Rest Up For Record Store Day 2014

Started in 2007, the indie phenomenon that focused on supporting local has since become an internationally celebrated day (every third Saturday in April) by music lovers across the globe. With thousands of independent, American-owned record retailers partaking as well as thousands more worldwide, officially: "There are Record Store Day participating stores on every continent except Antarctica."

Now in its seventh year, more than 15 Portland area record stores (and more than double that statewide) will celebrate Record Store Day with hundreds of exclusive pieces of merchandise and memorabilia—most of it in grooved, vinyl form. From seven- to 12-inch varieties and everything in between, every shop stocks different goodies and some crack the doors as early as 7am.

While there's not a ton from local bands this year—a cursory scroll through the hundreds of releases tells me Blitzen Trapper and Black Prairie may be the lone ambassadors (besides a few more mentioned below)—there's plenty of hot wax from Jimi to Rick James to Joey Ramone and Joy Division to, uh, Ron Jeremy (Understanding and Appreciating Classical Music With Ron Jeremy on colored vinyl).

Other sought-after releases include LCD Soundsystem live, a reissue of Outkast's debut record in honor of their reunion, and a Devo/The Flaming Lips split—as well as an appropriately titled Jay-Z/Linkin Park spit called Collision Course.

Music Millennium also has a bead on an exclusive release from local '60s and '70s rockers Jacob's Ladder. The Portland band (who played our namesake festival) "should have made it... if fact, they recorded an album for RCA that never came out," Music Millennium recently posted on Facebook. "They did press a single Come Together/Promised Land that was never sold. We will have some copies for sale for the first time ever!"

In other MM festivities, they'll host the aforementioned Black Prairie (who are celebrating the early release of their fourth full-length record Fortune) at 8pm, plus EDJ (Eric Johnson of the Fruit Bats) at 7pm—both live in-store. In the afternoon (at 3pm), punk legends Poison Idea will be signing copies of all three of their RSD releases, including a new recording out on Voodoo Doughnut Recordings (a hand-numbered seven-inch that's limited to 1,000 copies) plus a split with Pantera.

DJs and bands will post up at Everyday Music Downtown including Pure Bathing Culture on the ones and twos at 2pm while Big Haunt plays live at 3pm followed by Aan at 3:45pm. But Mudhoney's Steve Turner kicks it all off at 1pm because he's celebrating two RSD releases (one a seven-inch split with The Sonics and the other a live record recorded On Top of the Space Needle in celebration of both Mudhoney and Sub Pop's 25 anniversary—all of which was captured and broadcast by KEXP).

Mr. Turner (aka DJ Dollar Bin) will also be spinning at Jackpot Downtown from 10am to noon followed by DJ Nate C from noon to 2pm. Jackpot also celebrates its own RSD releases on its own in-house label, which include Devo's Live at Max’s Kansas City 11/15/77 and Beauregarde's "Testify," the former of which is "complete with rare, unearthed audio of David Bowie" who introduced the band, calling them: “The band of the future!” Not to be outdone by Ziggy Stardust, "'Testify' is the unexpected lost masterpiece by the Portland-based professional wrestler Beauregarde. Originally released in 1971, 'Testify' showcases the guitar work of a then 17-year-old Greg Sage," later of The Wipers fame and who "lovingly remastered" it "using the original master tapes."

Regardless of the afternoon and evening activities, this is an all-day affair and you'll want to arrive early to claim your coveted vinyl. Check out the participating stores in your part of town below and make haste to those locations to acquire your prize (as well as plenty of RSD freebies).

Portland:
2nd Avenue Records
360 Vinyl
Beacon Sound
Blythe & Bennett Records
Boom Wow Records
Everyday Music Downtown
Everyday Music Eastside
Exiled Records
Future Shock
Jackpot Records Downtown
Jackpot Records Hawthorne
Music Millennium
One Stop Music
Platinum Records
Record Room
Timbuktunes World Music