Independent music is alive and kicking in Dundee according to owners of the city’s three main shops.
Bosses at Assai Records, Thirteen and Le Freak said that everyone from school kids to pensioners are starting to head back through the doors ‘for a dig’.
They gave Dundee Live the good news after taking time out to chat to us this week and tell us how business is going.
They also gave us a sneak peak of some of the amazing live events and launches lined up for the next few months.
The interviews followed a Dundee Live article last week described by one reader as ‘a waste of the alphabet’.
We claimed in a piece about 80s and 90s Dundee - completely incorrectly - that after the closure of the legendary Groucho's on the Perth Road, the independent music scene was dead in the city.
Dundee Live is never afraid of, er, putting the record straight so we contacted the three shops in question for a chat.
The interviews with Tom Le Feuvre at Le Freak and Lee Scott at Thirteen will follow later this week.
Keith Ingram, boss of Assai Records in Union Street, is first up.
After 4 great years based in Broughty Ferry, Keith opened the shop on Union Street in Dundee City Centre in August 2019 - with The View's Kyle Falconer playing the opening night event.
It specialises in new vinyl, whilst also offering a range of turntables, vinyl accessories and music merch.
As well as stocking a host of "indies stores" exclusive vinyl pressings they have released their own Assai Obi Editions of albums from the likes of Lana Del Rey, Paolo Nutini, Tame Impala, Travis and The Specials.
They also help new Scottish artists to release their music through their own label hosts in-store gigs in the shop, where artists play stripped back sets and sell a few albums in the process.
They also put on "out of store" album shows, allowing fans to see massive acts in intimate venues by buying an album and ticket bundle through the store.
They’ve hosted the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Sam Fender, Dermott Kennedy and Texas in recent years and look forward to Biffy Clyro, Travis, Thomas Headon, Sam Fender and Chvrches in the next couple of months.
Asked whether the future is looking bright, Keith told us: “We certainly think so. Being able to open the doors again and invite the public to browse freely, getting to host events and signings, all of the sort of thing that just can't be done online.
“And having live music back is huge for us. As bands start to tour and promote album again it will only be a good thing for us all.”
And Keith added: “We are looking forward to Record Store Day in April, which is a key trading day and week for us, we are really hoping it will be "normal" Record Store Day with queues, live music and a great atmosphere now the restrictions are easing.”
Assai's website is here, their Facebook page is here and Insta is here.
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