Record Store Day At Rise | Review & Photos

Photos (c) Louise Brady

Arriving in the early hours Friska is warm and inviting, most people gathered are clutching a hot beverage and eagerly flicking through the release lists, while the more reclined are spinning ambient music or scanning a paperback.

From punks after the the Sex Pistols box set to film buffs trying to scoop the novelty Ghost Busters 10″, there’s a unanimous buzz as the queue grows longer and the coffee beans run down. Already well over one hundred and fifty bodies are packed in before Rise has even opened, and as the first few head upstairs to make their selections the enthusiasm grows rife.

Any worry is fast quelled for the early birds though because Rise have ordered vast amounts of the big releases, and what’s more, they’re impressively well organised. We see stacks of the huge talking points like Bowie, Nirvana and Joy Division, as well as some of the more special ones like Liars ‘Mess’ or the ‘Sink’ compilation from Howling Owl. Although it isn’t long before the shelves begin to wear thin.

Back downstairs, the crowd gather for the first live performance of the day with Beans On Toast, who delivers a perfect morning set which includes the song about ‘Big Jeff’. By the time the next live band take to the stage it’s a different scene, hot drinks are soon switched for alcoholic ones and Big Deal go forth and blare out a remarkably loud set, fuzzy and full of melody it’s a big start. The party continues throughout the day with George Ezra, Goan Dogs, Something Anorak, East India Youth and Adding Machine, each showcasing their latest sounds to a dense crowd.

A trip upstairs reveals that the record buyers are still out in force, and they’ve also been treated by DJ sets from the likes of Pulled Apart By Horses and members of Rise staff. People are left on a total high, and it’s later revealed that across their three stores Rise have shifted over a tonne of vinyl, but now the window displays a crucial message; record stores are for life… not just for record store day.