A new event organized by an area musician asks Collingwood residents to share some of their favourite songs by bringing a record from their collection to a gathering of fellow vinyl collectors and music appreciators.
Shawn Steinheart, a Barrie-based musician and performer who has also been performing in The Blue Mountains and Collingwood over the last decade, is the organizer behind a monthly Bring Your Own Vinyl night at CW Coops in Barrie.
He heard of similar events in larger cities and thought the idea could work in this area too.
"I was like, this is a cool, unique thing," said Steinheart, noting the comeback of vinyl records as music mediums. "Everyone from Millennials to Gen Z to their parents have vinyl ... it's cross-generational."
Steinheart started a Bring Your Own Vinyl Night event in Collingwood, with the next one coming up at The Collingwood Brewery on Sept. 30.
The event involves a DJ who brings a collection of records for people to peruse and for the DJ to use through the night. People can bring their own records to request a song, and, sometime during the evening, the DJ will play a full A-side.
"It's like an open mic in a way, but just with bringing your own vinyl," said Steinheart. "We're really excited about it, and if it goes well, we're going to keep going with it [in Collingwood]."
He said the events in Barrie have brought out some unique and classic records like Abbey Road, Dark Side of the Moon, and etc. He's also seen some interesting "underground" vinyl from the hip-hop community.
Admission for Bring Your Own Vinyl Nights is free, with beverage purchase options available at The Collingwood Brewery. Steinheart also works with event sponsors to make sure there are prizes to be won.
The next Bring Your Own Vinyl night will be Sept. 30 at The Collingwood Brewery from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and there will be another vinyl night on Oct. 20 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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