestorm, many stores will host local bands that contributed songs to the seventh volume of Zia's You Heard Us Back When compilation. The Thunderbird and Chandler locations will also host the folks from Halo Animal Rescue, who will bring doggies (aww!) that can be adopted and given new homes (yay!). Zia has also partnered with the Hard Rock Café in Phoenix; any Zia customer that brings in their Zia receipt to the Hard Rock on Saturday will get 20 percent off their entire bill and/or merchandise.
1850 W. Camelback Road Wavves in-store performance and signing at 3 p.m. with performances afterward by The Breakup Society and Ashley Creighton. Emerson Fry Bread truck will be on-site from 8 to 10 a.m.
105 W. University Road, Tempe Performances by Galactic Basic, Jonathan Sakas, Murietta, and Emby Alexander beginning at 4 p.m.
2510 W. Thunderbird Road HALO Animal Rescue Pet Adoption Center will be on hand from 9 a.m. to noon with adoptable pups. The creators and authors of the graphic novels Break the Walls / Unite and Take Over will have a book signing from 3 to 3:45 p.m. In-store performances begin at 5 p.m. with Manufactured Defects, Something to Kill, and Audious.
1940 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler Grammy-winning rockers Halestorm will have a performance and signing beginning at 7 p.m., and locals Ethan 103 will play at 5 p.m. Liberty's Biscuits food truck will be providing eats from 8 to 10 a.m. and HALO Animal Rescue Pet Adoption Center will be on-hand from 9 a.m. to noon.
