Vinyl is right now. Or wait, it was....no, it just is.
Formats that rely upon old technology to run, like BetaMax, magnetic reel-tot-reel tape, and even laser discs have come and gone, but one format, the long playing album or LP, has stood the test of time.
Part of its appeal is the organic pop and hiss as it pulsates through your hi-fi but the other part is that it really relies very little on a lot of parts and pieces coming together. (See Kenner's Close-n-Play)
The joys of favorite artists' vinyl is that somehow, through all the changes, this analog sensation has survived.
Signs of its life are all around, from our local indie record stores like Vertigo Music or Corner Record Store, to the far-off pop culture landscape where musical artist Adele released her latest,
25, on vinyl before the digital version.
Lucky for those who enjoy venturing out to hear this gem of the ages that Grand Rapids has no shortage of spaces devoted to playing this analog sole survivor.
Harmony Brewing, The Meanwhile Bar, even Long Road Distillers all feature vinyl nights. Grand Rapids Soul Club's Josh Breuer invites folks to join him at the latest version of Vinyl Fetish House Night (VHMN) 7, where he will be spinning his favorite tunes for those fans of house dance music at The Firehouse. (For those who don't know where The Firehouse is,
send a message to Vinyl Fetish on Facebook.)
VFHN7 has a strict no douche bags policy, which means that you can enjoy the music without worrying about being bothered. This is a listening event where you can enjoy the music with other fans.
Vinyl is not so much a trend at this point but a confirmation that getting together with others to celebrate a style of music you enjoy, never really goes out of fashion.