Record Store Day in Liverpool and Manchester

Initially designed to celebrate the endangered species of the independent record shop, Record Store Day is now a significant date on the cultural calendar, bringing together stores and fans internationally through a series of limited releases and events arranged for the occasion.

In Manchester, Soup Kitchen hosts Record Store Day Live with performances from local bands G R E A T W A V E S, Francis Lung, B L O O M, Weird Era, Kult Country and headliners Heart-Ships interspersed with DJ sets from 11am to 7pm. Shackleton brings the bass at an early – for him – slot of 8pm (ticketed separately), while eminent partiers Swing Ting keep the vibe, er... vibing 'til 3am.

In collaboration with Piccadilly Records, Common on Edge Street host DJs from local record labels including SWAYS, Red Deer Club, Folklore Tapes – and, of course, Piccadilly Records’ own Pasta Paul. The live line-up features Jonnie Common, Horsebeach, Emperor Zero and Bernard + Edith, while Ruf Dug of Ruf Kutz and Tusk Wax keep things going 'til late. On sale will be a cassette with contributions from all of the bands playing on the day (limited to 50 copies), and a special 'Quiff Ale' and 'Piccalilli Burger' – and you can get 10% off all of these with a RSD stamp from Piccadilly Records, which will of course be dealing a large selection of the day’s releases.

Liverpool's Probe Records describe RSD as like “the week before Christmas in a single day,” and will be offering bottles of Probe beer to grab along with your swag; 3B Records on Slater Street, meanwhile, will have “as much stock as we can get our hands on,” Stu Robinson (aka Cosmic Boogie) DJing in store, and Deekline, who’s in town for a gig that night.

As for releases, we recommend you start queueing early to get your mitts on a 12” of Nicolas Jaar's remixes of Brian Eno's Lux and Grizzly Bear's Sleeping Ute, a 7” of David Bowie's The Stars (Are Out Tonight)/Where Are We Now from his new album The Next Day, a split Toy/The Horrors 12”, and reissued Caribou longplayers Start Breaking My Heart, Up In Flames and The Milk of Human Kindness.