Nestled in the heart of Indianapolis, Indy CD & Vinyl stands as a revered record store, its shelves a testament to the intricate grooves of countless musical odysseys that shape the city’s vibrant sonic landscape. This bastion of sound, where the ritualistic descent of a stylus into vinyl, the seamless spin of a CD, or the resolute click of a cassette unveils a rich collage of narratives, has become a beacon of the enduring allure of physical media in an era dominated by digital transience. It’s a sanctuary where the tactile joy of music is celebrated, fostering a community bound by the shared thrill of discovery and the collective experience of sound.
Meanwhile, Spellbound, transcending the identity of a mere club night, has become a haven where DJs and live performers take center stage, steering the night with their symphonic alchemy. The atmosphere at this nighttime gathering is alive with the energy of live performances. Each note played and each track spun creates a collective experience that resonates within the souls of those present. This is where the essence of music is revealed in real-time, unfiltered and raw. Artists and audiences engage in a dynamic exchange that captures the fleeting beauty of the moment.
This convergence of live artistry and audience at Indy CD & Vinyl, a record store celebrated for its commitment to the tangible aspects of music culture, and Spellbound, a club night renowned for its immersive DJ sets and live performances, underscores a profound truth: in the realm of music, the magic lies not just in the medium but in the communal act of sharing and experiencing it together. It serves as a poignant reminder that, even in an increasingly digital world, the heartbeat of local music scenes thrives on the tangible and the immediate—the crackle of energy at a live show, the shared glances between musician and fan, and the palpable atmosphere of a night like Spellbound, dedicated to the power of sound.
Taking this unique experience a step further, Indy CD & Vinyl has embarked on an ambitious project to immortalize the live performances at Spellbound. By recording these sets straight from the mixing board and pressing them onto limited-edition vinyl, they offer fans a tangible piece of the night to take home. These collector’s items, limited to 100 hand-numbered copies, feature eco-colored vinyl, full artwork, and sleeves, along with full-color inserts, including a poster from the event, a setlist, and a chance to find a Polaroid photo from the night. The first record, featuring Tallies, sold out quickly, showcasing the community’s enthusiasm for this innovative idea.
The second record, released on February 16, 2023, captures the industrial vibes of Twice Dark from Bloomington, Indiana, recorded in August 2023. Following this, Volume Three will feature the darkwave-shoegaze group Angel-Maker from Indianapolis, with a performance slated for February 24, 2024. The anticipation continues to build for Volume Four, featuring RIKI, scheduled for recording on March 2, 2024, with a release in July.
Preorders for these exclusive vinyl releases are available, ensuring fans don’t miss out on these limited-run treasures:
The excitement for RIKI’s upcoming performance on March 2nd, which will be recorded live for the vinyl release, underscores the unique connection between Spellbound’s live events and Indy CD & Vinyl’s dedication to preserving these moments. This initiative not only captures the essence of each performance but also strengthens the bond between the musicians, the audience, and the vibrant Indianapolis music scene.
For more insights into this unique fusion of live music and vinyl collectibles, delve into a Q&A from their print newspaper, The Spinner, printed in October 2023:
Q: Have you already started recording your guest acts? Do these guests often come from beyond Indy? How has Spellbound’s legacy/reach grown over the years?
A: Yes, we recorded the Toronto-based band Tallies in June and Bloomington-based Twice Dark in August. Most of our guests, whether DJ or bands, are usually touring acts from other cities, starting with Lol Tolhurst of The Cure at our first event. Spellbound has become a prime spot for touring bands in the dark alternative realm, contributing significantly to its growth and legacy.
Q: Are the recordings done straight from the soundboard? Are you focusing on original music, or do guest DJ sets also get recorded?
A: The recordings are indeed from the soundboard, handled by professional sound engineers and mastered for vinyl. We focus on the live bands as we don’t have the rights to press DJ sets to vinyl, emphasizing the live music aspect of our scene.
Q: Why choose vinyl for these recordings, and what has the reaction been to this idea?
A: As record collectors and owners of Indy CD & Vinyl, pressing live sets to vinyl felt natural. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with both bands and attendees appreciating the effort to memorialize these performances.
Q: When will the first pressings be available?
A: The first two releases are currently at the pressing plant and should be available shortly, marking the beginning of this exciting new venture.
Q: How do local Indy Spellbound fans usually react to the guest acts you bring in?
A: We are VERY lucky that Spellbound regulars are respectful and receptive to our guests. We hope they have learned to trust us as promoters and, to be fair, for the price of one regular ticket everyone gets a concert and a dance night in one.
Q: What do you go for when bringing in outside talent? Seems like an eclectic mix when I used to frequent Spellbound…
A: When booking Spellbound we like to invite established DJs from other cities to show off their skills and to see how established and fun our scene is here in Indy. After all these years we now have great relationships with other cities’ scenes and it is well-known that Indianapolis and Spellbound is fun as Hell. We also enjoy booking VIPs who aren’t known as DJs but have deep knowledge of the genres we feature and are famous contributors to the scene, like Lol from The Cure and Martin from Pigface/NIN/Ministry/Killing Joke, etc.
The bands we book at Spellbound are almost always due to happy accidents – since both of us have had long careers as concert promoters we still get offered shows, and when the tour routing works we push the date to a Spellbound on the last Saturday of the month. Many booking agents and bands now know this before booking tours and a lot of these artists use the Indianapolis tour date as the planning and pivot point for the rest of their tour, meaning an agent will reach out to us to book an artist at Spellbound based on their previous experience or word-of-mouth. If an artist fits, they get booked.
Q: Was the first Spellbound in 2017? What are your thoughts on the longevity of the event?
A: December 2016 was our first Spellbound event, and we are still going strong. We are very grateful to continue running this party for as long as we have. Our challenge is to keep it from becoming stagnant – which is why we focus on new and challenging DJ guests and fresh bands in the sub-genres we feature.
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