Local Meccas

Just got back from a business trip to Philadelphia, where I re-acquainted myself with the South Street district (had been there about three years ago or so) - hit the used record stores and had a cheesesteak in the house where Larry Fine was born (which was an awe-inspiring moment, I don't mind admitting).

So I was wondering if that is indeed the coolest part of Philly, or if I was wasting my time there when there was a much cooler part of town I was missing out on? (Probably should've asked that before I went, I guess.)

What are the hip areas of your towns we should visit if any of us find ourselves there?

Here in St. Louis, I guess it would have to be the U-City Loop on Delmar. Some unique shops & restaurants, and there's Vintage Vinyl which is one of the two best used record stores in town. (The other would be Euclid Records, which is nowhere near the street it's named after but is in the fairly nice, lower case-C college burb of Webster Groves. Jeff Tweedy worked there way back in the 80s, when it actually WAS on Euclid Avenue. Darin Grey of the Dazzling Killmen used to work for Vintage Vinyl & Matt Harnish of Bunnygrunt still does.)

South Street is indeed the coolest hang out spot in Philly. Other cool spots in Philly vary depending on where I am at any given time in the city. Noise Pollution used to be the best spot on South for used music. Not sure if that's still there? Repo Records is cool too....... You can sometimes spot artists who are playing the TLA, just hanging out the day of their show on South Street. I've seen Westerberg, Hitchcock & Rew and Roger Miller all at basically the exact same SPOT over the years (trying to cross the street in front of the Starbucks on the corner).

cool spot in union city, new jersey?: Run fer ya lives!



NP
Quintron Satan is Dead
NR
Best and the Brightest
NW
Lebron anmd Carmelo
ND
Dominus 1990 (a gift, and man, what a gift)

pally I live in Whorelando, Floriddy
No cool places in Mouseville cept my backyard
C'mon over, we'll BBQ, drink Wild Turkey and spin some sides.

I hope that I don't sound like a MTV intern, but if you're in the Boston area, I do recommend going to the Record Exchange in Salem, MA. They have plenty of vinyl & they have a great staff, including Barrence Whitfield, who has a TP entry & works between gigs. People have come from Boston and even from Japan to shop there. I've been going there for nearly 30 yrs. myself.

Los Angeles: don't bother with Melrose. It's punk days are long gone and is basically now an outdoor mall. Head east to the Silverlake/Los Feliz area - eastern end of Sunset and Hollywood Blvds, far from the touristy stuff. Don't miss the huge Wacko store/gallery.

My own North Hollywood neighborhood in the Valley is quite groovy. I live around the corner from a club called the CIA - the California Institute of the AbnormalArts - so that should tell you something.

And, of course, there's Amoeba Music on Sunset, the most intimidatingly enormous new/used/collectible record store ever. It's having a Wal-Mart-like effect - the other shops (the Moby Disk chain, Aaron's) are closed or closing. But it really is the store of your wildest dreams.

wisconsin dells: monk's and the wax museum

minneapolis: uptown bar and treehouse

omaha: brothers and the antiquarium

milwaukee: drive through the northside and die

is the fench cafe still open in minneapolis?

d.c. was gutted out in the late 8o's thnks to the mayor 's penchant for construction conglomerate deals.

austin is fine-i enjoy it, but i miss the old d.c. i grew up in - great multi-musical tradtions that i felt ran deep for american hisory but stayed VERY humble.
boohoo.
no surprise.

here are some possibly, real exciting (relatively) seasonal holiday web site stuff:

[www.powerpres.com]

[www.powerpres.com]



Post Edited (12-17-05 00:32)