208 MUSIC VIDEO SHOW SCREENING AND FIRST BORNS IN-STORE WITH FREE PAYETTE BREWING CO. BEER OCT. 4!

Head to The Record Exchange (1105 W. Idaho St.) on First Thursday, Oct. 4, for the 208 Music Video Show Screening with a special performance by First Borns and free Payette Brewing Co. beer! The festivities kick off at 5 p.m. As always, this Record Exchange in-store event is free and all ages.

The third annual 208 Music Video Show drew submissions from dozens of Idaho musicians and directors. The winners were crowned at a First Thursday event at Neurolux in September. Part of the prize for the first-place band, First Borns, was a showcase 30-minute set at the RX during the Oct. 4 screening. Natasha Louie, director of First Borns’ winning video for “Gene” will discuss the video and answer questions during a post-performance chat.

It’s also First Thursday, so we’ll have our regular store-wide First Thursday specials, too. Hope you can join us for this fantastic display of homegrown creativity!

ARTISTS SCREENING VIDEOS:

Tristan Andreas (of Phantahex)
Central City Music Company
Dedicated Servers
Fauxbois
Finn Riggins
First Borns
Chad Gold Band
Grandma Kelsey
Josh Gross
Jared Hallock
Jumping Sharks/Slow Bunny
Glenn Mantang
Brett Netson
Nollifur
James Orr
Owlright
Project 213
Moses Splawn
Stardust Lounge
Storie Grubb and The Holy Wars
Thomas Paul
Ugly Tree
Unicorn Feather
UZALA
Wolvserpent

TREEFORT MUSIC FEST WARMUP PARTY FEATURING RADIATION CITY ON FIRST THURSDAY, MARCH 1 (6PM); FREE BEER!

The Record Exchange is proud to present the Treefort Music Fest Warmup Party featuring Radiation City at 6 p.m. First Thursday, March 1, at The Record Exchange (1105 W. Idaho St., Downtown Boise). As always, this Record Exchange in-store event is free and all ages.

The party includes a live set by Portland Tender Loving Empire recording artists Radiation City and free craft beer (21 and older with I.D.) courtesy of our partners Payette Brewing Co.! Radiation City is playing Visual Arts Collective later that evening (8 p.m.) with Atomic Mama and Shades. The VaC show is free for anyone who purchases a Treefort Music Fest 4-day pass before 2 p.m. March 1; full details HERE.

We’ll also have Treefort 4-day passes for sale in physical form and Treefort-related raffle prizes!

And since it’s First Thursday, there’s all kinds of sexy savings throughout the store, including:

• Buy 2 get 1 free used CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray and vinyl!
• Buy 2 get 1 free stickers and patches in the Gift Shop!
• Buy 2 get 1 free coffee and espresso drinks!

ABOUT RADIATION CITY

The inspiration for Radiation City’s newest output stems from an old piano. The piano has lived in drummer Randy Bemrose‘s basement for eons. It’s old, cumbersome, and on it’s last legs. The band used sounds from the piano throughout the recording of its new EP Cool Nightmare … not just the keys, though, the clicks and clacks from the body, the slamming of the lid, and virtually every other sound you can imagine making on the piano. After they were finished, the piano was beat up, out of tune, and falling apart. Having used the old piano of all it’s worth, and as a celebration of an intense year, Radiation City engaged in the ceremonial destruction of the old piano documented on the first single’s video, “Find it of Use.”

Cool Nightmare is the followup to the dream-pop quintet’s acclaimed debut, The Hands That Take You, released this past fall on Tender Loving Empire (Finn Riggins, Typhoon, Loch Lomond). Originally out via cassette on Radiation City founders Cameron Spies and Lizzy Ellison’s cassette-only record label Apes Tapes, The Hands That Take You has been lauded by MTV, ELLE, Brooklyn Vegan, Paste, FuseTV, Prefix, and The L Magazine.

