Saturday was the first ever Record Store Day, a celebration of vinyl merchants and CD peddlers. Lexington’s indie store CD Central (where I work) partied in style with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the Duke Spirit and locals Tight Leather. The day was a big hit, from the bands and fans to us record store employees.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club were just about the perfect band for Record Store Day. They were big enough to draw in a wide pool of people, “indie” enough to appease the selective sect and good enough to make everyone feel great about the day. And when the clouds finally made good on their threat to start raining, we moved a tent over BRMC, they invited people to cram up inside the tent with them and they kept on playing. What good sports to brave the rain — especially since they were wearing leather.

I only got to catch two or three Duke Spirit songs, but was wildly impressed. I wasn’t alone, either. We sold twenty or so of their new album Neptune, with roughly one-third of people who bought it from me saying some variation on the line “That’s the best opening band I’ve ever seen that I didn’t already know.”

I hadn’t seen Tight Leather in a while, so I was glad to catch them again. They were a big jump start to my day; however not everyone was a fan. Kids aside, their set was a big hit.

More photos below…

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

The Duke Spirit

Tight Leather