Josh Harkavy, owner of Red Onion Records and Books, is making a rare appearance behind the turntables at the Black Cat tonight at 10. Harkavy will be spinning his favorite classic-and-current garage and soul music. "Heavier on the garage I'd say," Harkavy explains. "Some hits and some things people have never heard before. That sounds a bit cocky. I don't know....Just a good mix. I'm really excited."

Expect the Electric Prunes, the Box Elders, Shadows of Knight, and maybe the Seeds and Nobunny.

As anyone who has spent time in Red Onion knows, Harkavy has exceptional taste and an outstanding used vinyl stock. At least we think so. Harkavy last DJ'd a board-of-trade event around April. This obviously will be different crowd.

*file photo by Darrow Montgomery.

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.

Best happy hour in recent memory: Spending the first few minutes of my Friday night purchasing records at Red Onion. What did I buy? The Flaming Lips' Embryonic LP (colored vinyl) and Alex Bleeker and the Freaks' debut LP on the local Underwater Peoples label [you can listen to an officially leaked Bleeker track here]. Both are more than worth your time and money. Besides, Underwater Peoples deserves your respect. I can't think of a better local label at the moment.

Other new LPs at the shop include the new Sex Workers album, the Ghana Special box (amazing), some krautrock reissus, and the stunning, thumping Pyramids reissues (containing some of the best outsider soul-jazz freakouts ever made).

Used vinyl list after the jump.

USED VINYL:

rock:
leonard cohen: songs of
blind faith: self-titled (band cover)
rolling stones: between the buttons (later pressing)
them: the collection (2LP)
ruthann friedman: constant companion
go-betweens: 16 lovers lane
nico: drama of exile
novalis: wer schmetterlinge lachen hort (sky records)
ramses: light fantastic (sky records)
renaissance: illusion (w. keith relf)
bruce springsteen: greetings from asbury park
paul simon: rhythm of the saints
pacheco & alexander: self-titled
noah: peaceman's farm
flying island: self-titled
dusty chaps: domino joe
dd smash: the optimist
skeletal family: futile combat
pierce turner: the sky and the ground
mandalaband: self-titled
bruce mann: the ormstown fair affair
pete kennedy: bound for glory
elliott murphy: affairs
l.a. express: shadow play (joni mitchell's backing band, on brother records)
judy & david: friends
sudden sway: '76 kids forever
yukihiro takahashi: wild & moody (YMO & sadistic mika band)
23 skinner: stretchheads 12" (blast first, 23 skidoo related??)
jeff thornley: locked inside
howdy moon: self-titled (lowell george)
matthew herbert big band: goodbye swingtime
jennifer o'connor: over the mountain, across the valler and back to the stars
tommy roe: it's now winters day (c. boettcher, perfect wintertime album)
pezband: laughing in the dark
ohio express: self-titled
kenny o'dell: beautiful people (sunshine pop on white whale)
crackpot: the wrong party
vitapup: an hour with... (candy-ass records)
three johns: never and always 12" (adrian sherwood)
three johns: brainbox 12"
telex: neurovision
trio: trio and error
slow children: self-titled (w. spring in fialta)
sonny & cher and friends: baby don't go (with the blendells)
kimberley rew: the bible of bob (w. soft boys, dbs, waves)
darkel: self-titled (jb dunckel of air)
apple pie motherhood band: self-titled
elo: out of the blue
holy cow: suggested reading/apocolypse wow
nazz: III (rhino pressing)
jimi hendrix: my best friend (german bootleg)
jimi hendrix: welcom home (german bootleg)
jimi hendrix: early (live from '65)
material: american songs
steve howe: self-titled
brian auger's oblivion express: self-titled
brian auger's oblivion express: reinforcements
brian auger's oblivion express: live oblivion vol. 2
dan hicks: it happened one bite (music from an unreleased ralph bakshi film)
masha qrella: unsolved remained
the third eye foundation: little lost soul
david santo: silver currents

jazz:
herbie hancock: the prisoner (liberty pressing)
ivan boogallo jones: snake rhythm rock (prestige, WLP)
johnny hammond: storm warning
dexter gordon: one flight up (70's pressing)
art pepper: omega man
world saxophone quartet: rhythm & blues
world saxophone quartet: dances & ballads
freddie hubbard: ready for freddie (liberty pressing)
ornette coleman: crisis (impulse)
ornette coleman: dancing in your head
lucky thompson: i offer you
neal creque: creque (cobblestone)
ramsey lewis trio: upendo ni pamoja
mahavishnu orchestra: birds of fire
airto: i'm fine how are you?
pete jolly: give a damn
stanley turrentine: nightwings
paul horn: inside II (he plays flute to a killer whale!)
chuck mangione quartet: self-titled
cannonball adderley: the price you got to pay to be free
joe castro: groove funk soul (mono, atlantic black label)
henry threadgill sextet: you know the number
sil austin: sil and the silver screen

