Category Archives: music

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 1st.

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/.

 

2018 in Review

2018 in Review

Thanks to all of our customers for a great 2018!

In addition to selling new and vintage vinyl, we’re trying to create a community where customers can have conversations centered on music, movies and more.

Here’s a look back at some of the in-store events we planned for YOU this past year. Hope to see you talking music at one of our special events soon!

Music

Just Roses

Record Store Day celebration in association with WPHL-dB URock Radio Philadelphia featuring live performances by Fred Masherino, Anthony Caserta and The Transmission NOW

The Transmission NOW

Jon Shain

Peter Kardas

Peter Kardas

Open Mic Events

Movies

The History of Philadelphia’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Show Us Ur Shorts

DEATH by MetaL

DEATH by MetaL

More

FirstGlance Film Festival Preview Party

Jimi Hendrix Celebration

Thanks for supporting our indie record store!

Concert Queen Strikes Again…and Again…and Again…

For me, summertime means concert time! One of my favorite things to do is see live music and I recently had two weeks of one great show after the other.  It started with U2 and ended with Dr. Dog.  Here are a few highlights and my most loved moments from each show.

My whirlwind of concerts started with U2.  It was a nice treat to see them at the Wells Fargo Center after seeing them outdoors last year for the Joshua Tree tour.  Their outdoor shows are epic but I prefer the intimateness of their indoor shows.  The production, as always, was incredible.  The band was tight and Bono’s voice was beautiful. They played a lot of new material from Songs of Experience which I happen to love, especially the danceable “The Blackout” and the rockin’ “American Soul,” but they threw in a few gems like “I Will Follow” and “Gloria” for the old-timers too.  Overall, it was an incredible show especially for long-time fans like me who continue to follow them and keep up with their latest releases.

Two days later, I made the trek up to Toronto to see one of my all-time favorites – Robert Plant. He didn’t stop in Philly this tour so I planned a road trip to see him at the outdoor waterfront Budweiser Stage. Sheryl Crow opened the show with lots of energy and many of her hits then Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters hit the ground running, opening with “The Lemon Song.”  It was a Zep fan-heavy crowd, so this song was a huge hit with everyone. They went on to play a really nice mix of new songs from Carry Fire, some Zeppelin songs and even “In the Mood” from The Principle of Moments, which pleasantly surprised me.  He rarely plays 80’s material so it was a real treat to hear that one.

A few days later I was back in Philly and at the Mann Music Center to see Roger Daltrey perform Tommy with the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra.  Tommy has always been one of my favorite Who albums so I was happy to see Roger perform these great songs once again.  I felt that the rock opera really came alive with the addition of the orchestra.  The overall sound was so rich and the violinist who played at the end of the “Baba O’Riley” finale was amazing! Roger was pretty amazing too!

Capping off this stretch of concerts was hometown rockers, Dr. Dog.  This is one band that gives an incredible live performance!  I never tire of seeing them live. Touring in support of their new album, Critical Equation, the guys performed a nice mix of old and new songs and kicked off the set with a crowd favorite, “Shadow People.” Festival Pier was a nice venue choice for the group too as their music has a cool party vibe.

Next up, I’ll be seeing Foo Fighters then I’m sure I’ll hit a few more shows over the summer – Xponential Festival, possibly Jethro Tull at the Mann in September, maybe a 104.5 Summer Block Party.  There are so many good concerts.  I hope that my pocketbook can handle it!

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 15th.  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.

It’s a Party on Record Store Day

Vinyl Revival Parties on Record Store Day with Live Music,

Exclusive Releases, Swag and Snacks

 

Vinyl Revival, 35-37 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, PA, is proud to be participating in Record Store Day, an international day to celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store, on April 21, 2018.  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.  Participating musicians include The Transmission NOW and Fred Mascherino from Taking Back Sunday/The Color Fred/Terrible Things. Vinyl Revival will give out free Record Store Day promotional materials with purchases and offer complimentary 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 a slate of live entertainment for customers’ shopping enjoyment which will be broadcast live to the net during store hours on Record Store Day. Performing is guitarist and singer Fred Mascherino from Taking Back Sunday/The Color Fred/Terrible Things.   Mascherino has played in several popular alternative/indie Philadelphia bands, toured with The Vans Warped Tour and played with The Lemonheads and Josh Eppard from Coheed and Cambria to name a few. Also playing are The Transmission NOW, a powerful Lehigh Valley based edgy punk band made up of members from Vertigo Society, Imidazole, Digger, The Long Morrow and Cordova.  Their latest album, Happy Hour, was released in July 2017.

Music and merchandise by the performing bands will be available for sale at Vinyl Revival. Stay tuned for performance schedule!  More bands TBA.

For a complete list of titles being released for Record Store Day 2018, visit http://recordstoreday.com/.

Vinyl Revival is located at 35-37 N. Lansdowne Ave., Lansdowne, PA 19050.  For more information or to sign up for their e-newsletter, visit www.vinylrevivalrecords.com, follow them on Facebook or call 610-284-3537.

