After the Fourth we took a few days to head up to Coloma to camp along the American River. Doing a little research I quickly found out that Coloma was the birthplace of the gold rush. The water was really the only way to stay cool in the heat. Floating down the river with the river banks lined with gold diggers, literally, was almost a bit nostalgic. It took 3 or 4 trips down the river before I realized the river banks still were full of gold, or fool's gold. The Coloma Resort which had entrances to the river all along the site, and just an FYI life jackets are required for everyone even if the signs say eighteen and up. Even with the heat and the the park being packed to the brim it was a very relaxing few days away.
We found out about Record Store Day back in 2008 and have participated a great deal in the event the past 3 years. We've followed it quite closely since Nashville based, Detroit founded, Third Man Records started pumping out some insane Vinyl. What started as a novelty quickly turned into an obsession that has had us standing in line in random cities waiting for most of the time Rarities only available from that location. Sometimes we're 1 of hundreds and other times we've been 1 of 5 lucky customers. This year Third Man pulled out all the stops and released two items that were only available in Nashville, we had 2 choices, go and experience Third Man and Nashville or pay the same amount for the items on eBay. I can't say what we did is recommended, sitting 18 hours in the rain, but the experience is only as good as the company you're with. Seeing friends from San Francisco, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, DC and even a guy from Australia make the cold and wet times enjoyable and bearable. With us being literally at the House that Jack White built it only made sense to go see where Jack get's his records pressed. Our tour at United Record Pressing was one of the first things we did while in Nashville and little did we know that the same people we were on the tour with, we'd be huddling together with for warmth later on the next day. Unfortunately due to RSD and Jack White's Liquid Filled Record being constructed we only were able to tour the pressing factory and couldn't tour the upstairs which has been named the 'Motown Suite'. In a segregated south in the 60's the upstairs would play refuge for many artists passing through town who were unwelcome to stay in local hotels. When we're back in Nashville, as long as there's no top secret shenanigans going on upstairs, we'll do the tour again just to see the Motown Suite.
A video of one of TMR's most sought out 45's being made, a hand painted test pressing by The Dead Weather.