funk/soul/disco:
moe koffman: moe's curried soul
mandrill: just outside
mandrill: solid
andy bey: experience and judgement
dramatics: dramatically yours
harvey mason: marchin'
aretha franklin: live at the fillmore east
delegation: promise of love
various artists: new orleans ladies
marvin gaye: i want you
quazar: self-titled
willie mitchell: hold it!!!
nino tempo & 5th avenue band: come up and see...
lenny white: astral pirates
bloodstone: unreal
temptations: in a mellow mood
stevie wonder: music of my mind
minne riperton: young willing and able/stick together 12"
roy ayers: running away promo 12"
war: all day music
brick: dusic/fun 12"
kelly marie: run to me 12" (vanguard)
marvin hamlisch: bond '77/james bond theme 12"
pete brown: do you wanna get funky with me 12"
lowrell: overdose of love/smooth and wild 12" (avi)
earthquire: self-titled (natural resources)
dennis coffey: back home
space: magic fly
don armando's 2nd ave. rhumba band: self-titled
apollonia 6: self-titled (with poster!)
bt express: greatest hits
instant funk: self-titled
instant funk: looks so fine
various artists: steppin' out (chakachas, bionic boogie, roy ayers, fatback band, trax...)
nikki giovanni: the way i feel
john valenti: anything you want
funk factory: self-titled
meters: cissy strut (super nice copy)
mike nock: magic mansions

world:
joao gilberto: brazil's brilliant... (capitol rainbow)
egberto gismonti & academia de dancas: sanfona
mireille mathieu: self-titled
missa luba: a mass sung in pure congolese style (i love this album)
bob marley & the wailers: legend
luis bonfa: jucaranda
ken boothe: let's get it on

male/female vocalists:
claudine longet: we've only just begun
ray charles: invites you to listen
ray charles: a man and his soul (2LP)
sammy davis and sam butera & the witnesses: when the feeling hits you!
frank sinatra & duke ellington: francis a. & edward k. (3 color label)
bonnie koloc: you're gonna love yourself in the morning

folk/blues/country:
cleanliness and godliness skiffle band: greatest hits (vanguard)
william ackerman: turtle's navel
hank williams jr. (golden archive series)
don nix: hobos, heroes and street corner clowns
bb king: better than ever

xian/religous:
the unknown quatity: self-titled
spirit in the flesh: self-titled
lorraine louvat: love is a magic feeling
lorraine louvat: i could have been a bumblebee
blue aquarius: self-titled (sealed)

classical/avant-garde:
henry brant: kingdom come
george crumb: ancient voices of children
william bolcom/william albright: new music for organ
milton babbitt/mel powell: a solo requiem/haiku settings

miscellaneous:
how to plan the perfect dinner party
here history began (son et lumiere pyramids and sphinx)
neighborhood rhythms (2LP spoken word/soundscapes with rollins/mike watt/exene/jeffrey lee pierce/kid congo/kim fowley...)

Red Onion Records and Books has scores of new records that are worth checking out.  Among the best of the bunch: Real Estate's debut LP, the Fred McDowell reissue on Mississippi, and some new Slumberland releases. Don't forget to check out the new Best Coast single, Fuck Buttons latest LP, and the amazing Forge Your Own Chains psych compilation.

Used vinyl after the jump.