Top 5 Requested Record Store Day Releases

We’re just one month away from our biggest party of the year – Record Store Day! It’s  an international day to celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store and this year, the official ambassador, Run the Jewels, is helping  us celebrate!

I’ve asked what everyone is looking to get on April 21st and the answers range from The Beau Brummels to Soundgarden.  But out of all the phone calls, emails and Facebook messages we’re receiving, these are our top 5 requested Record Store Day releases:

AC/DC – Back in Black – When this album was released in 1980, many of us listened to it on cassette.   Now you can hear it the same way – perfect for your boom box or car tape deck.

Steve Earle & the Dukes – Live From the Continental Club – If you’ve ever seen these guys live, then you know this will be a stupendous album to add to your collection!  The double LP is limited to 2000 copies and features “Guitar Town”, “Copperhead Road” and more.

Grateful Dead – Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA 2/27/69 – Originally released as part of the limited- edition CD boxed, Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings, the Grateful Dead’s Fillmore West, San Francisco 2/27/69 show will be issued on vinyl for the first time exclusively for Record Store Day 2018.  The limited -edition 4-LP is on 180 gram vinyl, has an 8th side etching and a worldwide run of 9000. If you don’t already have the box set, this is one to get.

Led Zeppelin – “Friends”/”Rock And Roll” – Zep is one of my all-time favorite bands and apparently yours too!  I’ve been getting many requests for the band’s first Record Store Day title featuring two previously unreleased tracks, both produced by Jimmy Page.  This unique single includes a Sunset Sound Mix of Led Zeppelin IV’s “Rock And Roll” and “Friends” from Zeppelin III recorded at Olympic Studios, London. This limited edition yellow 7” single features a large hole and shaped adaptor and is housed in a printed paperboard sleeve.

Pink Floyd – Piper at the Gates of Dawn (mono) – The original mono version was named one of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time so of course a lot of our customers want this one!  This psychedelic debut was their only album completed with original vocalist/guitarist Syd Barrett and features the early classic “Interstellar Overdrive”.

In addition to these Record Store Day Exclusive releases, we hope to have hundreds of other titles, some of the Limited Run Regional Releases and RSD “First” Releases.

Check out our Facebook page to get the latest news on our April 21st Record Store Day event.

It’s a fun day so we hope to see you!

2017 in Review

Thanks to all of our customers, 2017 was another great year!

Not your ordinary record store, Vinyl Revival offers music, movies and more!  Here’s a look back at some of last year’s events.

Music

Record Store Day celebration with live performances by The Wiretappers, The Sean Taylor Experience, Danny Varughese, Feenix, MLC, Big Terrible

Third Man In Concert

Bobby Messano Concert

Three Fourteen Concert

Movies

After Dark Japan Night Japanese Cinema

The Cut:  The Journey of the Men and Women of Duffy’s Cut

Art-Centric Documentary Screening Series

Beside Bowie:  The Mick Ronson Story

Duffy’s Cut Documentary

More

La Giara Book Signing with Minas

Direct-to-Vinyl Field Recordings

Confessions of a Teenage Disc Jockey – T. Morgan Book Signing

Thanks for supporting our indie record store!

We look forward to offering a wider variety of new and vintage vinyl and becoming Delco’s go-to spot for alternative music and movie experiences.

A Lucky Little Lady in the City of Brotherly Love

 

robbykrieger

I don’t know how I missed the news about Robby Krieger playing Ardmore Music Hall on April 23rd but when I heard that he was doing a show for the Doors’ 50th anniversary, I knew that I had to try and get tickets.  I went online, and naturally, it was sold out.  Disappointed, I thought I’d try my luck at the door the night of the show.  Arriving before doors opened, I bypassed the line to ask security if they released any last minute tickets.  They hadn’t but the guard kindly pointed us in the direction of someone who was selling two tickets.  Jackpot!  Gregg and I were able to take the tickets off his hands.

The tickets were general admission so we proceeded to the floor area, parking ourselves about 10 feet from the stage.  Robby and his band, which included his son Waylon on vocals, opened the show with “Break On Through” and proceeded to play a great number of songs off of The Doors’ first album plus not often heard titles like “Spanish Caravan.” They concluded, not surprisingly, with “The End.”

Robby seemed to be in good spirits; he told stories about some of the songs that he wrote including “Light My Fire” and “Twentieth Century Fox”, which he wrote for his wife (they’re married for 45 years now), he talked about Jim and Ray’s favorite songs, and even joked with the crowd after being booed for wearing a Joe Namath jersey, saying, “At least it’s the right color.”  The over two hour show was the last one of the tour so I was thrilled that I was able to see him play live. Absorbing the essence of The Doors, I felt wonderfully connected to the songs and the original band members.

My amazing night got even better after the show when Robby autographed my newly acquired Doors’ Record Store Day album.  I now have a beautiful new treasure in my rock and roll collection!