For those who treat Record Store Day like a national holiday, there is a lot of planning involved. It’s huge business for stores across the country, which can do two months' worth of business in a single day.
This year, the day falls on April 22. The official list of special releases came out last week. Reissues dominate it, including a legendary Bruce Springsteen concert from 1975, a posthumous Notorious B.I.G. compilation, Neil Young’s essential Decade compilation and a collection of early live recordings from Jimi Hendrix.
Lots of 7-inches will be released, too. There will be a handful from Prince alone, plus goodies from Alice in Chains, Andre 3000 and the Dillinger Escape Plan. There are also quirky items on the list: the Space Jam soundtrack and the self-titled Marcy Playground debut don't exactly beg for the vinyl reissue treatment, but they can be yours.
If it's brand-new releases you're after, there will be a six-track EP from Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, an Old 97’s 7-inch featuring two unreleased songs, and the debut album from Denton’s own BNQT, Volume 1. And that's only skimming the surface.
Anyone who lives in DFW and wants to get their hands on any of these — or just soak up the Record Store Day performances and madness — is lucky to have quite a few options at their disposal. Local record stores run the gamut in terms of size and selection, but here are just a few of the places we're most looking forward to visiting on April 22.
Good Records
1808 Lower Greenville Ave.
7 a.m.-midnight
Good Records has been around for almost 20 years, and this will be their 10th year participating in Record Store Day. The Lower Greenville staple will open at 7 a.m. and stay open until midnight, and the press release for the event promises "limited releases, killer bands and DJs, libations, goodies and fun for the whole family." Record Store Day at Good Records is usually very well-attended, and that's likely to be true again this year since Charley Crockett, the Texas Gentlemen and MC 900 Ft. Jesus are all on the lineup. Pretties for You, an Alice Cooper tribute act that features Dennis Dunaway from the original Alice Cooper band, will close out the performances. Sets by DJs such as Erykah Badu, Wanz Dover, Gabe Mendoza, Cameron Brand and Brad Sigler will run between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Josey Records
2821 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, Suite 100
7 a.m.-10 p.m.
This North Dallas crate-digger paradise does Record Store Day right. They have a couple of large racks devoted to exclusives. There is plenty of room for everyone to browse, as well as comfortable seating and turntables to test out any used vinyl you want to hear. Astronautalis headlines Josey's lineup this year and there will be a vinyl release of his early recordings exclusively at this store. Droo’s Peace Crush, the News Can Wait, Brave Little Howl, Aztec Death and Triangulum will also play, plus DJs Rerog, KRUM and Sean P will get in on the action.
Spinster Records
829 W. Davis St.
8 a.m.-10 p.m.
This Oak Cliff favorite will have Record Store Day exclusives, refreshments, special bags and giveaways, the biggest of which will be a pair of Audioengine speakers. Reinventing Jude, Body English, Silas Nello and DJ Sober will all perform, and there will even be some special surprise guests. Spinster approaches Record Store Day the same way it approaches the other 364 days of the year. “Our vibe is always more relaxed and chill and community based,” owner David Grover says.
Forever Young Records
2950 S. Highway 360, Grand Prairie
Like Josey, Grand Prairie’s Forever Young is massive. A Record Store Day purchase from them also comes with the satisfaction of supporting a business that had a rough go of it earlier this year, when storms ripped through their roof and water damaged a lot of inventory. But that hasn't stopped Forever Young from doing their thing. And with a selection comparable in size to a supermarket's, this is a great place for Dallas and Tarrant county shoppers to find a treasure to take home.
Doc’s Records
9522 Camp Bowie W. Blvd., Fort Worth
Not only does this West Fort Worth store have a healthy stock of the latest Record Store Day exclusives each year, but they also have a few boxes of Record Store Day and Black Friday releases from years past for you to dig through. This year Doc's will feature sets from Heater, High Art, Movie the Band, Beach Priest and Steve Gnash. Free beer and food will be on hand, and all of their used merchandise will be 20 percent off. If you miss the vibe of CD Source and Dead Wax Records, where it was wall-to-wall stock, this is the closest place in spirit. Doc's is always worth the drive.
Mad World Records
115 W. Hickory St., Denton
Denton’s Mad World isn't as into the pageantry of Record Store Day. But that doesn't mean you should skip one of the best stores in the area on April 22; it offers an interesting alternative to the vibe at Good Records or Josey. “We have a couple of guys spinning records in the morning, but I have always made the day more about really good product than celebration,” owner Mark Burke says. Mad World will have plenty of Record Store Day exclusives and lots of other vinyl to flip through. Whether you’re looking for new copies of releases from St. Vincent, Pallbearer or Braid, or original pressings of popular artists from the '70s or '80s, they'll have it.
Record Store Day is April 22.