rock:
UPP: self-titled (jeff beck's backing band)
indoor life: self-titled
einsturzende neubauten: yu-gung 12"
madhouse: self-titled (fountain of youth records)
plan 9: frustration
the cure: kiss me, kiss me, kiss me
brian eno: ambient 1
brian eno: ambient 4
brian eno/moebius/roedelius: begegnungen II
the smiths: what difference does it make 12" (UK pressing)
james white and the blacks: off-white
yellow magic orchestra: self-titled
punch: self-titled (sunshine pop)
david byrne: catherine wheel
tom tom club: self-titled
vinegar joe: self-titled
jimi hendrix: cry of love
country joe & the fish: electric music for the mind and body (amazing album)
sister kate: self-titled (james taylor's sister, with linda ronstadt, john hartford, memphis horns...)
various artists: super rock (columbia 2LP sampler)
surf punks: my beach
DAF: voulez vous coucher... 12"
DAF: 1st step to heaven
kingbees: self-titled
tom rush: merrimack county
fabulous poodles: think pink
sue saad & the next: self-titled
yello: solid pleasure
tommy boyce & bobby hart: it's all happening on the inside (WLP)
lyres: someone who'll treat you right now 12"
psychedelic furs: self-titled
gary numan: pleasure principle (UK pressing)
anthony more: world service (henry cow, slappy happy member)
rorshach: remain sedate (original on gern blandsten, with inner sleeve)
the turtles: happy together (white whale pressing, vg)
ludovico's technique: self-titled
way of the west: feel the steel 12"
odgen edsl wahalia blues ensemble mondo bizarro band: self-titled
fresh today: self-titled (one sealed copy, one open)
jefferson airplane: crown of creation (orange label)
rubicon: america dreams
jimmy stevens: paid my dues
genya ravan: urban desire
various artists: punk and disorderly: further charges (vg)
chuck berry: golden decade volume 3
young rascals: collections
bruce springsteen: e ticket (german bootleg from 1975)
randy sparks: hazy sunshine
yazoo: the other side of love 12"
focus: 3 (dutch pressing)
focus: ship of memories
jan akkerman & thijs van leer: focus (1985)
rare earth: get ready
fleetwood mac: rumours (sealed)
country joe mcdonald: thinking of woody guthrie
country joe mcdonald: incredible! live!
various artists: 1969 warner/reprise songbook
invaders: test card (UK pressing)
artful dodger: rave on
rip rig & panic: beat the beast
nitty gritty dirt band: ricochet
eddie cochran: memorial album (french pressing)
sylvain sylvain
gary shearston: dingo
lizzy mercier descloux: press color (ZE records)
808 state: utd. state 90
the neighboorhood: debut
the fall: wonderful and frightening world...
the damned: eloise 12"
various artists: young, popular and sexy (factory records comp. with happy mondays, durutti column, a certain ratio...)
section 25: bad news week 12" (factory records)
shark vegas: you hurt me 12" (factory records)
wire: pink flag (US pressing)
grateful dead: anthem of the sun (later pressing)
kinks: lola vs powerman and the moneygoround (really nice copy)
neil young: harvest (original with inner sleeve)
byrds: younger than yesterday (360 stereo, vg)

jazz:
clark terry: tread ye lightly
ahmad jamal: portfolio of... (numbered 2LP collection on argo)
stanley turrentine: have you ever seen the rain
stanley turrentine: self-titled (blue note re-issue series)
herbie hancock: traces
don sebesky: the rape of el morro
john handy: live at monterey jazz festival
billie holiday: greatest hits vol. 1 (dutch pressing)
billie holiday: original recordings
billie holiday: lady sings the blues (japanese pressing, no obi)
antonio carlos jobim: tide
lonnie liston smith & cosmic echoes: visions of a new day
egberto gismondi: danca das cabecas
joe beck: self-titled (kudu)
keith jarrett: luminessence
mongo santamaria: at montreux
wayne shorter: phantom navigator
andre previn: the early years
gene krupa & his orchestra: that drummer's band
woody herman big band: hey! heard the herd?
lennie tristano/buddy defranco: crosscurrents
al cohn & zoot sims: either way (zim records)
ray bryant trio: potpourri
stan getz/sonny stitt: echoes of an era
paul horn quintet: here's that rainy day
ahmad jamal: piano scene of...
martha davis & spouse: a tribute to fats waller
billy taylor trio: the more i see you (UK pressing)
various artists: changing face of harlem
duke ellington: '66 (3 color steamboat label)
walfredo de los reyes & louis bellson: ritmos cubanos
ian carr's nucleus: in flagranti delicato
dollar brand duo: good news from africa
morrissey mullen: badness
ornette coleman: shape of jazz to come (original pressing, vg+)
johnny griffin: big soul
mccoy tyner: 13th house
lincoln mayorga & distinguished colleagues: missing linc (sheffield audiophile pressing)
milt jackson with the ray brown big band: memphis jackson (impulse)
brother jack mcduff: down home style (blue note)

