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 Waterloo Records
(Pictured at left.)
600 North Lamar Blvd.
In this corner: the Mac Daddy, the 800-lb. gorilla, the heavyweight champion of local record stores: Waterloo Records. Long renowned as one of the best independent record stores, it celebrated its 30th year of operation in 2007. Waterloo eschews genres in favor of listing all artists alphabetically, a genius choice that allows albums of every type from every corner of the world to sit next to one another on the rack, making browsing a musical adventure. But Waterloo is more destination shopping for music nerds than mere record store, with special sections devoted to Austin and Texas music, an extensive section devoted to books about music, more vinyl than you can shake a record needle at, audiophile paraphernalia, T-shirts and every other conceivable item under the sun.
Hell, there’s even frequent in-store performances and signings, bolstered by that most popular of temptations, free beer. What more could the discerning listener ask for? – Patrick Caldwell
 DJ Dojo
2201 South First St.
South Austin’s retail crown jewel specializes in three key components: it sells crates of records, produces vinyl LPs and serves as Austin’s premier DJ school. But not so fast, snooty art-rocker in an up-and-coming band with hopes of releasing an EP on vinyl because it’s the only medium that fully conveys the delicate textures of your classical guitar -- that’ll cost serious coin. Sixty to seventy percent of all test plates for records are made in the Ukraine, the staff says, and you can get two master plates that reproduce into vinyl and 1000 records for $2500.
If this is your scene, the Dojo is an essential first stop for networking purposes. Aside from lessons and friendly customer service, co-owner DJ Manny knows everyone and spins everywhere. In an hour, the approachable Puerto Rico native will teach you how to beat-match. Quick lesson: said technique is used to transition between songs. The tempo of a new track must be changed so that it matches the current one; it’s then mixed between the two so there’s no stoppage of sound. Without maintaining steady flows of sound, the party’s rudely interrupted by inept DJs. -- Ramon Ramirez
 Backspin Records
4631 Airport Blvd. Suite 110-A
Scarcely any larger then the average living room, Backspin Records practically embodies an old adage about whether or not size matters. The selection is seemingly small, but, amazingly, Backspin Records makes every record count, with a much higher awesome-to-crap ratio than is typical for used record stores. With strong soul, classic rock, indie rock and 45 selections, Backspin Records also includes a greater variety and quality of rap and hip-hop than most shops. Best of all, the inventory is chock-full of great deals, with records in great condition priced more cheaply than is standard. Classic, definitive albums for $5 or less are common, meaning one can walk into Backspin Records and walk out with a quality pile of vinyl for only a single twenty-dollar bill. Not too shabby. – Patrick Caldwell
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This section's contents are produced entirely by student journalists, brought to Billboard.com by UWIRE, the leading provider of student-generated content. UWIRE aims to identify and promote the brightest young content creators and deliver their work to a larger audience via professional media partners such as Billboard.com. Visit UWIRE.com to learn more. |
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University of Texas, Austin
This town profile was produced entirely by student journalists from The Daily Texan, the leading news source for the University of Texas community. You can learn more about the individual student contributors by visiting their profiles on UWIRE.com:
Text: Patrick Caldwell, Cass Luskin, Ramon Ramirez
Photos:Patrick Caldwell, Kim Espinosa, Eliot Myers, Callie Richmond
Video: Callie Richmond, Vikram Swaruup, Ranjana Thomas
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