Jefferson Aircraft: Petula Dvorak applauds D.C.'s protesting dancers, then says she's planning to go fly a kite (just read it). I hope her editors at the Post demand that she actually do it.

Record Fair Unsleeved LIVE: The D.C. Record Fair takes place tomorrow at vitaminwater uncapped LIVE. Here's the DJ lineup. While Crooked Beat is no longer selling CDs, apparently some folks at the record fair will be.

Today on Arts Desk: Gil Scott-Heron in D.C.; Far Out/Hot Dang.

"We only have about 300 CDs left, anyway," says Bill Daly, the store's owner. "We're trying to make room for turntables."

When Crooked Beat opened in 1997 in Raleigh, N.C., vinyl made up roughly 30 percent of its sales, Daly says. He moved the store to D.C. in 2004. CD sales at Crooked Beat have dropped by about 50 percent each year since 2008, while sales of vinyl, much of it new, have steadily increased. As of last month, Daly says, vinyl comprises "99 percent of total sales." He also notes that labels haven't lowered wholesale prices for CDs despite the decreased demand in recent years.

"Nowadays, you buy a CD, come home, rip it to your computer, and then it sits on your shelf," Daly says. But, he says, with vinyl you have the benefit of a large physical object—a much better memento than mp3s, CDs, or tapes. "And a lot of our customers say vinyl's quality is better than all three of them."

A jog through the news section of Crooked Beat's website shows the store has been shrinking its CD inventory for years. With the exception of Melody in Dupont, most record shops in D.C. aren't very CD-friendly. Som is vinyl-only, Red Onion sells new and used vinyl and used CDs, and Smash sells mostly vinyl but some new releases on CD.

That record stores—no matter the medium they're selling—face some pretty serious existential anxieties is not news, of course. "If I'm eventually going to go down, I'd rather go down with vinyl," says Daly. "Because I don't want to put my future on CDs. I just can't see it anymore."

This month, Daly plans to start stocking two or three brands of turntables. CDs will hardly have any real estate at all. "We might set up two boxes of like 30 CDs at the counter," he says. "You know, like one of those kiosks packed with, like, greatest hits collections you'd see at a Whole Foods checkout or something."

The most notable is Sockets Records' Bluebrain, who will be releasing a vinyl-only—and D.C.-only—7-inch with two sides. We've described the A-side, "The Pull," and B-side, "The Push," as, respectively "smooth but anxious" and ranging "from glitchy to lounge-like to totally Tron-appropriate." But there's an unexpected C-side, which is revealed only when the A- and B-sides are played simultaneously; the package is quite fitting for the cerebral fraternal duo.

Also available from Sockets will be a tape of children's songs from Edie Sedgwick, which we described as a "split between catchy, repetitive tracks like 'Boom Boom Baby' and an ethereal, somnambulant B-side designed to put a child to sleep."

Travis Jackson of Windian Records also sends word that "the Windian Caravan will be parked on 18th Street NW. We will have all of our singles and other swag," while Fan Death Records notes "If it makes any difference, the new Screen Vinyl Image 7-inch just came out in time for Record Store Day."

As for local record stores themselves, here's a rundown of what some will be doing to partake in the festivities (the full listing also appeared in this week's dead tree edition of Washington City Paper):

• Crooked Beat: Though the store won’t have the much-coveted Big Star release, it’ll have more than 200 other exclusive titles available—in addition to grab bags filled with promotional materials for the first 75 customers in line (five of ‘em will have a $25 gift certificate). Noon to 10 p.m. 2116 18th St. NW.
• Smash: Special releases like the Bad Brains 7-inch will be in stock, and Pabst Brewing Co. will be providing beer and swag. Says a Smash employee: “There will be a party atmosphere.” 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 2314 18th St. NW No. 2
• Som: To help man the crowd in the tiny 14th Street basement, not one but two Som employees will be on hand. Noon to 9 p.m. 1843 14th St. NW.
• Red Onion: At press time, Red Onion’s plans were still in flux, but there should be “snacks and treats for the kids,” says owner Josh Harkavy. Noon to 8 p.m. 1901-B 18th St. NW.
• Melody: The store is “definitely participating” and will be open regular hours. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 1623 Connecticut Ave. NW.

For more coverage of the rabid vinyl collector's favorite day, see the ever-enthusiastic Vinyl District. And, Click Track reports, a map of local stores created by graphic designer and Crooked Beat employee Holly Tegeler is available—should you get lost somewhere between 14th and 18th streets NW looking for that elusive Bad Brains 7-inch.

Nervous children making millions: you owe it all to them
Power trios with big-ass deals: you opened for it then
I can see, I can see, I can see it all with my one good eye
For a start take two grant harts and call me when you die—"Grant Hart," The Posies

Grant Hart, the drummer, co-writer, and co-founder of Hüsker Dü, writes some of the finest pop songs you've probably never heard. Where Hüsker's sound was a melodic slap of harsh sonics, Hart's solo work concentrates more on catchy pop hooks and wordplay. Armed with just his electric guitar, he ran through songs like "Green Eyes," "You're a Victim," "The Main," and others at his Crooked Beat in-store last night. Hart may look like the devil on his right shoulder beat up the angel on his left a few times over the years, but when he opened his mouth to sing his vulnerable and beautiful songs, it was obvious that the angel should never, ever be counted out.

More photos from the show can be seen here.

When I first asked Daly about the move, he wouldn't reveal the location, and based on one comment he made—“We don’t need the impulse traffic”—I assumed the store would be moving to a side street. But the new location isn't bad: a little further from the center of the neighborhood, sure, but still at a spot that gets plenty of foot traffic.

He says he expects to move in late November, or Dec. 1 at the latest, and that he doesn't anticipate closing the store for more than a day or two while it moves.

