Category Archives: art

August Celebration Days

There are so many national day celebrations! When I began researching some of the holidays in August, I was surprised to find that there were several events that we could celebrate at Vinyl Revival. There’s National Coloring Book Day on August 2^nd, National Vinyl Record Day (not to be confused with Record Store Day) on August 12^th, National Radio Day on August 20^th, and National Poet’s Day on August 21^st.

I wanted to highlight a couple of books by local authors that we’re proud to carry which can be celebrated this month and all year long.

The Colors of Life and Love books are adult coloring books featuring real people in real places. They were created by local resident T.L. Wahid in support of mental well-being. You can celebrate national Coloring Book Day every day and enjoy some relaxing down time when you add your colorful interpretations to the pages.

We also carry Another Day on Planet Earth, a book of poetry by local author Frank Rosci. The book is a compilation of poems written over forty years and the subject matter is wide ranging-from nature, religion, and relationships to travel and history, as well as to topics more whimsical and fanciful. Perfect for the beach or your backyard hammock.

Enjoy the rest of the month celebrating all the national days of August!

Play it Loud – The Art of the Instrument

I recently checked out the “Play it Loud” exhibition at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Co-organized with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the exhibition primarily features various instruments from some of rock and roll’s greatest and most influential musicians. It’s the first time that a major museum has had an exhibition of this nature.

Some might think this exhibit is just like viewing rock instruments at a Hard Rock Café but I think the exhibition gives a little more insight into the construction of some of the instruments and the desired sounds that the artists were looking to achieve.

Not only does the exhibit convey the importance of the instruments’ sound, it also highlights the significance of the instruments’ visual appearance. Some rock and roll legends used colorful imagery and graphics on their instruments that were representative of their unique styles.

I enjoyed the artfulness of the instruments and I’d like to highlight a few of my “artsy” favorites.

Jimi Hendrix’s Flying V

Hendrix used nail polish to paint the designs on this famous guitar that was used between 1967 and 1969.

Paul McCartney’s Bass

McCartney played this violin bass adorned with a Union Jack design during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration concert in 2012.

Keith Moon’s “Pictures of Lily” Drum Kit

The custom made drums feature nude pictures of Lily Langtry, British flags and Who logos.

The FOOL Guitars

The FOOL was a group of psychedelic artists who painted instruments for Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker as well as a mural on the Beatles’ Apple store in London.

Overall, I found the exhibition informative and very enjoyable. It was great to get an up-close look at the instruments that make the music. I highly recommend seeing it if you’re in New York City. If you go, be sure to check out the live performance clips of the musicians and their instruments in action too.

The exhibition runs through October 1^st.

https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2019/play-it-loud

Record Store Day 2019 – April 13th

Vinyl Revival Parties on Record Store Day with

Live Music, Exclusive Releases, Swag and Snacks

Vinyl Revival is proud to be participating in Record Store Day, an international day to celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store, on April 13, 2019. Vinyl Revival will stock a selection of titles that are Record Store Day exclusive, limited edition and first releases. As part of the Record Store Day celebration, there will be free in-store performances in association with WPHL-dB URock Radio Philadelphia featuring musicians Kevin Tarzanin and Eddie Everett. There will also be a performance by Vinyl Revival favorites, Three Fourteen. Vinyl Revival will give out free Record Store Day promotional materials with purchases and provide light refreshments and drinks for shoppers during extended store hours from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Vinyl Revival and WPHL-dB URock Radio Philadelphia have programmed live entertainment for customers’ shopping enjoyment which will be broadcast live to the net during store hours on Record Store Day. Performing is vocalist and bass player Kevin Tarzanin from the reggae/ska band Bullbuckers, drummer Eddie Everett from Eddie Everett’s Academy of the Sweet Beats and the reggae and blues-influenced rock jam band, Three Fourteen. Along with their originals, Three Fourteen plays songs by their favorite artists such as The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, and many other rock groups.

Three Fourteen will play at 1 p.m. and Eddie and Kevin will play at 2:30 p.m. Music and merchandise by the performing bands will be available for sale at Vinyl Revival.

Additionally, Vinyl Revival will host a book signing with T.L. Wahid, creator of Colors of Life and Love. Featuring real people and real photos, the adult coloring books promote well-being and living well.

For a complete list of titles being released for Record Store Day 2019, visit http://recordstoreday.com/.

