iradiophilly | Culture - Vinyl Revival Is Not Your Father's Record Store; Marilou Regan, Stones film, 'Charlie Is My Darling'

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Vinyl Revival Is Not Your Father's Record Store; Marilou Regan, Stones film, 'Charlie Is My Darling'

by: JoeS - Springfield, PA
started: 12/12/13 4:11 pm | updated: 12/12/13 4:11 pm

Vinyl as a music medium is in the middle of a significant comeback with the young while for many of us it never waned. Many new and young artists are embracing vinyl and places like Vinyl Revival are helping to promote and celebrate that rebirth.

What is and where is Vinyl Revival?

Vinyl Revival is sort of the Renaissance man of music stores. It sells new and lightly used albums. It sells interesting music collectables. It hosts book signings and performances, artist meet and greets, and what really makes it stand out is the fact it has a 40 seat concert and movie venue. Yes, a small music venue with a state of the art sound and projection system. Could it get any better, yes it can. The proprietor is Andrea Di Fabio and she loves all things music; listening to it, talking about it, collecting music stuff, and now establishing a place where the serious music lover, or anyone who wants to get immersed in music, can come and have some real fun.

Vinyl Revival is located in the business district of Lansdowne, Pa. right next to the soon to be restored Lansdowne Theater! The business district is in middle of a funky rebirth. They are a couple of restaurants open at night as well as some take out choices. We ate for the first time at a Moroccan restaurant called Argana. We had fine food, very good service, and on top of that the price was right. The parking in the downtown is ample, inexpensive and on this night free!

On Friday Dec. 6th we were treated to a night of total immersion into the Rolling Stones. Marilou Regan author, collector, historian, and groupie of all things Stones was the centerpiece of this intimate night of music, film, collectables and a bull session with a bunch of very nice music fans. Marilou is just a blast! She has energy, knowledge and a contagious passion for the Stones. We purchased a signed copy of her book, â€œLove You Live, Rolling Stones: Fanzine from the Common Fan.â€ A point of discussion if left on your coffee table and a nice XMAS gift.

We arrived around 7PM and talked with Marilou, Andrea and the other guests about lots of stuff including; neighborhoods, The Lansdowne Theater, concerts we've been to present and past, folks we know in common, and of course the Stones! What nice folks we met and the conversation continued for a good hour after the showing of the film.

The film was 'Charlie Is My Darling.' The movie is a documentary directed by Peter Whitehead and produced by Andrew Loog Oldhem and the Stones. It is a candid view of their Sept. 3rd and 4th 1965 tour of Ireland. The movie piggy backs on their trip from Hethrow to Dublin to Belfast. It is the kind of movie that makes you smile, while as the same time elicits a sense of loss of youth and innocence. It is a raw black and white portrait of early performances that are so very good that it is hard to imagine the group getting better. You can see and feel the genius of these guys from the perspective of almost 50 years of history. Jagger, Jones, Watts and Richards are seen in concert, composing music, fooling around, talking, musing, poking fun at The Beatles and Elvis, and being young and at times intolerant. There were some eerie moments like when Jones talked about not knowing how long it would all last. It was like watching the instant replay of a terrible accident. Neither his place as a Stone nor his life were to be for much longer.

A really cool place to buy, listen to, and talk about music, that is what Vinyl Revival is! A step back and forward for music lovers who like the intimacy of the old coffee house yet want it delivered with the precision and quality one expects today. Vinyl Revival has the precise balance of the new and old that delights the hearts and ears of music lovers. Keep track of events at Vinyl Revival at www.vinylrevivalrecords.com. You can acquire stuff from and see what Marilou is up to at www.loveyouliverollingstones.com.