Vibing on vinyl: Quonset Hut, Erie St hosting Stark County Record Swap in downtown Canton

CANTON − Huddled at the bar of The Auricle on a weekday morning, four vinyl record lovers engaged in a lively chat about music.

Josh Brewer, owner of the downtown Canton bar and music venue, spoke of an obscure favorite album by the electro-rock band A.R.E. Weapons. Mainstream favorites include Queen and the Deftones, as well as lesser known artists like The Bridge City Sinners and Mr.Kitty.

Samantha Heaton, owner of Erie St Vinyl in Massillon, also was part of the gab session. The indie music aficionado frequently discovers new sounds. At the moment, she's digging Little Dragon, Tito Ramirez and Squid.

Also talking song were Matt Hisrich and Kyle Laudermilt of Quonset Hut in Canton. Laudermilt spans the spectrum from Devo to Black Sabbath and 13th Floor Elevators. Hisrich, meanwhile, cited rock and alternative icons such as Led Zeppelin, U2 and Radiohead.

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A microcosm of music junkies, the group will bring their diversity of taste to the Vinyl Revival: Stark County's Record Swap & Shop on Saturday at The Auricle, 201 Cleveland Ave. NW.

Quonset Hut and Erie St Vinyl are hosting the event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Early admission is from 10 to 11 a.m. and costs $5. General admission is $2 per person and is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Record swap will offer food trucks, DJs and drinks

A raffle prize for the record swap is a limited edition vinyl release from pop music sensation Taylor Swift − "The Long Pond Studio Sessions." Entries were given to Quonset Hut customers who recently purchased at least $50 worth of vinyl records; the winner will be announced at Saturday's event.

There's still time for additional vendors to sign up for the Record Swap & Shop at https://starkvinylrevival.com. The more dealers the better the selection will be for attendees, Laudermilt said.

"It's not just for record stores," he said of vendors. "It's open to any individual who has a large amount of records."

Saturday's atmosphere will be festive. Local DJs will be spinning vinyl. Food trucks will be on the scene, including Best D-mn Smoked Meats in Akron, ATown Burgers and Brews in Alliance and shaved ice. The Auricle also will be serving craft and domestic beer and mixed drinks from its full bar, including mimosa and Bloody Mary cocktails.

Madonna, The Beach Boys and 'all this weird stuff'

Expect an eclectic showcase of vinyl. From polkas to punk rock to Broadway soundtracks, Heaton said.

Organizers say this is the first Stark County vinyl record show in several years. The events are more frequent in Akron and Cleveland, Heaton said.

But the group hopes the Canton show outgrows The Auricle in the future and becomes an annual happening. Connecting local music lovers and vinyl collectors is the goal, Laudermilt said.

Along with Quonset Hut and Erie St, several other vendors will be selling and trading music, primarily used vinyl, although other formats also may be available, including CDs and cassette tapes. New vinyl records also will be sold. Music-related merchandise and memorabilia also will be featured.

WHBC 1480 in Canton also will be selling vinyl records from the collection it's accumulated over the decades, Laudermilt said. The stash includes promotional releases and B-sides.

For vinyl connoisseurs, the event offers an opportunity to inspect records before purchasing them, which isn't possible when shopping online, Heaton said.

"You're going to be looking at a lot of gently used up to really nice older vinyl," she said. Seven-inch 45 RPM vinyl records also will be for sale.

A few thousand vinyl records will be available at the show ranging from Madonna and The Beach Boys to subgenres of heavy metal, as well as new wave, classic rock, alternative music and obscure '80s pop, Laudermilt said.

"I'll also have pockets of all this weird stuff," Heaton promised.

Quonset Hut and Erie St are opening vinyl vaults

Record prices will range from $1 to hundreds of dollars, depending on the rarity of a pressing or release. The condition or grade of a used record also varies.

"Representing and honoring the art of being a record collector is why we want to do it," Heaton said of the event.

Both Quonset Hut and Erie St will be selling vinyl records pulled from storage that have not been available on the sales floor. Japanese pressings and vinyl imports also will be available. Indie exclusive records will include Janelle Monáe, Nigerian musician Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti and rock band the Screaming Females.

Saturday's record swap hopes to attract record collectors and buyers from different generations while raising awareness of the local vinyl scene, Heaton said.

With a resurgence in vinyl record sales nationally in recent years, it's time for Stark County to host its own show, the group said.

Many music fans never stopped collecting vinyl. Others are rediscovering traditional records. And some teenagers have been drawn to vinyl for the first time.

"Vinyl swaps and sales are a great way to build a bulk connection," Heaton said.

Veteran collectors and newbies alike are invited. "It's for everybody," Brewer said. "It's all inclusive."

Added Laudermilt: "You can make some of your best friends by just going to an event like this and talking about one of your favorite records."

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com. On Twitter @ebalintREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Vinyl record show in Canton features Madonna, Metallica, Taylor Swift