Record Store Day has been a favourite annual event at Audio T Swansea for many years. A day where we join Derricks Music to celebrate independent record shops around the UK and the relationship we have had with Derricks for decades!

The worldwide events of the past couple of years have been extremely difficult for everyone, and as independent retailers both Derricks and ourselves had missed doing what we enjoy most in welcoming customers into our stores and having a chat about all things music and Hi-Fi. As we entered 2022 there was hope on the horizon that Covid restrictions would continue to ease, and we would be returning to some sort of sense of normality and start seeing peoples’ smiling faces once again.

In the lead up to Record Store Day the list of limited edition releases is published late February, and the conversation started as to what we would be able to do this year. Would we be able to do the usual display of a Rega Hi-Fi, our goodie giveaways and the prize draw to win the Rega RSD turntable? As time moved on it was all looking as if we would be able to give it the full monty once again.

Each year, fabled UK Hi-Fi manufacturer, Rega Research release a limited edition Planar 1 turntable, and this year was no exception. To celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the first Record Store Day, Rega released a stunning RSD edition Planar 1 featuring an exclusive RSD mat, RSD lid badge and RSD silk screen logo. So once again we were going to be giving away one of these in our free prize draw.

The day before RSD we headed down to Derricks to set up the system and product display, we would be using the Rega System One comprising of the Planar 1 turntable, IO amplifier and Kyte loudspeakers. Christos and the gang at Derricks were busy getting all of their preparations done with deliveries of RSD releases arriving right up to the last minute. Their phones were red hot with enquiries of arrivals - it really was starting to feel like the pre-covid buzz was back and we were getting very excited!

So… with everything set up, it was back to the usual question: What’s the plan of action for tomorrow??

Something we had pondered was if the usual queue of dedicated music lovers would be back in full force as per pre-covid times to which we could only just wait and see.

That evening at home I had great fun in picking the albums that I would be playing on the Rega system. I mainly picked some of my favourite previous RSD recordings to play, as well as a few rather obscure recordings to test the nerve of Christos who is (as most of their customers are all too well aware) Mr Prog! We have a bit of a standing joke with Christos, Sian and Jon at Derricks as to what will be the album that will tip Christos over the edge…. we will have to wait and find out…

Doors open at 9am, and as they say… “Let the games begin!”

The day had arrived, and I took my usual quite early morning walk across town. The council workers were clearing up from what looked like a busy night in Wind Street, then through the almost empty Quadrant centre with just the shop workers getting everything ready to open up for another busy Saturday. As I made my way onto Oxford street, trying not to be drawn in by the smell of the bakeries and indulge in a last minute pasty, I could see the queue which was already to the end of Oxford Street and around the corner heading towards the Kingsway! (For those of you not familiar with Swansea, that’s about 150yds).

Arriving at Derricks, it was big smiles all round as it was clear this was going to be a cracker and boy we had missed it. The doors opened and the first batch of customers were let in, the first of which had been camped outside since 9pm the previous night!

The time was flying by, what a difference it makes when you can actually see the unbridled happiness in people’s faces without being covered by a mask. Competition entries for the Rega RSD turntable were mounting up, especially when they saw the actual turntable they could win playing in the store.

Our giveaway goodies were also going down very well - especially our fabulous Audio T Record Bags. When choosing who to giveaway a goodie bag to, I tend to pick an album at random, and whoever asks for it next will get a bag. It wasn’t long before we had happy winner!

Our fabulous record bags went down a storm!

We did have one highlight of the day, which I’m sure the person in question won’t mind me talking about. Every year I comment that you can never guess what music choice someone will ask for just by looking at them, and this year was probably the best example. Possibly the most requested recording for RSD 2022 was Taylor Swift - The Lakes - 7”. Lots of people were asking for it but sadly the first few in the queue snapped up the only copies available. Later on in the morning, with the queue still heading out the door, there was a young lady attentively waiting in the queue. It was mentioned to her that if it was Taylor Swift she wanted, that they had all been sold. The look of sheer horror on her face was hysterical… “Good God No” she replied…. “I want The Cure!”

Luckily, we all saw the funny side of it…

The day was marching on and it was time for us to pick our lucky winner of the Rega RSD turntable. I made the phone call but was sadly met with an answerphone… It wasn’t long before we had a call back from a delighted winner. We arranged a suitable time for us to hand over the prize and then it was time for us to pack up and reflect on what a day it had been.

Christos, Our lucky winner and myself (Nic - Manager at Audio T Swansea)

RSD 2022 was once again the mad and exhausting day we had all hoped for, with so many happy customers chatting all day about everything music and Hi-Fi. And of course one very happy chap with another Elvis recording to add to his collection…

It goes without saying that we could not do this without the wonderful support from Derricks Music and really appreciate that they love having us there to cause chaos and play our music for the day. So, thanks again for a wonderful day.

Oh…. and what was the record that tipped Christos over the edge and plead for some “proper” music? It was Thelonious Monk, whose music had been described as: “Monk's compositions and improvisations feature dissonances and angular melodic twists” - just what a Prog fan needs!

We have a couple of Limited Edition Rega RSD Turntables still available, which you can order Here.

Thanks for reading.

Nic, Chris and Ade - Audio T Swansea

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

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