If Lars Ulrich’s recent words on behalf of record stores weren’t harbinger enough that the vinyl revival has less cachet than Mushnick’s beard, leave it to the PCL’s Fresno Grizzlies to make crate digging seem even unsexier than usual. MILB.com’s Benjamin Hill reports the Grizzlies hosted “Classic Vinyl Night” during last Thursday’s game versus El Paso, apparently the first time someone has tried to combine a record fair and a minor league baseball contest.
Local stores and private collectors from all over California’s Central Valley — “from Merced to Visalia” as Grizzlies director of marketing Sam Hansen put it — participated in the event.All of the available records were used, with a variety of genres represented (classic rock being the most prevalent). DJ Mr. Leonard was on hand to spin records as the fans browsed, juxtaposing classic Hip-Hop tracks with the songs that were originally sampled. Hansen sees the potential to expand “Classic Vinyl Night.” “Next year, June 1 is the 50th anniversary of [The Beatles’] Sgt. Pepper’s,” he said. “I think we can really blow that one up.”
Yeah, paging Mike Veeck.