Music stores in SF

[raijin]

Anyone know music stores in San Francisco for downtempo, IDM, post-jazz type of stuff?

Edited by raijin on Feb 16, 2006 at 09:18 PM

[minya]

there's 2 record stores in San Francisco as far as I'm concerned...

1) Amoeba Records -- surely you've heard of it? Probably the country's most famous indie record store... huge, huge, HUGE place with TONS and TONS of stuff. In fact, so big that it is kind of its downfall, IMO (service is obviously 100% impersonal, can't get advice as to what's good or not etc., so go in with a list of what you're looking for!)

2) Aquarius Records -- check out the review I did, it's in the SF section of superfuture -- my favorite record store in the city. Small store but massively diverse selection of electic music (including all of the stuff you are looking for above, but focuses mainly on indie/metal/experimental/avant-garde). Every employee knows their shit and most of the CDs in-store have reviews pasted on them. Must go. Go at around 10 or 11 AM, and before you go to Aquarius, go have breakfast (and wait in the Bathing Ape-style lineups) at Tartine Bakery, a few blocks away.

[Guest]

second that on amoeba records. if your visiting SF, you can kill two birds with one stone and get your tourism on also as Amoeba is at the very beginning of haight street (the 'upper haight', which some may say is at the end of haight) and right across the street from golden gate park too. lots to do in the area especially shop - villain's + villain's vault are only a couple blocks away). just be prepared to be approached by random hippies and what nots who'll try to sell you pot by whispering "green bud" as they walk by you. can be kindy creepy if you aint used to it.

aquarious is cool, but tiny. their selection of what your looking for is limited and often times more on the avant garde side of things. for a better bet, especially if your into vinyl, check out one of my personal faves Open Mind Music. they have turntable listening stations and take trades also and they do know their stock well.

SF is kinda lame when it comes to music shops. as magnificent a city as it is, it's also a teeny place. the only other spots i could recommend are streetlight records. the one on market is better for current stuff and electronic/idm. decent selection of used stuff and good prices, though don't bother asking anyone to help you.

now for a special treat, if your a music lover of any kind, you gotta check this spot out called 101 music#2 in beautiful north beach. the moment you see the place its like a warp through time when all things cool were analog and made with a combination of wood, metal and plastic. you have to squeeze through a small maze of old music equipment and junk to find a small stair case in the back. once you go down, you'll literally come upon a cellar filled with rows upon rows of bins overflowing with mostly vintage and some contemporary vinyl. i always have hella fun diggin' in the crates even if i don't wind up buying anything.

Open Mind Music

342 Divisadero St.

San Francisco, CA 94117

cross street: Oak

district: Haight (Lower)

Streetlight records (location 1)

2350 Market Street

San Francisco, CA 94114

district: the castro

Streetlight records (location 2)

3979 24th Street

San Francisco, CA 94114

district: noe valley

101 Music #2

513 Green St.

San Francisco, CA 94133

cross street: Grant

district: North Beach/Telegraph Hill

word. happy shopping.

[Liu Soula]

second that on amoeba records. if your visiting SF, you can kill two birds with one stone and get your tourism on also as Amoeba is at the very beginning of haight street (the 'upper haight', which some may say is at the end of haight) and right across the street from golden gate park too. lots to do in the area especially shop - villain's + villain's vault are only a couple blocks away). just be prepared to be approached by random hippies and what nots who'll try to sell you pot by whispering "green bud" as they walk by you. can be kindy creepy if you aint used to it.

aquarious is cool, but tiny. their selection of what your looking for is limited and often times more on the avant garde side of things. for a better bet, especially if your into vinyl, check out one of my personal faves Open Mind Music. they have turntable listening stations and take trades also and they do know their stock well.

SF is kinda lame when it comes to music shops. as magnificent a city as it is, it's also a teeny place. the only other spots i could recommend are streetlight records. the one on market is better for current stuff and electronic/idm. decent selection of used stuff and good prices, though don't bother asking anyone to help you.

now for a special treat, if your a music lover of any kind, you gotta check this spot out called 101 music#2 in beautiful north beach. the moment you see the place its like a warp through time when all things cool were analog and made with a combination of wood, metal and plastic. you have to squeeze through a small maze of old music equipment and junk to find a small stair case in the back. once you go down, you'll literally come upon a cellar filled with rows upon rows of bins overflowing with mostly vintage and some contemporary vinyl. i always have hella fun diggin' in the crates even if i don't wind up buying anything.

Open Mind Music

342 Divisadero St.

San Francisco, CA 94117

cross street: Oak

district: Haight (Lower)

Streetlight records (location 1)

2350 Market Street

San Francisco, CA 94114

district: the castro

Streetlight records (location 2)

3979 24th Street

San Francisco, CA 94114

district: noe valley

101 Music #2

513 Green St.

San Francisco, CA 94133

cross street: Grant

district: North Beach/Telegraph Hill

word. happy shopping.

[mixedup]

it's also worth the trip to berkeley to hit mod lang!!!

[mixedup]

ohhh...just realized the type of music you're looking for. not sure they have any of that. great record store anyway...

[raijin]

Thanks for the reccomendations everyone.

I'll defintely stop by some of these places.

[kinkladze]

Im sure you'll pick some stuff up at Spundae, even though its dance music mainly. They do have some good shit.

[KR3W]

co-sign on amoeba, its dope