CD Central kicked off Record Store Day 2009 with one of Lexington’s best musicians. Robert Schneider of the Apples in Stereo was, as usual, a fuzzy ball of sunshine and smiles as he bounced through a decade and a half of his main band and side projects’ material. Though he forgot to write out a setlist, that only helped — he encouraged the crowd to yell out what songs they’d like to hear.

We first got “Tin Pan Alley,” a song I’ve never heard him play in the many, many times I’ve seen him. After the song he told us that it was built around the idea that this songwriter wrote catchy tunes and longed for people to hear them and whistle along. They recorded it and had planned to put in a whistling solo. It wasn’t until after the album went to the manufacturer’s that he realized they’d never put in the whistling! Oh Robert…

Other than that, we were treated to some Robbert Bobbert and Ulysses songs while I was out there. I don’t know how the set ended because I had to run inside to work the cash register, but I’m sure it was smiles all around.