May 28th: Animal Lover, One Hundred Year Ocean, Heats of Formation, For Everest

ANIMAL LOVER
("Minneapolis punk/noise rock, one of my favorite current live acts" - D.K.)
http://animallover.bandcamp.com/

ONE HUNDRED YEAR OCEAN
("Willimantic space-y stone-y pop, on some next level shit")
http://onehundredyearocean.bandcamp.com/

HEATS OF FORMATION
("Willimantic dissonant punk, on their way to putting out a full length")
http://heatsofformation.tumblr.com/

FOR EVEREST
("NY indie/emo, has the derrick shanholtzer seal of approval")
http://foreverest.bandcamp.com/

Free with donations to the bands encouraged.

Willimantic Records is normally closed on Mondays & Tuesdays. The store will open at 5pm on Tuesday, May 28th for this show.

Third Thursday Street Fest - May 16th: Glocca Morra, from Philadelphia, playing instore show at Willimantic Records

The first Third Thursday Street Fest of 2013 has crept up on us and is happening this week, Thursday, May 16th:
From May to September, on the 3rd Thursday of each month, 6 blocks of Main St. are closed to vehicular traffic for the evening & filled with festival-goers.
Thousands of pedestrians browse merchandise within a background of musical, theatrical, visual & olfactory delights. There are clowns and bands and stilters to entertain you as you meander through the fest. Local & regional vendors set tables in the street showcasing the wealth of goods produced in CT.

This area is rich in musical talent. Seven stages, placed along Main Street, have continuous performances ranging from rhythm & blues to Latin jazz to folk rock to African drumming. The music is interspersed with performances by dance troupes, Kung Fu and puppeteers. 

Street performers and children’s events are strategically placed throughout Main Street so a new adventure is always unfolding. One block may hold the Bounce Room and another face painting. Kids of all ages will have something special to enjoy. 

Our cultural diversity brings wonderful food to the festival. There’s authentic Indian, Mexican, Syrian, Puerto Rican, Italian, and Ukrainian food vendors providing gastronomic delights from around the world. And there’s old-fashioned ice cream floats and other great desserts! - wiilimanticstreetfest.com

Willimantic Records is always open during the Third Thursday Fests and this week will be hosting an instore show featuring Glocca Morra, SOFX, Posture & the Grizzly, and David F. Bello. All shows at Willimantic Records are free, with donations to the musicians encouraged.

Live Music Here In The Shop On Friday And Saturday, May 3 & 4

More info on the May 3rd show here.

More info on the May 4th show here.

Vocal with Orchestra

Was spinning this 78 earlier this afternoon for someone curious about the Google doodle commemorating Ella Fitzgerald's birthday.  Didn't make the sale, which is okay. Maybe it will sell in July on Louis Jordan's birthday.

Tonight (April 23): Hardly Art Recording Artist Colleen Green with Ovlov and One Hundred Year Ocean

One Hundred Year Ocean
("Willimantic indie / emo / pop")
http://onehundredyearocean.tumblr.com/

COLLEEN GREEN
("CA minimalistic pop")
http://colleengreen.bandcamp.com/

OVLOV
("CT thick grunge pop indie rock stuff")
http://ovlov.bandcamp.com/

Willimantic Records opens at 5pm today (April 23).  Admission is free with donations to the bands encouraged.

RECORD STORE DAY/WEEKEND AT WILLIMANTIC RECORDS - SATURDAY APRIL 20th & SUNDAY, APRIL 21st

Special Hours: Saturday 9am to 10pm and Sunday 12pm to 9pm

Many, many Record Store Day exclusive releases (for sale only in true old-fashioned brick & mortar record shops like Willimantic Records). Goodie bags to the first 50 customers. A raffle, with cool prizes, to be drawn Sunday evening at 8pm (no purchase necessary). Live music right in the shop Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening and Sunday evening; including a Saturday night showcase of Broken World Media bands headlined by THE WORLD IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND I AM NO LONGER AFRAID TO DIE. Delicious chocolate treats and other refreshments will be available on Saturday at a table Lady Chatelaine's is setting up here in the record store. Scroll down for a full list of weekend performers.