funk/soul/disco/rap:
motown instrumentals
motown chartbusters volume 5
bill withers: live at carnegie hall
george clinton: r&b skeletons in the closet
west street mob: self-titled
mtume: in search of the rainbow seekers
labelle: phoenix
hugh masekela: grazing in the grass
emotions: sunshine
percy mayfield: sings percy mayfield
earth wind & fire: that's the way of the world (quad pressing)
molecular beats squadron: coming by storm 12"
dionne warwick: here i am
dinah, joe & sarah: we three
cameo: we all know who we are
kool & the gang: spirit of the boogie
gene chandler: your love looks good on me
aaron neville: like it'tis
james brown: showtime
mary wells: two sides (mono, beautiful copy)
otis redding: live in europe
captain sky: pop goes...
lime II
brother to brother: let your mind be free

folk/country/blues/gospel:
bonnie dobson: at folk city (rare album on prestige, deep groove, excellent shape)
alf edwards: the art of the concertina (rare album on prestige)
joan baez: blessed are... (quad pressing)
fred neil: other side of this life (green label, with gram parsons on one track)
barry mcguire & the doctor: self-titled
tom paxton: morning again (gold label, vg)
charlie king w. paul despinosa: old dreams and new nightmares
newport folk festival 1963, evening concerts vol. 1 (with dylan, jack elliott, miss. john hurt, joan baez...)
malvina reynolds: self-titled (vg, hard to find album with members of the birds, dillards, sunshine company...)
vern gosdin: never my love
clarence "gatemouth" brown: blackjack
clarence "gatemouth" brown: the blues ain't nothing (french pressing)
doc watson: southbound (sealed)
jim kweskin & the jug band: jug band music
gram parsons: self-titled (shilo records)
oscar brand: laughing america (sealed)
angelic gospel singers: i'm bound for mt. zion
johnny cash: songs of our soil (360 stereo)
dave van ronk: no dirty names

world music:
hari prasad chaurasia: flute recital (sealed, indian odeon pressing)
bhavalu/impressions: south indian instrumental music (sealed, nonesuch explorer)
exotissimo vol. 1: jaipur, inde (french pressing)
maloko: soul on fire
incantation: canarios/atahuallpa
music of hungary (capitol, sealed)
sergio mendes: the great arrival
francoise hardy: star

miscellaneous:
bessie jones: step it down: games for children
a french monkey story
kronos quartet: white man sleeps
stories of guy de maupassant
ralph shapey: praise (CRI)
the hush of midnight
famous ghost stories with scary sounds
virgo rising: the once and future woman
poems and songs of middle earth
copernicus: deeper
les baxter: the primitive and the passionate (stereo)
ping pong percussion
howard stern: 50 ways to rank your mother
yevtushenko: readings from his new york and san francisco poetry concerts
the poetry of pat parker & judy grahn
john cage/christian wolff: cartridge music/duo for violinist and pianist

There are some killer new arrivals over at Red Onion Records and Books. First off, there's the reissue on vinyl (!) of the Raincoats' classic debut album. The store has also got in new pressings from Folkways, the new Atlas Sound LP (pictured) as well as Cedric Brooks, Albert Ayler, Arthur Russell, Sun Ra, Wilco, and a killer soul-funk comp.

Used vinyl list after the jump.

rock:

neil young: self-titled

neil young: decade

allman brothers: at the fillmore

allman brothers: beginnings

black sabbath: self-titled

rolling stones: flowers

beach boys: surfs up

beach boys: wild honey/20/20 (2LP)

beach boys: summer days...

the beatles: rubber soul

the beatles: let it be

the beatles: love songs (2LP with book)

the beatles: in the beginning

the beatles: rarities

jefferson airplane: takes off (later pressing)

jefferson airplane: surrealistic pillow (later pressing)

dr. john: night tripper

glencoe: spirit of

grand funk railroad: live album (2LP, german pressing)

lou reed: take no prisoners (2LP, live)

bruce springsteen: born to run/the river/born in the usa/greetings from asbury park

rory gallagher: tattoo

family: fearless

family: music in a dolls house

family: entertainment (uk)

the paupers: ellis island (amazing cheap psych album)

leonard cohen: death of a ladies man

chris farlowe: greatest hits (uk, rolling stones related)

dusty springfield: a brand new me

dusty springfield: cameo

dusty springfield: see all her faces (uk)

lesley gore: girl talk

the byrds: untitled

the band: the last waltz

the doors: self-titled (gold label, vg+)

pink floyd: nice pair (piper at the gates of dawn)

pink floyd: atom heart mother

pink floyd: ummagumma

king crimson: discipline/beat/in the court of the crimson king/three of a perfect pair/red/lizard

del shannon: one thousand six hundred...

