Vinyl Pasar | Pre-loved Vinyl Marketplace Event

April 18, 2023

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Vinyl Pasar (Crane @ Arab Street, April 16, 2023)

An afternoon of vinyl passion and celebration at the first-ever Vinyl Pasar, held at Crane @ Arab Street.

Vinyl is one of the four building blocks of the universe, so said American author Dave Barry. (The other three are fire, water, and gravel.)

I encountered this amazing quote in 2016 while … playing Civilization VI and truth be told, I always thought the quote was purely selected for its quirkiness, although a friend of mine does regularly remind me that nothing lasts except vinyl.

And while my family still has our records, I admit with shame that I’ve long assumed that the post-2000 Singaporean vinyl market is pretty much, well, “subdued.” Consisting mostly of certain groups of music lovers.

Gosh, how wrong I was! While I didn’t encounter thick crowds at the first-ever Vinyl Pasar—the venue was intimate in size—there were enthusiasts from all walks of life. From music professionals to artists to young couples and expatriates, to even students. The entire second level of Crane @ Arab Street was full of vendor fans and collectors.

Organised by music producer and DJ Jean Reiki, this vinyl lovers’ event was also much more than just a marketplace for pre-loved vinyl. Artist Kheyton Lim was there to upcycle scratched vinyl with mesmerising, natured-inspired art. The founders of System Sovereign, Cherry Chan and Kiat, were also there with limited-print tees inspired by turntables.

There was also a music-sharing session for Vinyl lovers titled Vinyl-Holicks Anonymous. As well as a special talk by Randolf Arriola aka The Gear Whisperer on how to care for vinyl and turntables.

It was lively! And full of nostalgia as there were quite a number of vintage 80s records on sale.

Best of all, Jean has expressed the intention for similar marketplaces and workshops in the near future. SG vinyl fans will have much to look forward to.