Kansas City had its own Empire Records-style gathering this weekend to save a vinyl institution in Westport. Streetside Records, one of the last remaining record stores in midtown, hosted a series of in-store performances and store-closing clearance bonanzas on Friday and Saturday to keep the music alive.
Rumor has it that Streetside lovers may not have to file their nostalgia away just yet. The store will still be closing on January 23 but is slated to reopen sometime in February. In the meantime, the store plans on having in-store performances every weekend until it closes.
On Friday, shoppers were treated to MC Reach, who waxed poetic over beats courtesy of DJ Ataxic. The store was pretty empty of customers, but the duo kept it light with soulful jams and playful humor. As Reach said into the mic: "Ladies and gentlemen, is that the lead singer of Hearts of Darkness I see? Les Izmore in the house! Autographs 30 percent off!"
On Saturday, Streetside hosted performances from Tyler Gregory, Ghosts in the Graveyard, and Soft Reeds. A full house of music-loving, foot-tapping midtown hipsters populated the shop. (In fact, they were so into the music, they wouldn't step aside and let me take better pictures.) Soft Reeds debuted its new lineup: bassist Becky Trost and saxophonist John Mitchell. Frontman Ben Grimes noted that the first record he bought from Streetside was Blur's Parklife, an album he said greatly influenced his songwriting on the Soft Reeds' debut album, Soft Reeds Are Bastards.
Check Streetside's Facebook page for more information on the closing events and inventory-clearing sales.
Showing 1-3 of 3