In other vinyl news, the next D.C. record fair is set for Sept. 26 at U Street Music Hall. The last two installments of the popular event were at the Black Cat. Organizers haven't announced the guest DJs yet.

Yes, that is a giant "For Lease" sign in Crooked Beat's window. But the Adams Morgan record store isn't going out of business, owner Bill Daly assured me this afternoon. Daly's landlord raised his rent, but he's got a new location lined up—"down the street" from the current 18th Street location, he says, and of a similar size. He wouldn't say much more about the move.

"We don't need the impulse traffic," says Daly, who moved his store to D.C. six years ago from North Carolina. The store's customers won't change their habits based on the move, Daly says, and he does about 30 percent of his business online. Last year was Crooked Beat's best ever, he says, and this year has been "pretty good." He just can't afford the higher rent.

He says he'll announce the new location next week.

Later this week, we'll have your comprehensive guide to what you can buy on Record Store Day and where. As far as I can tell, there isn't a lot of D.C.-related music to buy that day—Exit Clov has an exclusive 7-inch; Crooked Beat will be giving away some local stuff, if you get there early. And then there's this, the DVD release of the documentary I Need That Record! The Death (or Possible Survival) of the Independent Record Store. Appearing in the film (and in the trailer above) is Ian MacKaye, who drops this knowledge bomb: "There may well be people who work in the record industry who like music, and they might even care about music. But I can assure you, the people who own the labels, all they care about is money." Hence, your local record store is fucked.

Or not! Record Store Day is all about showing love for your favorite mom-and-pop ops. So the DVD's timing —the film has been making the film-fest rounds since '08, and it'll see a wider DVD release in July—is perfect.

Well, this: Our annual issue highlighting our—and your—picks for the best the District has to offer is online and in print today. Pick up a copy! Or read it here!

There's no shortage of arts-related goodies therein, and even some overlap between the readers poll and our staff picks, which we've geared toward the city's newest residents. After the jump, some compare and contrast:

Readers Poll
Best Art Gallery: Phillips Collection

Staff Picks
Best New Art Gallery: The Fridge

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Readers Poll
Best Jazz/Blues Club: Blues Alley

Staff Picks
Best Jazz Club for Newbies: HR-57

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Readers Poll
Best Local Band: Bataka

Staff Picks
Best Band that Left Brooklyn for D.C. and Not Vice-Versa: Bluebrain

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Readers Poll
Best Local Hip-Hop Artist: Wale

Staff Picks
Best Soft Introduction to Go-Go: Wale’s “Pretty Girls”/Raheem DeVaughn’s “Bulletproof” (go-go remix)

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Readers Poll
Best Museum: The Phillips Collection

Staff Picks
Best Use of Bare Wall Space: Phillips Collection’s “Intersections”

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Readers Poll
Best Outdoor Venue: Wolf Trap

Staff Picks
Best Venue to See Blues Traveler: Jiffy Lube Live

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Readers Poll
Best Place to See a Movie: E Street Cinema

Staff Picks
Best Independent Movie Theater: The Avalon

Best Retrospectives, Sans Fries: AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center

Best Retrospectives, With Fries: American City Diner

Best Sound System: Mazza Gallerie

Best Theaters for Keeping Your Attention on the Film and Not the Douchebag on His Cell: Landmarks Bethesda Row Cinema and E Street Cinema

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Readers Poll
Best Place to Buy Vinyl: Crooked Beat

Staff Picks
Best Place to take Visiting Punk Rockers: Smash! Records

Best Record Store: Red Onion Records & Books

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Readers Poll
Best Outdoor Venue: Wolf Trap

Staff Picks
Best Venue to See Blues Traveler: Jiffy Lube Live

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Make sure you check out our Arts and Entertainment in-depth picks: Best Way to Shake Up D.C. Nightlife, Best First Record, Best New Nightlife Blog, and Best Model for Breaking into the Arts Scene.

Yesterday's DC Record Fair at the Black Cat turned out to be an overwhelming success, according to one of the event's organizers. "It was pretty crazy," says Neal Becton, Som Records' owner, "like 1500 people turned up. That's one of the reasons we left Comet. We love Comet but it was a little too small. We expected like 500."

The fact that organizers tripled their attendance expectations was not lost on a few record geeks. "A few folks complained about it," Becton says. "There were people lined up at some tables. But everybody was pretty pleased. The dealers were happy."

Becton says that if they hold the record fair at the Black Cat again, they may open up the club's first floor as well. The next record fair may be held in June.

This fair had 30 dealers including notable local shops like Red Onion, Smash, and Crooked Beat as well as Plan 9 from Richmond, Memory Lane from District Heights, and Own Guru from Baltimore. The crowds could have lead to an epic disaster like the one famously chronicled by the Onion.

"From like noon to 5:30 it was like packed with people," says Red Onion's Josh Harkavy. "Everyone's table was like two or three people deep waiting to look at records which is not something I see too often....It was impressive."

Harkavy adds: "I was pretty much blown away at how much merchandise we sold. I think I had four empty crates at the end of the day which is awesome."

Harkavy says his personal highlight was "seeing a baby flip through records. I'd never seen that before."

Becton says: "the DJ sets were great. Kid Congo's set was awesome. Seeing Ian MacKaye up there was kind of fun. He sounded great, playing some pretty rare punk rock singles."

Harkavy and Becton say the fair wasn't just crowded but very diverse for such nerd events. "It's really encouraging," Becton says. "I saw a lot of Xs on hands there. A lot of under 21s buying records, male and female. Most record shows you go to it's a bunch of old guys.... My wife even commented on it. I thought it was kind of nice. It makes for a better atmosphere."

*photo by Matt Dunn.