SacMusicBlog

It’s a sad day. Russ Solomon (founder of Tower Records) has decided to close his Sacramento music store R5 Records. According to a report from Midtown Monthly:

R5, which Solomon opened at 16th and Broadway immediately following the demise of his Tower Records chain, had been foundering in the double-whammy of recession and a dwindling market for music product. Lately R5 had shifted focus toward vinyl, the only musical format that is seeing growth. I suspect that the departure of Dal Basi, longtime buyer for both Tower and R5, who is leaving R5 to start a boutique vinyl shop in Midtown may have hastened Solomon’s decision. Unconfirmed rumors point to the Dimple Records chain as a buyer for the store.

Hey, we love Dimple (and The Beat too) but would’ve loved to see R5 continue as another in the ever-shrinking number of local record stores. It’s a tough time for local, independent stores. Support your locals today! A world without record stores would be a pretty awful world!

SacMusicBlog on Facebook – become a fan

SacMusicBlog on Twitter – follow us

Once again we celebrate our independent record stores. April 17th is the day, be sure to go to your local store! From the national Record Store Day web site last year:

“This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances.”

Here is Sacramento, local stores R5 Records, The Beat, and Dimple will probably be celebrating with special product, sales, live music, and who knows what else. Check it out, just go! Support your local independent record stores!

Learn more about Record Store Day

SacMusicBlog on Facebook

SacMusicBlog on Twitter

The latest installment of National Public Radio’s Sounds of the Re:Union highlights a Sacramento community gem, The Beat. This Sounds of the Re:Union episode, titled ‘For the Record,’ focuses on independent record stores across the country and what they are doing to survive during a widespread industry decline. Host Brenton Crozier talks to owner Rob Fauble about how the store started, dealing with the struggles of the digital age of music and what the store means to the community of Sacramento. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is also a customer and gives his opinion of the store.

The video was a little choppy in spots when we tried it but it’s still well worth watching. We love The Beat and it truly is a local treasure.

SacMusicBlog on Facebook

SacMusicBlog on Twitter

Seattle indie rock band Skeletons with Flesh on Them will be visiting Sacramento for the first time on July 27. They’re playing at R5 Records at 5 pm and The Java Lounge at 7 pm. Come on out and show them some Sacramento love. Let’s just hope it’s not 104 degrees that day (like today). Whatever, just know that they have released their first album.

SWFOT on MySpace

Celebrate our most precious national treasure, the independent record stores. April 18th is the day, be sure to go to your local store! “This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances.” That’s from the web site here. Check it out.

Meanwhile here is Sacramento, local stores R5 Records, The Beat, and Dimple will be celebrating with special product, sales, live music, and who knows what else. Just go!

National web site

KDVS 90.3, the free-form radio station at UC Davis, and Midtown Monthly present this event for us music fanatics. It happens Sunday June 29, 2008 at Bricka Bracka, 2114 P Street, from 9 AM to 2 PM. Only $3 to get in and all ages welcome.

Buy – sell – trade LPs, singles, CDs, cassettes, zines, and more. For more info email kdvsrecordswap@gmail.com. See you there!

UPDATE – After only being open a few months, they seem to have vanished into thin air! The location is closed and much of the inventory seems to be gone. Read more about it here. Hope you made it in to the store because it looks like you won’t have a chance now. RIP, Dog.  If anyone knows what happened to them, post it in the comments.

Original post:

There is a new record store in North Natomas. In fact, it’s the only record store in Natomas. And finally! They’re a small store but they have a mix of new and used CDs with a bit of vinyl and some of the memorabilia on the walls is for sale too. Tell Mike and his partner that Obsessed With Music sent you!

Hot Dog Music is located in the Natomas Town Center, more rightly known as “the Safeway mall” on Del Paso Road between I-5 and Truxel. Stop by It’s A Grind, get a coffee, and then walk a couple doors over and buy some music. Let’s help them succeed, we need a record store out in Natomas. Especially one that sells used CDs too. If you’ve been there, feel free to add a comment…

Hot Dog Music : MySpace | Web Site

It’s Saturday, April 19, 2008. Finally a holiday that really matters! The national web site is here, check it out. Then get down to your local independent record store and see what they are doing to celebrate! See you at The Beat, R5, Hot Dog, or Dimple. Or all of ‘em…