'Vinyl's actually better': Manitoba Music and Record Sale returns
Throngs of physical media collectors descended on the Caboto Centre Sunday afternoon for the 2023 Manitoba Music and Record Sale.
Show chairman Vic Gaggini estimated there were more than 50,000 records for sale at the event, "We have 70 vendors and 91 tables. There's been over 500 people already here and the days only started," he said.
Gaggini said the appearance of actual rock stars was a big draw for the music show. "The arrival of Streetheart makes a big difference, there's a lot of people who came just for that."
Members of the Winnipeg-based rock band were signing autographs at the event. "They gave us 350 records to give away and they were scooped up in 15-20 minutes," said Gaggini.
The show ran from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday, attendees paid $5 to get in. Gaggini said vinyl has never been more popular among physical media collectors.
"They’ve discovered that vinyl's actually better. The sound quality is more musical," said Gaggini. "You take an album, and you've got beautiful artwork on it … you’ve got a record inside it, you can feel it, touch it, you can read liner notes, you can read lyrics. You can't do that with a CD."
In 2022, record sales exceeded compact disc sales for the first time ever.
Gaggini said the audio cassette tape is also making a comeback. "The cassette is back! That one I can't explain," he grinned.
He added that 8-tracks are also a popular item at the sale. "If you have an old muscle car, or an old restored car, and it came with an 8-track, you'd like to be able to use it," said Gaggini.
Liam Korchoski was at the sale hunting for Clash and Dead Kennedys albums. He has only been collecting vinyl for two years but has already amassed more than 250 records. "It appeals to my hoarder tendency more than anything, I just like owning things," he said. "I like the cover art, just seeing it. You can really see the music."
For those interested in starting a vinyl collection, Gaggini said to start by buying the music you like. "It's more a matter of getting what you like than looking for the records that are worth all the big money," he said.
There are, however, some rare Manitoba-based albums out there, like one from the early career of Neil Young. "His first band was called the Squires, and they had a '45 back in 1963 and it’s a $4,000 record all day long, mind you it has to be in mint condition," said Gaggini.
The show was a one-day event only but Gaggini said there are plans for it to return to the Caboto Centre on Oct. 15, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.