Words by Spenser Russell-Snyder
Photos by Ryan Stark and Dina Ruedel

Before opening this fine Spring morning, at least 100 rabid record collectors had lined up in front of Amoeba Music in Berkeley to take part in Record Store Day 2010! When we opened our doors, the crowd immediately filed down our "Broadway" display aisle, where they grabbed as many of the exclusive releases for the day as they could.


Some of the hot sellers were the Flaming Lips performing Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on colored LP, a Fela Kuti 10-inch, a Rolling Stones 7-inch, and a special box set of John Lennon 7-inch singles. Having been in charge of setting up the display both last year and this year, I noticed that there were almost double the amount of releases this year than last year, and the crowd was easily double from last year as well.


I could go on for ages about all the awesome releases that sold out within the first hour (Elvis Presley, Sonic Youth, Modest Mouse, and Soundgarden reissues, among them), but here at Amoeba Berkeley, Record Store Day wasn't only about the releases. We also had some great DJ's all day long! Starting out the day was Amoeba's own Kyle, who spun garage and punk rock for an hour.

1) Big RIch & Ya Boy Guns & Roses EP (Black Card Music)

Senselessly gunned down and killed during a random street robbery on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland ten years ago this month, Bay Area graffiti legend Mike "DREAM" Francisco's legacy has grown exponentially in the decade since his tragic murder. And tomorrow, Friday, Feb 5th friends, family, fans, along with those who never even met the late artist but who were somehow touched by his life, his work, and/or his spirit, will congregate en masse for the big annual DREAM DAY.

The sure to be packed event, which takes place at the New Parish on 18th Street near San Pablo in Oakland, will feature graffiti artists, DJs, b-boys and emcees all celebrating, through their respective elements of hip-hop culture, the life and legacy of the man known to many as King DREAM.

As well as graffiti art by DREAM's graffiti collective, the TDK CREW, there will be music provided by a long list, including F.A.M.E., emcee Equipto, DJ Apollo, Shortkut, Fuze, Myke One, Sake One, The Bangerz, and DJ Platurn. Former Amoeba Music Berkeley employee DJ Platurn is among those who actually never met DREAM but whose life was impacted by DREAM's work. "The first time I heard of Mike Dream was through Saafir's Boxcar Sessions. Not only did his art grace the cover but his voice on the record resonated with community and a sense of pride in his craft," Platurn commented earlier today. "I never knew the man personally, being a recent L.A. transplant around that time, but he was always someone that I knew to be a hero and legend in the Bay Area hip-hop game and I'm proud to honor his legacy in any way that I can."

Addressing the clearly appreciative audience that packed the outdoor area of the Oakland Museum of California on Friday night (August 7th) for the East Bay Express' (EBX) mega 2009 Best Of The East Bay Party (BOEB), Goapele perfectly summed up the positive vibe of the entire evening.

"It's so good to be in Oakland and to have something positive like this going on," sincerely spoke the hometown soul singer between songs from the Amoeba Music Main Stage, articulating what many people must have been thinking at this huge, culturally diverse and uplifting event.

Accurately subtitled Subcultures and only in its second year, the Oakland Museum staged happening has fast become an important local cultural event, this year attracting 20,000 people -- more than double the expected number, according to Jody Colley, the publisher of the independently owned and operated alternative weekly.

After making her observation, Goapele, along with her tight four piece band, launched into the artist's new song "Milk + Honey" -- a song that incidentally appeared on the 15 track Best Of The East Bay Party 2009 CD Sampler, the free CD that was being handed out at the event that free to the public.