Conceived as a national campaign to lure customers back to brick-and-mortar record with exclusive, limited edition releases, Record Store Day has evolved from a sales event into something more like a bona fide holiday in Milwaukee, where independent record stores have turned the promotion into daylong hang-outs. This year’s Record Store Day on Saturday, April 19 should be no exception. Below is what some of Milwaukee’s stores have on tap for the day. (This post will be updated and amended throughout the week as stores reveal and tweak their schedules for the day, so check back closer to April 19 for the most up-to-date lineups).
Acme Records
2341 S Kinnickinnic Ave.
Bay View’s newest record store will keep regular hours (noon-7), but they’ll make them count with a lineup of DJs throughout the day and three live performances. Mildew will perform a John Cage piece at 3 p.m.; Blessed Feathers will play at 5 p.m. and Red Stuff will close out the day at 6 p.m.
Bullseye Records
1627 E. Irving Place
Bullseye Records typically doesn’t go too far out of its way on Record Store Day—for every independent store that embraces the promotion there are just as many that shrug it off—but a clerk confirms that they’ll be open and that they’ll “probably have a sidewalk sale or something.”
Exclusive Co.
1969 N. Farwell Ave.
Milwaukee’s biggest record store puts its space to good use with seven live performances. The schedule isn’t set in stone, so take these start times with a grain of salt, but the day will look something like this:
2:30 Lost In The Trees
3:30 Mark Waldoch
5:00 Midnight Reruns
5:45 Animals in Human Attire
6:30 Mike Benign Compulsion
7:15 Paper Holland
8:00 Tigernite
Exclusive Co.
5026 S. 74th St. (Greenfield)
Greenfield's Exclusive Co. location will have music from Willy Porter at noon and All Tiny Creatures at 2:30 p.m., before handing the P.A. over to WMSE DJs at 4:30 p.m. starting with Sonja, then Von Munz (6 p.m.) and Team Metal (8 p.m.)
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Off The Beaten Path
1936-38 N. Farwell Ave.
In addition to stocking some Record Store Day releases, Farwell Avenue's Off The Beaten Path will have a dollar bin sale outside the store beginning at 9 a.m., weather permitting. "Bins drop to 50 cents at noon, 25 cents at 4 p.m.," says the store's Chris Kruse. Meanwhile, vinyl inside the store will be 30% off.
Rushmor Records
2635 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
Rushmor Records has experimented with all types of Record Store Day promotions over the years, says manager Dan DuChaine, but “after years of live bands, DJs and even a BBQ, we’ve found that live interaction and hanging out with our store’s visitors has worked best.” This year the staff will have some company as they hang out: From noon to 3 p.m., Dan Kubinski and Keith Brammer of Die Kreuzen will be at the store signing copies of “Cows and Beer,” which has been reissued on 7-inch and 12-inch by Beer City Skateboards and Records. The 7-inch will be available in five colors, while the 12-inch has been pressed on clear vinyl.