: April 13, 2019

: U Rock Radio

: Three Fourteen

: Eddie Everett

: Kevin Tarzanin

Brooklyn Bound for David Bowie is

I finally got a chance to head up to Brooklyn to catch the David Bowie is exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. It’s been touring around the world for the past five years and the Brooklyn Museum is the last stop. There are over 400 items in the exhibit and most of them are from Bowie’s Archive. There are costumes, handwritten lyrics, photographs, drawings, etc., plus lots of wonderful video clips of performance footage. The audio tour automatically plays Bowie’s music and voice as you walk through the exhibition, making you feel as if he’s giving you a personal tour of the collection. You don’t need to be a Bowie super fan to enjoy this exhibit. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys his music or enjoys studying music in a cultural context.

A few of my favorites from the exhibition were:

The Costumes – Bowie had a keen sense of style and his wardrobe gave life to the characters he created. He could easily go from one style to the next; wearing especially artful jumpsuits for Aladdin Sane to tailored, sharp suits in the 80’s. He worked with many notable fashion designers to constantly reinvent himself. The exhibition features many of his famous costumes plus video clips of him performing in the costumes which I particularly liked.

Insights on his Creative Process – Having studied art, Bowie was very involved in developing the concepts and artwork for many of his album covers, concert props and imagery, and he would also sketch out images to correspond with his song lyrics. The exhibition features many of his small sketch books and drawings which allowed you to see how his ideas developed.

Stage & Screen Highlights – I also enjoyed the small section that highlighted Bowie’s acting career. In addition to his popular roles in Labyrinth and The Man Who Fell to Earth, he performed mime, starred in the Elephant Man on Broadway and entertained in countless music videos. The exhibition features a Broadway playbill, a handwritten letter to Bowie from Jim Henson, clips of Bowie from various portrayals, and more.

David Bowie is runs through July 15^th. If you plan on going, give yourself plenty of time to navigate the exhibition. It took me about 3 hours but I read almost everything. I recommend going during the week if possible as it was very crowded on Sunday when I was there. Photos were not permitted so I don’t have any from inside the exhibit to post except for a couple from inside/outside of the gift shop. You’ll have to go see all of Bowie’s fantastic collectibles in person!

For more information on the exhibition, visit https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/davidbowieis.

Stones’ Exhibitionism a Must See

I FINALLY got to New York City last weekend to see the Rolling Stones’ Exhibitionism show at Industria. I’m glad I went because it really had a nice mix of memorabilia, instruments, artwork, and personal items from members of the band. The exhibit is broken down into different sections that take you on a musical journey from the band’s earliest beginnings until now, over 50 years later. Here’s a quick re-cap from what I remember.

The exhibit opens with a recreation of Mick, Keith and Brian’s apartment in London with piles of dirty dishes, blues records by the turntable and clothes strewn about. There’s a room filled with all types of instruments including some of Mick’s harmonicas, a number of Keith’s guitars and a drum set. There’s an interactive listening station where you can isolate vocals, drums, etc. on songs and mix them in whatever way you want which was fun to do. There was a cool section that had drawings of their stage sets then pictures of the actual stage and clips of live performances, a GREAT section on album artwork and tour poster art, hand-written song lyrics, and of course, an area dedicated to their iconic lips logo. One of my favorite sections was the couple of rooms filled with the colorful, sequined, feathered, leather, outrageous stage costumes that the guys have worn through the years. There was more than one fabulous jacket that I would’ve loved to get my hands on! The exhibit ended with a walk through a backstage area followed by a 3-D concert clip of the band.

I LOVED Exhibitionism and if you think you’d like to go see it, you better go soon because it only runs through March 12^th. It took me about an hour and half to go through the entire thing so plan on spending up to two hours there. It’s a must see for Stones’ fans and music fans alike!

Gift Guide for Music Lovers

We’re just 10 days away from Christmas and if you’re still shopping, here are a few ideas for the music lovers on your list.

Record Player – Know someone that doesn’t have a record player but wants to start listening to vinyl? A portable record player makes a great first turntable. With built in speakers, 3 speeds and RCA output, you can just plug it in and play.

Record Store Day Black Friday Exclusives – Buying for a record collector? Record Store Day Black Friday exclusive, limited edition, picture discs, and colored vinyl records make great gifts.

New Stones Album – Have a Rolling Stones fan on your list? The Stones’ new album, Blue and Lonesome, is their first studio album in over 10 years and the band’s first album of all covers. Loaded with old blues songs, this is the type of blue Christmas you want to have!

