Fans of all music to dig for new sounds

HIPSTERS copped a lot of flak during the mid-2010s, but one music lover is crediting them with the resurgence in vinyl records.

The event promoter known as Lord Lucifer has watched the way people consume music evolve over decades.

The rock and roll lover believes the boom in record sales in recent years reflects a nostalgia for community.

“What I think kicked it off a few years back is the hipsters – the guys that wore the long beards and all that sort of thing,” he said.

“They didn’t want to know about CDs because it was new technology, so they started getting into the old vinyl. That was a bit of a launching pad for it.

“The other thing is that you’ve got all the streaming services like Spotify. People like the convenience, but you pay for it, but you don’t get anything [physical] for it.”

There is ritual in choosing an album to listen to, in setting the tone for a group gathering. It takes finesse, more so than turning on a never-ending online playlist.

As people look for more ways to connect, Lord Lucifer said the ritual of gathering to put on a record, sharing new music with one another, will never die.

“Growing up – I was in high school in the 70s – I had a huge vinyl collection,” he said.

“There was a romance in putting a record on. You would go and look through the records – you’ve got them all stacked up – and then you take one out, you dust it off, you put it on the turntable and you physically put the needle on.

“You also look at the liner notes, you see which guitarist was on it.

“There’s a whole raft of things involved that allow you to you immerse yourself into it.”

Music lovers will continue the tradition of looking through crates of records this weekend at Geelong’s Big Vinyl Dig.

With vendors from across Australia and thousands of records to sift through, there is an album for every taste, whether you are on the hunt for something specific or in the mood to try something new.

Lord Lucifer has taken his Big Vinyl Digs across Australia but Geelong’s continues to out perform the rest.

“Everyone is welcome, it’s a community event and we want the community there,” he said.

“There’s 50,000 LPs under the roof, there is something for everyone.”

The Big Vinyl Dig will be held at Geelong West Town Hall on Sunday 8 March. Doors open at 1pm with free entry.