If you visit Willimantic Records on Saturday afternoon, do yourself a favor and take a walk through downtown Willimantic. There are many locally owned businesses worth checking out, as well as several excellent dining options.  Willimanticdowntown.org has a full listing of downtown establishments and willimanticshops.com provides the opportunity to do some window shopping online beforehand. Saturday night and on Sunday there are fewer shops open, but still plenty of fine choices available for food and drink. 

Thanks to these generous local merchants for their contributions to the Record Store Day/Weekend goodie bags and/or raffle:

Lady Chatelaine's Antiques, Vintage Clothing, and Fresh Homemade Chocolates

The Harp on Church - excellent food & beer & atmosphere

Willimantic Brewing Company - well deserving repeat winner of Best Brew Pub

Bagel One - gotta be the best bagels in the state

Willimantic Food Co-op - awesome since 1980

Vulturetown Press - silkscreen the Willi Rec shirts & a bunch of other cool designs

Cafemantic - perfect/strong coffee, wine, beer, food, & soon a beautiful outdoor dining area

Burns BMX - friendly new neighbors up on North Street

The Bench Shop - West African drums, handmade jewelry, costumes, smoking acc., since 1967

The Skate Shop - Willi has a great skatepark and a great skateboard shop

Local Music - destroys the mega guitar chainstores on price

A Cupcake For Later - I regularly see folks lining up for their gourmet cupcakes

Rajean's Gifts & Antiques - right upstairs, and they have records too

Raffle Prizes:

$50 Willimantic Records Gift Certificate

Huge Food Basket Packed With Delicious Treats Courtesy of the Willimantic Food Co-op

Way cool coffee basket with Willimantic Frog Bridge mug courtesy of Rajean’s Antiques & Gifts

Gift Certificates for a dozen bagels from Bagel One

Gift Certificates for the Harp on Church

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Saturday Afternoon Performers:
GEORGE HAKKILA http://www.myspace.com/georgehakkila

TZ - solo project from former BASEBALL CAMP NURSE

SLEEK FOR THE LONG FLIGHT- Solo project of Matthew Davidge-Paolillo of OSIER BED/AMY LACE

CONNOR DOTAY
https://www.facebook.com/ConnorDotay?fref=ts

DAN KATZ - from HEATS OF FORMATION

DAWN COOK - from the SHRiNNiRS

DAVID F. BELLO - http://davidfbello.bandcamp.com/

--------------------

Saturday Evening Performers (starting at 7pm):
POSTURE & THE GRIZZLY 

("Willimantic pop-punk/emo/shred")
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Posture-And-The-Grizzly/149805331795891

ONE HUNDRED YEAR OCEAN

("Willimantic indie/pop/emo")
http://onehundredyearocean.tumblr.com/

THE WORLD IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND I AM NO LONGER AFRAID TO DIE

("Willimantic atmospheric indie/emo")
http://theworldisa.tumblr.com/

------------------------

Sunday Evening Performers (starting at 7pm):
SECRET PARTS
("local poppy punkers armed with new songs and a new tape")
http://secretparts.bandcamp.com/

TINY TEETH
("NJ folk-y indie/punk, on tour!")
http://tinyteethnj.bandcamp.com/

JACKET THOR
("New Haven gloomy pop, ex-Subverso")
http://jacketthor.bandcamp.com/

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All shows are free with donations to the musicians gratefully accepted.

TINY TEETH coming to Willimantic Records 7pm on Sunday, April 21

This show is part of RECORD STORE DAY/WEEKEND at Willimantic Records. Click here for more info.

SECRET PARTS
("local poppy punkers armed with new songs and a new tape")
http://secretparts.bandcamp.com/

TINY TEETH
("NJ folk-y indie/punk, on tour!")
http://tinyteethnj.bandcamp.com/

JACKET THOR
("New Haven gloomy pop, ex-Subverso")
http://jacketthor.bandcamp.com/