joni mitchell: blue

various artists: not so quiet on the eastern front (2LP, with inner sleeve and book)

various artists: rat music for rat people

various artists: eastern front

various artists: permanent wave

black flag: everything went black (2LP, first pressing with band's name airbrushed)

whipping boy: the sound of no hands clapping (rare 1st LP by CA band produced by klaus flouride)

faith: subject to change

jawbreaker: bivouac

shudder to think: get your goat

halfoff: the truth

meat puppets: huevos

bad manners: klass

the smiths: strangeways here we come

let's active: every dog has his day

new model army: ghost of cain

the clash: this is radio clash 12:

the clash: self-titled (us)

the clash: sandinista

the clash: give em' enough rope

depeche mode: broken frame

depeche mode: black celebration

depeche mode: catching up...

kraftwerk: trans-europe express

kraftwerk: autobahn

the specials: more specials

the specials: ghost town 12"

devo: are you experienced 12"

devo: freedom of choice

dead end kids: breakout (with poster!)

cocteau twins: blue bell knoll

cocteau twins: treasure

sex pistols: never mind the bollocks...

blondie: tide is high 12" (german)

specimen: batastrophe

redd kross: neurotica

the replacements: i will dare 12"

the replacements: let it be

the replacements: hootenanny

new york dolls: self-titled

alan vega: saturn strip

insect surfers: sonar safari (local new wave)

calculated x: self-titled (private press new wave)

julee cruise: floating into the night (produced by angelo badlamenti and david lynch)

au pairs: playing with a different sex

rem: dead letter office/green/fables of the reconstruction/document

talking heads: and she was 12"/remain in light/speaking in tongues/naked/little creatures

the police: syncronicity/regatta de blanc/outlandos d'amour

janes addiction: nothings shocking

grateful dead: in the dark

grateful dead: workingman's dead

george harrison: cloud nine

neil young: hawks & doves

blues image: open

sunkilmoon: tiny cities (mark kozelek doing modest mouse)

elvis costello: secret, profane & sugarcane

ryan adams & the cardinals: cardinology

jazz:

billie holiday: broadcast vol. 3 (esp)

jelly roll morton: 1938/1940

david matthews & whirlwind: shoogie wanna boogie

paul humphrey/shelly manne/willie bobo/louie bellson: drum session

gabor szabo: macho

lenny white: venusian summer

k. & j.j.: israel

ramsey lewis: funky serenity/upendo ni pamoja (2LP)

charles kynard: your mama don't dance (mainstream)

larry willis: inner crisis

richard groove holmes: six million dollar man

jimmy smith: black smith

junior mance: touch of

jack mcduff: fourth dimension

ray bryant: in the cut

mike longo: awakening (mainstream)

richard groove holmes: american pie

richard groove holmes: onsaya joy

pete yellin: dance of allegra (mainstream)

night blooming jazzmen: freedom jazz dance (mainstream)

george duke: save the country

eric kloss: essence

lonnie smith: mama wailer

johnny hammond smith: what's going on

funk/soul:

mandre: m3000

free movement: i've found someone

soul children: best of two worlds

purifys: pure sound of...

smokey robinson & miracles: anthology (3LP)

4 tops: best of (2LP)

jackie wilson: story (2LP)

solaris: self-titled

marz: make it right

marvin gaye: what's going on (later pressing)

marvin gaye: here my dear

various artists: lost soul vol. 1

black ivory: baby, won't you...

smokey robinson & miracle: one dozen roses

4 tops: nature planned it

mary wells: greatest hits

peggy scott & jo jo benson: lover's heaven

little anthony & the imperials: on a new street

esquires: get on up and get away

timmy thomas: why can't we live together

isley brothers: very best of (early tracks)

gloria lynne: dynamite!

big j: in 3-D

michael jackson: thriller

michael jackson: off the wall

Red Onion just updated its new arrivals list. The stacks now include the new Ganglians self-titled LP. Shop  owner Josh Harkavy endorses the album, writing:

"Sacramento's Ganglians want an island somewhere where they can soak in the sun and prowl the canopy by night. It's not often that they do get out, but they can get down for that. Recording sometimes as one, sometimes as four it's a real game to figure out where the entity comes from and where it's going. First and foremost it's about uncertain pleasures."

Don't feel like decoding another Woodsist LP? There's more. Other new arrivals include the new Field LP, new Ducktails LP, and the new Real Estate 7-inch, as well as the new Dischord remasters.

Used vinyl list after the jump.

USED VINYL: