No turntable? No problem!

Need help finding a record store? Use the Vinyl District Record Store Locator!

If you need some help finding a record store, especially as its Record Store Day this weekend, allow me to plug the first, the original, and still the best, mobile app for just such a task: the Vinyl District Record Store Locator.

It's free and available for iPhone and Android. 

For a deeper description, including screenshots, click here.

30,000 app users can't be wrong!

One year ago, along with The Vinyl District and Shoutem, I launched The Vinyl District Record Store Locator app for iPhone and Android. Happy one year birthday to us!

With about 30,000 users currently, and a few thousand record stores listed from 28 countries around the world, it would seem like we are the record buying travelers’ go-to app of choice, and we couldn’t be more honored.

Of course, you, the app user, have also been a huge help in keeping us informed on store openings and closings, and whatever else. We hope to keep on keeping on, as we all help each other do what we love - visiting and supporting independent record stores! Happy holidays all!

For your iPhone here | For your Android here

New York In Neon: There's An App For That

By Kirsten Hively

“Finding all these vibrant, living neon signs helped me fall in love with the city again.”

This time of year, as the holidays close in and the weather cools down, always seems to bring the best out in neon signs. Today, over at Collectors Weekly, they've run an excellent article on neon with photos featuring many favorites from around New York City. They mention the new book, New York Neon, by Thomas Rinaldi, and they also have an interesting interview with Kirsten Hively. Hively recently released a mobile app called Project Neon "...which allows users to locate, rate, and learn a little of the personal history of 120 New York signs."

Read the entire story here, and be sure to check out Hively's amazing Flickr page of her neon photographic work here.

By Kirsten Hively

By Kirsten Hively

#recordstoreday

Not to brag, but I have to say last week was quite a week for the Vinyl District Record Store Locator. Not only was the app mentioned on the Billboard.biz website, on the very same day it was also mentioned on RollingStone.com!

For more on the Vinyl District app visit:
iTunes: http://bit.ly/tVIBP6
Android Marketplace: http://bit.ly/sx5hCm
The Vinyl District: http://bit.ly/rvzYNs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvdrecordstorelocator

I hope you had a good record store day weekend, and remember - record store day is everyday!

Billboard recommends The Vinyl District Record Store Locator for Record Store Day!

This just in from Billboard.biz - 

Record Store Day 2012: Useful Apps, In-Store Performances, More:

Record Store Day is right around the corner (this Saturday April 21, but you already knew that), so here's a few updates and miscellaneous pieces of information that will help you manage your weekend and make it as enjoyable as possible.

First off, if you haven't downloaded it yet, The Vinyl District has developed a free app for both iPhone and Android that allows users to locate the nearest independent record shop via its GPS locator. While useful in unfamiliar cities and neighborhoods throughout the year, the app is that much more useful this weekend, especially its social features. Users can make their own Vinyl District accounts or sign in with Twitter or Facebook and check in to record stores, comment in the "shout" section, and share what gems they've uncovered with others around them. There's also an events section that highlights record fairs, though it leaves out RSD-specific events. For the rest of this article, and more on record store day, click here.

For more on the Vinyl District app visit:
iTunes: http://bit.ly/tVIBP6
Android Marketplace: http://bit.ly/sx5hCm
The Vinyl District: http://bit.ly/rvzYNs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvdrecordstorelocator

‎"Full global reach can only be a matter of time."

 What a hell of a rollercoaster week...or at least the last two days. It started with the news of at least some sort of CBGB festival this summer, if not a full blown relaunch. Then came the news that Bleecker Bobs is being replaced by a Starbucks, and it must be going out of business, right? And oh yeah, by the way, the Holiday Cocktail Lounge is closing. Last call is Saturday night. Then today came a rumor that Bleecker Bobs may not be closing...they're supposedly looking for a new space in the East Village.

Also today, something I've been waiting on...Mojo magazine mentioned the Vinyl District Record Store Locator app in the news section of their brand new issue, March 2012. For me this is a great personal validation. I've read almost every issue of Mojo since they started when...18, 19 years ago? Anyway, I'm simply thrilled, honey. Thanks to Andrew Male of Mojo for noticing, and thanks to Phil Wilson for the JPEG today. And of course, thanks to Justin Bieber for having his picture taken with an iPhone so Mojo could use it for this piece...I love celebrity endorsements!

‎"Full global reach can only be a matter of time." Indeed.

The Vinyl District app on NPR's All Songs Considered

 

I'm very pleased to say that NPR's All Songs Considered blog picked up on the Vinyl District Record Store Locator app, and posted a nice story about it today. You can read the story here. 

Download the app for the iPhone here. Download for Android here.

Big thanks to Bob Boilen & his team for helping to spread the word!

This One Goes Up To 11 (For '11)

1. The Vinyl District Record Store Locator app (The Vinyl District/Shoutem)


2. Tom Waits - Bad As Me (Anti)



3. Brian Olive - Two of Everything (Alive)

The TVD RSL #tvdrsl

I've spent a good chunk of the weekend updating the new TVD RSL (has a nice ring to it, no?) with stores that were missing, or we didn't have in the first place. This includes many indie shops in the UK. So if you're located there please grab the app & give it a go.

And folks, please don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything missing, or whatever...all comments are gladly accepted!

The TVD RSL for iPhone - here
The TVD RSL for Android - here
The TVD RSL Facebook page - here

Thanks to everyone who has tweeted, facebooked, and written about the app so far. Its been amazing, and we're just getting started.

Happy holidays!
#tvdrsl

Introducing the TVD GPS-based Record Store Locator App for your iPhone or Android!

I’m very proud & happy to report that, after some time, a new app I’ve been working on in conjunction with developer Shoutem, and music blog The Vinyl District, is finally available for iPhone & Android users!

The great thing about this simple app is that it has a record store finder in it based on location. So it should be useful for vinyl lovers out there who find themselves in strange towns looking for a fix. It currently has about 1200 US stores listed, and we’ll be adding more as they come up. We may also eventually add UK stores at some point.

Read about the app & take a tour here.  

Download for iPhone here.    

Download for Android here.   

Yes, its free.   

Stupefaction Tech Report - Music Apps & Turntable.fm

Every once in a while I come across apps that I really dig, or think I should mention, and I never seem to get around to it. Well that stops today! Below are a couple I'd like to mention plus a website I was recently turned on to.

The first app, I helped out in the production of. It was put together for the recently released (and first for a very long time) new album from Gavin Friday, catholic. Not all that different from apps I've seen for many of my favorite radio stations (WBGO, WFMU) or musical outfits (Echo & the Bunnymen, Daptone Records). It's free and you never know...there might be a time when you need it! Check it out here.

The second one was brought to my attention via the ever excellent ModCulture website,  and is called The 45 Fix (info here). Currently only available (or useful) for UK record nuts, its basically an record store app. According to ModCulture, many second hand shops are currently not listed, but that will change over time. I hope the developers of this one can get it together for the States. What an amazingly useful idea!

Lastly, we have turntable.fm, proving that many times the best ideas are obvious & simple. Turntable.fm combines two old ideas into one new, and quite fun one - playing music with friends & chatting about it. Basically, there are virtual rooms which are user created. Each room can have up to 5 DJ's, along with unlimited listeners, and each DJ takes a turn playing a song. And everyone can chat...it's quite addictive, and a great way to listen to music...I'm sure the RIAA & music publishers will find some way to fuck these folks over, but I hope not. Anyway, have a go while you can. Its a blast!