Art by a Local Artist – Buying for someone who has everything? A piece of art always makes a great gift! Vinyl Revival has a nice selection of artwork made locally including pottery by Bob Deane, drawings by Drew Arata, and creepy doll art by Kimmymetal’s Creepy Creations and Art.

Album Cover Art Handbag – Made by hand, an album cover handbag is rock wear for the fashionista on your list.

Books by Local Authors – Vinyl Revival has several books by local authors including autographed copies of Rock & Roll’s Hidden Giant: The Story of Rock Pioneer Charlie Gracie, Pop’s Cookie Duster by Don Doyle, Lee Doyle, and Annette Debevec, Another Day on Planet Earth by Frank Rosci, and Love You Live, Rolling Stones Fanzine from the Common Fan by Marilou Regan.

Rock and Roll Home Decor – Rock & roll home accessories like clocks, bowls, coasters, and magnets made from recycled records add rocker chic to any room.

Vinyl Revival Gift Certificate – Give the gift of music with a Vinyl Revival gift certificate.

Call for Entries: Art-Centric Films

Attention Independent Filmmakers in the Philadelphia Area

In association with FirstGlance Films, we’re calling for entries for a special “art-centric” screening series in our 35 seat black-box theater, The Vault.

Categories include:

Feature Film (over 60 minutes)

Feature Documentary (over 60 minutes)

Short Film (under 60 minutes)

Short documentary (under 60 minutes)

Films should be about visual art, a visual artist, an art form, or have an art theme.

Selected films will have the opportunity to screen for one month (either April 15 – May 15, May 15 – June 15 or June 15 – July 15) as a matinee 1 x day Wednesday through Saturday and on a first Friday evening. Revenues generated from ticket sales ($5 – $8 per ticket) each month will be split with that month’s filmmaker(s).

To submit a film for consideration, please mail a DVD to Vinyl Revival, 35-37 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050 by February 29th. For more information, email info@vinylrevivalrecords.com.

Nurturing the Angels Within Workshops

Most music lovers can probably tell you that music nourishes their soul so I thought the spiritual workshop and discussion group series, Nurturing the Angels Within, that I’ve scheduled at Vinyl Revival over the next five months, would be another good way to feed the soul. The series asks you to have an open mind, open heart and sense of adventure and let the world of angel energy enrich your life. Who can’t use a little life enrichment?

The first event in the series takes place on Wednesday, February 12^th from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. with a movie night featuring the film “No One Dies in Lily Dale.” The film gives a candid portrayal of Lily Dale, a spiritualist community in upstate New York, where most of the town’s residents are registered Mediums who regularly give spiritual readings to visitors through alleged communication with the deceased. After the 90 minute video, there will be a discussion on The Village of Spirits hosted by Barbra Ann, Reiki Master & Medium, Emissary with Society of Light and a life long student of Lily Dale in New York. The series runs through June with a number of monthly events and workshops usually on the third Wednesday of the month. Events will begin with a meet and greet at 6:30 with complimentary light refreshments and drinks and programs run from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Admission for most events is $10. Pre-registration by email to info@vinylrevivalrecords.com is encouraged, but not required.

The Nurturing the Angels Within Series includes these special events:

February 12

Movie Night – “No One Dies in Lily Dale”

90 minute video and discussion on The Village of Spirits

March 19

Topic: Developing a Magical Herb & Flower Garden

*Also includes an Angel Meditation

April 9

Topic: The Art of Smudging & Creating Sacred Space/ Empower your

Abundance Angels

*Also includes an Angel Meditation

May 21

Topic: Mix and Mingle – “A Gathering of Angels, Artists and Authors”

June 18

Topic: Angel & Spirit Painting Party – Nurturing the Angels Within

Additional Supply Fee of $10

*Also includes an Angel Meditation

Hope to see you at one or all of the events!

Art Plus Music Equals A Great Weekend

Category Archives: art

August Celebration Days

Play it Loud – The Art of the Instrument

Jimi Hendrix’s Flying V

Paul McCartney’s Bass

Keith Moon’s “Pictures of Lily” Drum Kit

The FOOL Guitars

Record Store Day 2019 – April 13th

Vinyl Revival Parties on Record Store Day with

Live Music, Exclusive Releases, Swag and Snacks

Brooklyn Bound for David Bowie is

Stones’ Exhibitionism a Must See

Gift Guide for Music Lovers

Call for Entries: Art-Centric Films

Nurturing the Angels Within Workshops

Art Plus Music Equals A Great Weekend

Stones Saturday

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