Today is the third annual Record Store Day, the international "celebration of the unique culture surrounding independently owned record stores." Toronto has a wealth of great indie record stores — Sonic Boom, Soundscapes, She Said Boom, Rotate This, Penguin Music, Frantic City, Hits & Misses, Pandemonium, Zoinks, Cosmos, Kop's/Vortex, Criminal Records, Play de Record, MOOG Audio/Slinky Music — all of whom have contributed to the wonderful vinyl renaissance of the last few years. For those who value higher fidelity, grander artwork and a physical artifact to collect and cherish, there really is no better medium for music than the vinyl record.

So go out and support your local indie record store today and bring home some new additions to your collection. A few of the stores are hosting live events to mark Record Store Day: Sonic Boom at Bloor and Bathurst is going large as always, with an all-day show starting at 2:30 (hustle!) with Wave-faves Lullabye Arkestra (who play WL 502 at Kazoo! in Guelph next Thursday, incidentally) and also featuring heavy-hitters like Sloan, Buck 65 and Valery Gore, while Sunrise Records on Yonge has Moneen and Justin Nozuka. All of the participating stores are having a sale though, usually around 10% off. Now get off the computer and start pounding the pavement, today is the day to feel pride in your compulsive need to pick up that deleted original Belgian pressing of that Rudimentary Smegma / Cosmik Trance Milkshake split 7" !!