Record Show Calendars

Vinyl collectors tend to find the really awesome record shows and mark their calendars accordingly, but woe to the poor collector who doesn’t know where and when the shows are–how many amazingly rare, cool and lustworthy vinyl titles have you missed because you just…didn’t…know?

Here’s a collection of resources to help you mark your calendar:

Record Shows Of America is one of Turntabling’s go-to resources for record show dates, and the name is a bit misleading as the site also covers record shows in Canada, too. “Record Stores Of North America” doesn’t really have the same ring to it, but that’s what this site truly is. Recommended!

There’s also good info to be found at the Goldmine Record Show Calendar, and Goldmine also gives our neighbors to the north some love as well.

Vinyl Times also has a record show calendar which urges you to contact the shows by e-mail prior to traveling–good advice!

These are what we’d consider the top three online resources for record shows–at least that we’re currently aware of. Some excellent results can be had by Googling the name of your state or city along with the phrase “record collector shows” to find events in your area that might not have made it onto the listings for the sites mentioned above. Believe it or not, some events don’t take advantage of these centralized show listings–usually because they don’t know they exist, we’re guessing.

Vinyl Events Aug 12-14

There is a LOT of great stuff in the Chicago area this weekend for vinyl junkies. For starters, on August 13 and 14, the Vintage Vinyl Record Show is at Lake County Fairgrouds, 1060 E. Peterson Road in Grayslake, Illinois. That’s the show you’ve been seeing advertised here…it’s gotten attention elsewhere and if it weren’t for Flashback Weekend I’d be there exploring it myself.

And yes, that brings me to Flashback Weekend, where Turntabling will be set up and selling the rare vinyl at this horror convention located at Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare. 5440 N. River Road, Rosemont, Illinois.

There is also the Willowbrook Music Fest on the 13th, at Holiday Inn Willowbrook 7800 Kingery Hwy, another show I have yet to check out but looking forward to hitting next time…anyone been to this one?

As for Flashback weekend, I hope to see you there–drop by the Turntabling booth and say hello! Also, I would LOVE to get a show report from anyone who attends the Vintage Vinyl show in Grayslake or the Willowbrook fest–pictures, a write-up, anything at all would be most welcome!

–Joe Wallace

Vintage Vinyl Show and Sale

With a little over a month before the Vintage Vinyl Show and Sale held at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake, Illinois, I wanted to remind vinyl junkies about the show. There’s still time to get a dealer, table too–tell them you spotted the info here at Turntabling!

The show is August 13 and 14 and has the added bonus of a 60s and 70s retro car show, so there is plenty to photograph as well as purchase at the show. (I’m a shutterbug on the side, so this would appeal to both my photographic obsessions and my retro ones).

The Saturday hours are 10AM to 4PM, with Sunday hours running from 8AM to 3PM, and yes, there’s an ad for the show to the right of this post. Print that ad and bring it with you to the show to get two-for-one admission to the show.

Vinyl junkies like me can’t resist a good local show, but I was already committed to running the Turntabling booth at Flashback Weekend during the same time, so I am going to miss all the good buys on this one. Which means more good stuff for YOU since you won’t have ME prowling around looking for the rare vinyl.

And while I’m on the subject, if you’d like to advertise your next record show on Turntabling, by all means get in touch and I’ll give you a rate quote, tech specs, etc. Contact me via e-mail at jwallace (at) turntabling (dot net).

Support your local record shows! Dealers work hard to find the good vinyl, and there’s nothing better than a well-attended record show to give a little love for the hard work.

Vintage Vinyl Show and Sale, August 13-14 2011 Grayslake Illinois

August 13 and 14, don’t miss the greater Chicagoland Vintage Vinyl Show in Grayslake Illinois. There’s a special discount on admission by printing and bringing the ad below. This is run in conjunction with a 60s and 70s retro car show, so there is plenty to see and do. More information is at ZurkoPromotions.com.

Turntabling is happy to advertise your record show. Get in touch for ad rates and specifications. We offer special rates for record shows, indie record stores and vinyl-related events.

Milwaukee Record and Music Show

It’s completely mad to schedule a record show for the very day after Christmas, but the madness works–this is supposed to be one of the most awesome record shows in the area–the Milwaukee Record and Music show, held at the American Serb Hall, 5101 West Oklahoma Avenue in Milwaukee on December 26 from 10-4PM.

Turntabling will be there–attending, not vending–if the weather is good to us. It just sounds too cool to pass up after having spoken to the organizer who says 600 vinyl junkies will be in and out those doors the day after Xmas. Who can blame them? This could be a whole lot of awesome. It’s about an hour and a half from Turntabling HQ so it’s very tough to say no….an early morning drive, to be sure, crammed with a load of caffeine and the Gary Numan blasting full volume all the way. Or Bossa Nova, whatever feels right at 7AM on a Sunday.