Radiation City is influenced by certain staple macro-genres such as ’60s bossa nova and Chicago jazz, but their version of this classical sound is supported by irresistible pop vocal hooks and the employment of minimal electronics, which provide rhythm but leave plenty of space. The band will soon embark on their first trip to SXSW as part of a tour that will take them down the West Coast and through the Midwest.

Radiation City is Lizzy Ellison (vocals, keys), Cameron Spies (guitar, vocals), Randy Bemrose (drums, vocals), Matt Rafferty (bass, vocals), Patti King (vocals, keys, bass).

PRESS QUOTES

“The music lives up to the buzz…Plus, Lizzy Ellison’s gorgeous vocals are infectiously charming.” — ELLE

“Their dreamy, faraway sound reminds us of a sunshiny marriage between Reading Rainbow and the Dum Dum Girls…Either way, let’s just say it’s really good.” — NYLON

“One of the year’s more charming debuts, which drifts between moody, organ-driven numbers and more upbeat pop.” – Brooklyn Vegan

“Super dreamy … some of the most pleasing music of the last few decades thoughtfully time-warped into a fresh new tune.” — My Old Kentucky Blog

“This is superbly crafted, easily pinpointed yet unmistakably captivating, pop music.” — Death + Taxes

“They’ve got a sly bossa nova thing going on too, and a slight gothic-pop thing, and a Phil Spector girl-group thing, and a clear-blue vocal thing … We’d like to make a bid for them to move to Brooklyn, please.” – L Magazine

A.K.A. BELLE ALBUM RELEASE PARTY (WITH FREE PAYETTE BREWING CO. BEER!) FIRST THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, PLUS MARK LANEGAN LISTENING PARTY

a.k.a. Belle will perform a special Album Release Party set live at The Record Exchange (1105 W. Idaho St., Downtown Boise) at 6 p.m. First Thursday, Feb. 2. As always, this Record Exchange in-store performance is free and all ages.

a.k.a. Belle‘s debut CD Disappearing Night will be available for purchase at the Album Release Party, and we will be serving free craft beer (21 and older with I.D.) courtesy of our partners Payette Brewing Co.!

Before a.k.a. Belle’s set, the RX will be holding a Mark Lanegan Listening Party at 5 p.m. Lanegan’s new album Blues Funeral comes out Tuesday, Feb. 7, and 4AD sent us a vinyl test pressing to play for our customers — and to give to one lucky duck once we’re done spinning it! 4AD also sent a few signed 7-inches to hand out with pre-orders of Blues Funeral.

We’re also debuting our new monthly First Thursday specials, which include:

• Buy 2 get 1 free used CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray and vinyl!
• Buy 2 get 1 free select gift shop items — this month ALL gift items are eligible!
• Buy 2 get 1 free coffee and espresso drinks!

ABOUT A.K.A. BELLE AND DISAPPEARING NIGHT

Out of the studio after months of hard work, a.k.a. Belle (facebook.com/akaBelleBoise) brings you their debut album Disappearing Night, produced and mastered at Audio Lab. The 9-song CD, released December 2011, has ranked in the top 20 best sellers at The Record Exchange five weeks in a row, with tracks such as “Austin Calling” getting airtime on 94.9 FM The River, and selected tracks being played on KRBX (Radio Boise 89.9 FM). Guest appearances include Steve Fulton, Brenton Viertel, Michael Rundle, Jason Flores and Todd Chavez.

Melding influences ranging from Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and The Clash to Wanda Jackson and Phil Spector’s girl groups, the Boise foursome delivers a distinctive, rich and dusty take on indie folk-rock, with frontwoman Catherine Merrick’s smooth yet pleasantly twangy voice providing an emotional complement to the rootsy, desert-noir of the arrangements.

It’s easy to see a.k.a. Belle have fun with their music, too, as evident on songs such as their bonus track “I’m Giving Mice Elf (To You)” (a new Christmas classic) and “At Least I’m Stupid” (sung by guitarist Sam Merrick).