Anybody still go to record shows?

Went to a local show recently and only had one negative experience.
One of the newer dealers didn't have anything priced & looked up the price on Discogs before he sold anything.

Darryl

 

Ugh.

Did s/he have anything distinct? Was anyone buying?


Discogs has created many unique circumstances: overpriced common stuff, and reduced prices on Once thought Holy Grails.

 

I was in a shop in FL a few weeks ago and that was what they were doing. They had $2 & $3 dollar bins but most of the records were in another room with no prices and they looked at Discogs if I asked about one. As soon as I figured that out I left

 

This happened to me at the show. I just left

 

He must be nuts or new at the seller thing. No way you could get through an entire show pricing like that unless you only have 1 customer every 15 minutes. You won't have the time for any meaningful level of sales.

 

Yes I went to a local flea market once about 10 years ago that had LOTS of nice common rock/pop records. Nothing was prices and I spent about 45 minutes digging. I went to the counter and asked how much for the stack(of about a dozen). Was hoping that like other places would throw out a price for all, but he said "hold just a minute". After disappearing in the back and reappearing with a price guide I knew this would not go well. We got thru the standard US This Is The Moody Blues (he wanted 25) and History Of Eric Clapton (for 30). After that I said "thanks, but no thanks" and politely left. He looked puzzled and lost.

 

I stopped about a year ago. It was getting was too crazy. I know what I want to buy, and even though it's not as "fun", I just order my vinyl online now. Less hassle.

 

I'm still not back into going to shows after 30 or 40 years of dedicated attendance at every show in southern New England. I know prices skyrocketed just as I was in my last throes of show going and quality of what was being offered was down considerably. "No, I don't believe I'll be going back that way again," as Neil Young sang all those years ago. I do treasure my years of going and my shelves show the evidence.

 

Record shows (fairs) are like panning for gold.

You have to sift through a lot of gravel and dirt to find a nugget or two.

I tend to avoid sellers who bring boxes of unsorted LPs that look like they were pulled out of the garbage and favour sellers who break down their collection by genre. Bonus if it is alphabetical.

Prices are getting inflated, probably due to Discogs, but there are still gems to be had.

 

Being in the same city as you, I can probably guess which record show you were going to based on that comment

Was it the Downtown Record show? The guys who run it, have a particularly popular tables and I'd say most of the people who show up for early entry are there specifically for their stall. I've seen people argue due to the pushing and shoving, the reaching over to flip through the box behind. Then after early entry the rush and craziness continue. although it's not as on the verge of violence like early entry is.

 

At WFMU dealers from out of the country buy one day tables just to get in early!.....like any show, if you are not in with the dealers, you get hosed. Get prepared to fight with them into the boxes. Very few gems...only from the people who are not really dealers, just locals who are selling their collections at prices so cheap you put them to tears an hour in telling them they lost hundreds of dollars. Anything not priced you know what is coming...This Is The Moody Blues for $25 etc...ring weared Stevie Nicks albums for $12 etc..

 

That being said, I'm a swag member for life at WFMU and encourage everyone to listen to them and support them

 

Yeah, you pretty much nailed it.
I find most of them can get a little overcrowded, but the one Downtown early entry show I went to last year really pushed me over the edge.

 

Oh a couple of sellers do that locally too. They only need to sell a bit to cover their table costs so it's worth it for them as they get access to stuff first. Truth be told, we started selling for plenty of reasons, but that was one factor as the lines up for early entry were getting bigger and bigger. For me it turned out to be irrelevant as I still didn't find much I wanted.

I've been to WFMU a couple of times so know what to expect. I did well both times I went. It's rather well behaved and I found our local show much more aggressive during early entry.

There were plenty of gems for me and my friend and we managed to knock a few things off our want lists and found albums we didn't know we wanted either. We did ok price wise but we're a bit more experienced on that front so getting hosed is easier for us to avoid.

We also didn't notice many novice sellers who didn't know what they had. Most people, that were local(ish) either had stores, were doing it for quite some time, and/or pretty much knew what they had. I don't think WFMU is the type of record show to find people like that in...unfortunately. But if they exist I'd love to run into one there.

 

Before we started selling it got so bad that I didn't bother going to those particular tables as they were so over subscribed. We also found that so many dealers were buying from them that they were already in pole position before the early entry doors opened so the chances of getting first crack were zero (they don't sell before early entry so no dealer to dealer deals before the doors open). I basically started going to all the other sellers first instead. If we hadn't have started selling at that show I'm not sure we'd still be going to it.

 

When I set up at shows I don't sell to Dealers before or during early entry. I don't bring LPs for them, I bring them for the customers who come back each year.

Dealers can buy and expect bulk discounts when the doors close.

 

I haven't been to one since the late '80s or so.

 

I just recently attended a record show for the first time in a couple of years.
I recently got another turntable have only owned a dozen records.
There was a vendor at the show selling records for two bucks each or 15 for 20 bucks.
Most of the covers had a braille sticker on them.
Assuming he bought a collection from a blind person.
Anyway, I grabbed 15 albums.
The vinyl was in decent shape.
Marshall Tucker, Charlie Daniels, The Outlaws, some jazz titles.. Herb Ellis.
Doubled my vinyl collection !!!

 

for sure. it's the most cost effective way to buy records (other than rare private scores).

 

I do, went to my local Record Fair Yesterday paid £2 early bird entrance fee stayed for about 2 hours and found 13 albums all n mint condition as I am only interested In quality not quantity.
But must people had there heads in the £1 to £5 boxes. I tend to go to 4 or 5 traders I know well and buy albums I am really looking for.
I spent £137 in cash but found some nice gems most at £10 to £12 or so and one new album for £15 and the most i spent was
£25 on a Japanese n mint copy of
Pink Floyd Atom Heart Mother complete
With a mint obi and booklet.
But you have to work against hardened dealers and sometimes you strike it lucky still.
I will still go to fairs here in the UK and I work part time in a Vintage Vinyl Store but I never get tired of the chase at Fairs and a chance to meet like minded fellow collectors.

 

I always look forward to WFMU's Record Fair (The Princeton Record Exchange is a participating sponsor). It's rare to find a "steal or even a deal", but the perusing and scene is always a time in spite of the usually deafening dj. It's become a rite of spring and is usually held at The Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint.

Paulie Gee's recently opened a slice shop across the street and there are always Pancakes at Chez Ma Tante beforehand so there's that as well.

 

Yer kidding me, at WFMU the dealers don't sell before the early entrance? At every convention I've been to since 1974, once the dealer gets in and drops the boxes or crates on their table it is mayhem. At some shows they wait at empty tables for the dealers to arrive just to get at the boxes first...so you line up to wait again inside! I'd support any record show in 2020. I just love records. Seeing teens into the hobby is great.

 

Even with escalating record prices, I still find good records for fairer prices versus Discogs + shipping. On the other hand, I grabbed a whole bunch of used metal CDs for very cheap last year and came out like a bandit.

 

Yes I still go to shows, have been going since around 1986 when I hit one by accident in Rochester, NY (The Bop Shop show). We have 4 a year or so in my area (Saratoga Springs/Albany) and I have now begun actually selling at shows, the first being in Rochester last year, then Saratoga Springs and Albany shows. Its fun and I can sell dupes/seldom played vinyl to folks who really want them! Doing Rochester again in April !

 

haven't in many years and I don't miss them...