The event consisted of vendors selling vinyl, DVDs and CDs at a lower price
By AALIYAH ESPAÑOL-RIVAS — arts@theaggie.org
On Feb. 22, Armadillo Music invited physical media enthusiasts to Dunloe Brewing for Vinyl Apocalypse, an event where guests could peruse boxes and crates of CDs, DVDs and vinyl priced at two for one dollar.
The event ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the media selections being rotated as hours went on, bringing out new pieces for people to examine. The event is held every few months to help manage inventory, according to Armadillo Music’s General Manager, Paul Wilbur.
“We’ve done 10 of these events now,” Wilbur said. “Every day, CDs, records and DVDs come through our front door and there is no way we can put it all in our store. We buy more things off the street than most businesses that you can imagine, but it gets to a point [where] we can’t deal with all of it.”
Joselino De La Rosa, a second-year human biology major, attended the event after hearing about it on the store’s Instagram page and described the setting of Vinyl Apocalypse.
“Nowadays CDs are so expensive, so when I heard they would be two for one dollar, I knew I had to come,” De La Rosa said. “I heard about the event through the Armadillo Music Instagram page, and I was shocked to see how many people came. I only got there 30 minutes after it started and it was packed.”
Students and community members alike entered the store in search of discounted physical media. Some shoppers weren’t aware of the event beforehand and found out while walking around Downtown Davis. Naima Montecinos, a fourth-year biochemistry major, stopped by the event after walking past it and thought it was a good deal.
“I was just walking to the farmers market and happened to walk past the event and decided to go inside after hearing about the deal,” Montecinos said. “I have a CD and record player at home, so I’m always looking to grow my collection.”
Montecinos collects used physical media to reduce waste and support artists directly as opposed to streaming.
“I think collecting used media is a really cool way to reduce waste and learn more; Often, a pamphlet, lyric book or short biography accompanies a beloved physical album,” Montecinos said. “It is also important to me because collecting physical media supports the artists directly without a middleman like Spotify or Apple Music.”
For De La Rosa, he collects physical media for the deeper connection he feels when playing an album as opposed to listening on streaming services.
“I feel like having the physical version of an album gives you a deeper connection to the artist or song because you physically own it and decide to play it,” De La Rosa said. “With streaming, there are algorithms that know your listening habits, so listening doesn’t feel as meaningful unlike choosing a specific album to physically play.”
With the resurgence in popularity of physical media, Wilbur is optimistic that Armadillo Music can continue to host events like Vinyl Apocalypse.
“The event was a success, because people are getting back into collecting physical media,” Wilbur said. “People want to have a connection to the artists and the art, and by owning the physical copy of their music, it allows them to have that direct connection. We’re excited to continue to supply the Davis community.”
Check out the Armadillo Music Instagram account or website for more information on future events, and mark your calendars for the next Vinyl Apocalypse.
Written by: Aaliyah Español-Rivas — arts@theaggie.org
