Despite several thriving music venues and a high volume of great shows, being a music fan in Birmingham has felt incomplete the last few years. The part of the experience that was missing was the record store. Charlemagne and Renaissance are great places to find used (and even rare) vinyl but they fall short when it comes to stocking new records. Since their opening earlier this month, Seasick Records is trying to fill in that gap.
“Birmingham has a lack of record stores that cater to my generation’s interests,” explains Seasick co-owner Daniel Drinkard, “I come from Memphis, where there are several really great record stores that always had stuff I was interested in, and I felt like Birmingham was missing that.”
Chayse Porter, the other co-owner of Seasick, echoes Drinkard’s sentiments about Birmingham’s lack of quality stores.
“Birmingham has had some good record stores in the past, but Laser’s Edge was the last of a dying breed. Since they closed there hasn’t been a store here that specializes in new vinyl,” said Porter.
After a few months of talking and planning, Drinkard and Porter decided to dive in and open their own store in the burgeoning Avondale neighborhood.
“Right now everyone is focused on reviving the city of Birmingham, and vinyl records have made a huge comeback, so what better time than now?” said Porter. “People are interested in buying new records again so we felt like the time was right to open a store.”
The store celebrated a soft opening on November 3rd, with a show from power-pop band The Sidekicks and is having a grand opening Sunday, December 8th. They’re currently planning on having a raffle, and sets from local Alt-Rockers The Urns, as well as local girl done good, Waxahatchee. Seasick also plans on being open on Black Friday and offering special deals. Plus if that wasn’t enough, Seasick is putting on a screening of the Descendants documentary “Filmage” at Bottletree on Feb 1st, 2014.
Seasick Records is located on 5th Avenue South in Avondale and is currently open Thursdays and Fridays from 4pm to 8pm, Saturdays from Noon to 8pm, and Sundays from Noon to 5pm.
Follow Seasick on Instagram here.
birminghamfm.wordpress.com 
I visited Seasick this weekend. I’m jazzed they decided to open a shop with some newer stuff. We were definately lacking in that department in the Magic City. Can’t wait to come to grand opening! It’s gonna be tight!
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Interesting how Seaside took shots at the record stores in the city. Ppl travel to Bham just to go to Charlemagne because of it’s rich history and the creativity that lives there. They also have new music and stuff you can’t fine at good prices. Charlemagne is more of an exchange and boutique shop.
I think that Seaside may have a place on that side of town, but they don’t have to take shots at one of the oldest, historic, and most popular record shops in the city. Oh yeah vinyl is back in style because of music producers like me who love to sample and appreciate good timeless music and admire the process of making the records. Thanks J.Dilla, Madlib, Pete Rock, and DJ Permier.
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TIL: Music producers are very good at sampling and appreciating good timeless music and admiring the process of making the records and run-on sentences and ignoring the article and putting words in people’s mouths and not getting record stores’ names correct. Thank you, music producers, for bringing vinyl back in style. IT’S IN MY CODE!!!
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You’re welcomed @Adam
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Cratediggher,
We have not “taken shots” at anyone. The existing record stores in town have their place and have been around for a long time for a reason. In particular, Charlemagne has been around forever because they have a great selection of quality used records especially jazz records. You said it yourself, they are more of an exchange and boutique shop. We are aiming at providing a different kind of record store. We carry mostly new vinyl focusing on artists from the last 30 years. I think I can safely say that 90% of our stock could not be found in the existing stores in Birmingham. We’re not here to criticize or compete with anyone. We just want to add mix and be a source for younger people who are becoming more and more interested in vinyl.
I live in Avondale only a couple blocks from our store and if you mean “that side of town” as in an awesome neighborhood that has a lot of potential then I’m more than happy to be located in “this side of town”.
Seriously though, thanks for bringing vinyl back. It’s allowing us to run an awesome store and do something we love. Also, it’s SeaSICK not Seaside. I hope you’ll come by the store and check it out before completely throwing us under the bus. Thanks.
Dan
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