See you there?

Record Show Alert: South Bend, Indiana and Willowbrook, Illinois

This weekend Turntabling will about out and about on the prowl for vinyl finds. I’ve got two nearby record shows to hit and if you’re in the area you should hit them, too.

Saturday December 11, it’s the SOUTHWEST CHICAGO RECORD & CD SHOW at the Willowbrook Holiday Inn at 7800 Kingery Highway Route 83 in Willowbrook, Illinois. Three bucks gets you in the door.

I’m told the local magazine Illinois Entertainer has a dollar off coupon…but seriously, if you’re in agony over the extra buck can you really afford to hit a record show? Support your local record vendors, either way The show runs from 10-3.

On Sunday Decemr 12, it’s the South Bend Record & CD Collectors Show at the Comfort Suites– 52939 Indiana 933 at Cleveland Rd. This one runs from 11-5 and is said to be one of the largest midwest shows with over 50 tables. Sounds good to me!

I will be hitting BOTH shows, masochist and vinyl junkie that I am. Will I see YOU there? Come out and support vinyl culture. We’ve got it pretty good these days but it wasn’t always so and in tough times like these, it’s good to show a bit of love…know what I mean?

Turntabling.net welcomes announcements for record shows like these regardless of location. Feel free to drop me a line at (remove) jwallace (at) turntabling (dot net) to announce your next record show. Right now I’m only doing USA and Canada based shows but if that’s you, get in touch.

Alsip Record Collectors Show

Alsip Illinois is not what you’d think of as record collector’s heaven, but for one day in November–Saturday November 20, 2010 to be exact–it is EXACTLY that. The Alsip Record Collectors Show was a goldmine for me—I dropped a nice pile of cash here on some obscurities that make my fellow collectors drool.

The thing I truly enjoyed most about this show were the deep discounts. A vinyl junkie buying large numbers of titles can get a good markdown from these very friendly dealers…and I didn’t even ask!

Contrast that to some of the people at the show who seemed, well, a bit too pushy for my tastes when they tried to negotiate discounts on stuff that was already going for half price.

A dealer’s got to turn SOME kind of a profit at these shows and I respect that–otherwise why go into the business in the first place? I was well pleased with the titles, selection and discounts I got from this show.

From the Tones on Tail colored vinyl 12-inch of “Lions” with GO! as the b-side to the Skinny Puppy LP Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse, I cleaned up.

I highly recommend the Alsip Record Collectors show. Whenever I find a new-to-me record show to attend, I hop on Facebook to see if they are listed there–the most savvy record shows take full advantage of Facebook.

I was stunned to see only TWO people like the Alsip record show FB page, which is sad…this is a show well worth attending even if it is on the outskirts of Chicago and an hour-ish drive away. Friend ‘em on Facebook and give them some love. This is a small, easy to navigate and above all FUN TO SHOP record show.

… Continue Reading

Back From HorrorHound

HorrorHound Weekend was an amazing time…many thanks to all the great people who dropped by the Turntabling booth there to talk about music, bad album covers and movies in general. Lots of new friends were made, lots of craziness happened, but far and away my favorite moment of the show was chatting with Malcom McDowell, who signed the VERY NOT FOR SALE copy of the Get Crazy soundtrack you see pictured above.

I quizzed McDowell on the film, in which he plays a has-been codpiece wearing rocker named Reggie Wanker. The story goes, McDowell was offered the part in this Alan Arkush comedy, which he turned down by asking an outrageous fee. McDowell told me he thought the script was awful and figured asking for an outrageous fee would be the end of it.

But it wasn’t–the professional singer hired to take his place didn’t work out, McDowell got his fee, and a bit of 80s b-movie history was made including McDowell appearing on the Get Crazy soundtrack as a singer.

When he agreed to do the part, Malcom McDowell was totally unaware of the place in the Get Crazy script where, when his character is dosed with LSD, he begins having a conversation with his own penis–who takes over Reggie Wanker’s career and becomes his manager. “Hello, cock…I didn’t know YOU could talk!”

The look on his face as he related the discovery of this scene in the script? Effing priceless.

McDowell’s signature on the Get Crazy album definitely made my weekend–I’m not normally an autograph hound, but Get Crazy is such a great 80s artifact, it had to be done. And no, sorry all–it’s not for sale. That one’s a keepsake from a VERY good show which also included appearances by Julian Sands, Caroline Williams and Linda Blair.