GREENWICH, LONDON, March, 2023; Record Store Day UK is excited to announce a one-off exclusive performance from Ocean Colour Scene’s Simon Fowler to kick-start the countdown to this year’s event.
The intimate show at the Meantime Brewing’s Taproom in Greenwich on 12th April will see the frontman of the legendary British band deliver a stripped-back set to mark the start of this year’s Record Store Day celebrations, which will culminate in over 250 independent record stores around the UK stocking hundreds of exclusive releases as part of Record Store Day itself on 22nd April.
Simon’s show will also act as a perfect occasion to toast the launch of Record Store Day’s official 2023 beer Meantime’s Double Groove, which will be available during the gig. As well as a £1 donation from every sale of a pint of Double Groove, all proceeds from ticket sales for the show will go to Record Store Day’s official charity partner War Child.
Supporting Simon will be last year’s Record Store Day Unsigned winner Amy Fitz Doyley, with a very limited amount of tickets for this unique show going on sale from 9am on Monday 3rd April via Design My Night.
Not only is Meantime’s Taproom an ideal gig venue, it’s also mere metres away from where Double Groove was crafted. The full-bodied IPA, described by Meantime’s head brewer Joe Gardener as “the ultimate hop duo”, has a unique character – making it a fitting tribute to every single one of the knowledgeable, dedicated team members behind the counters at the hundreds of independent record shops taking part in Record Store Day.
Double Groove will also be available on Meantime’s web shop https://shop.meantimebrewing.com/ from Mon 3rd of April, with 50p per bottle going to War child. As part of the celebrations of the teams that keep vital parts of local music scenes thriving, the beer will also be available in selected shops on the 22nd April where music-lovers will be able to get hold of limited edition Meantime t-shirts and tote bags at participating record stores (while stocks last).
With only 60 tickets available for the show, anyone who misses out on the launch event will be able to get their fix of acoustic Ocean Colour Scene on Record Store Day itself with the band’s exclusive release B-Sides, Seasides and Freerides.
The classic 1997 B-sides, demos and rarities compilation is re-issued on vinyl for the very first time exclusively for RSD, having only been previously available on a very limited pressing. Including fan favourites “Huckleberry Grove”, “Robin Hood”, plus an acoustic demo of "The Circle", a stripped-down version of "The Day We Caught the Train” and a live version of the Beatles classic “day Tripper” featuring Liam and Noel Gallagher.
Like all the titles on this year’s list of releases, B-Sides, Seasides and Freerides will only be available in-store at one of the participating independent record shops on 22nd of April. You can find your local store here.
Meantime’s continued collaboration with Record Store Day is a way of highlighting the independent record sector which consistently finds creative and inventive ways to keep physical music discovery exciting for communities all over the UK. Now in its 16th year, more than 250 independent record stores will be marking Record Store Day on April 22nd, with hundreds of exclusive and limited-edition releases available from the likes of Taylor Swift, Madonna, Bob Marley and this year’s Record Store Day UK ambassadors The 1975.