HiFi Records: A Red-Hot Opening Day!

At 2pm sharp, crowds spilled into the intimate space, bringing the heat from the July sun into the shop. (These customers were so dedicated, they weren’t worried about a little sweat!) Once the attendees had a chance to check out the goods, a steady stream of happy shoppers carrying HiFi’s signature lime green shopping bags began exiting the shop, all giddy with the excitement of new items to add to their vinyl collection. As I stood outside chatting with attendees, one theme became crystal clear: Astoria is thrilled to welcome a record store to the neighborhood. I spoke with multiple local residents who’ve been trekking out to Brooklyn and Manhattan to scratch their vinyl itch for years–this was definitely an exciting day for them!

Proving once again that they can throw one hell of a party, our friends at Play Too Much curated an afternoon of excellent live music to add to the already killer day. Kicking off the intimate session was The Gantry, a group of Astorians giving us a raw, bare bones taste of their brand of Americana rock.

Up next was gospel/R&B firecracker Bria Monet, whose unique voice carried out into the streets, commanding bystanders to walk in and take notice.

To end the night on an electrifying note, hip-hop duo Negative Death took the mic, accompanied by special guest Chris Pizzolo on guitar. Their dynamic performance provided one final jolt of energy to an already powerful day.

We Heart Astoria was proud to work with HiFi Records and Play Too Much to make this long-overdue day happen. Now tell us: Did you make it to the opening day? What did you think? Share with us on Facebook and in the comments below!