Hidden gems and buried treasures at the Moncton Record Expo
Vinyl lovers packed a community centre in Riverview, N.B., Saturday in search of a hidden gem or the missing piece to their collection at the Moncton Record Expo.
Record buying has become a popular hobby over the past few years, despite the fact many of the golden oldies found in the bins at the expo can easily be downloaded for free.
Matt O'Blenis, one of the many vendors on hand from around the Maritimes, has close to 14,000 records of his own.
“The appeal for records is — you're going to get the best possible sound quality. You get the cool package, you can read the liner notes and look at the pictures. People love that. There's also a nostalgia factor for a lot of older people," said O'Blenis.
Expo organizer Martin Leblanc said he had to open 30 minutes early Saturday morning because there were close to 50 people outside the building waiting to get in. He had to cancel the last sale due to the pandemic and was happy to see buyers come out in droves.
"People actually feel comfortable now. I've seen a few people wearing masks and we have hand sanitizer. It doesn't seem like anyone is scared," said Leblanc.
Angele Vautour said she got back into the hobby during the pandemic.
"We had records from way back and dusted them off and took them out of the closet and then we got into it again. With COVID, there's not much to do, so you entertain yourself with records. We have vinyl nights," said Vautour.
But collecting nostalgia can come with a cost. Some records can be as much as $50 to $100 or even more depending on the age, condition and how rare they are.
Proof what's old is often new again, as collectors continue to hunt down those hidden gems or missing pieces.
The next Moncton Record Expo is scheduled for August.
Correction
This is a corrected version of this article. The cutline of the image in the previous version names the band “The Monkees,” as the “The Monkeys.” This correction has been made.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Canada Post’s newest stamp features special cookies for Islamic holiday
Canada Post’s newest specialty stamps feature “melt-in-your-mouth” desserts to mark two Islamic festivals, the crown corporation announced Thursday.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6 per cent in January as Quebec strikes end
Canada's real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.