Musicians and music fanatics have a certain obsession, passion and attraction to sound waves that have danced from generation to generation. In Marquette, there exists a community that brings these people together, the ones that wear their interest on clothing, sip from their one-of-a-kind mugs and hang up a memory or collection on the walls of their dorm room.
The four-day pop-up Vinyl Record Show will start at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at the Ore Dock Brewing Co. and continues through 11 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10. Co-presented by the NMU Vinyl Record Club, people can sift through thousands of records and shop merchandise on the second floor community room of the brewery.
The last vinyl record show was in August, so there’s been time to build up a surplus of musical treasures, NMU Vinyl Record Club Advisor Jon Teichman said. These shows aren’t just all vinyl; there will also be t-shirts, posters, compact discs, cassette tapes and pop culture curiosities, Teichman said.
Vendor Geoff Walker, one of the coordinators for the event, has traveled up from Detroit with thousands of new and used collectible vinyl records, and Teichman is bringing an eclectic variety of records carefully curated from all across the U.P. representing all genres of music.
“We really do create a full-scale record store for the time we’re at Ore Dock,” Walker said. “In addition to [vinyl] we always have books and stickers [of] cool rock band logos and weird cultural mash-ups and logos, perfect for skateboards, lockers, laptops and bikes.”
The event will feature music playing from Greenbank, Trailer Hitch, the Charlie Millard Band, Blanco Suave, Ladoga and Mirador Motel. There’s also the 20th anniversary celebration of the Superior Watershed Partnership and the release of the 2020 Queen City Calendar with proceeds to benefit the Women’s Center of Marquette, Teichman said.
“It’s a must-attend type weekend,” Teichman said. “We encourage the public to come down to enjoy the community, browse through the music and bring their own vinyl to trade with us.”
Teichman said his favorite part about the atmosphere at this intergenerational event is the thrill of discovery and emotional connection to an album or song that has meaning and resonates with a person.
“It’s a community gathering where everyone is welcome to seek out the music that speaks to them and brings them joy,” Teichman said. “Opportunities to gather with like-minded people who share your interest and passion is what we’re trying to cultivate.”
Teichman and Walker encourage everyone, especially the students of NMU, to attend this first event of the semester to come browse, listen, explore, trade and discuss. There’s always the chance someone may find an old favorite, a new reissue or a band they’ve never heard of. The organizers of these events pride themselves on presenting something for everyone, Teichman said.
“I love watching people find the record that they’ve been looking for years,” Walker said.
Information about the event can be found throughout social media, and with the support of local businesses, radio, television and newspapers, the word is spread to a growing community of musical people, Teichman said, adding that hundreds of colorful and eye-catching posters and flyers are handed out at each event.
For more information visit the NMU Vinyl Record Club Facebook page and check if friends might be interested in going.
“The more people that say they’re going or interested, the better. The more records your friends buy, the more you get to listen to,” Walker said. “The more people that come, the longer we’ll be able to do this.”
