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
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
BREAKING London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.