Music aficionados united in Nottingham for Record Store Day 2026, a celebration of everything vinyl. We visited three of the city’s top record shops to soak up the vibe of a day dedicated to physical music and the enduring strength of independent retail...
Rough Trade saw an early-doors queue snaking around sunny Hockley in anticipation of some exclusive limited-edition vinyl and rare releases.
The team upstairs hosted a packed line-up of bands in an all-day, free-of-charge, event. The programme featured a wide array of genres, from jazz act Eponine to indie Silverstate and pop punk band Autumn Fires, who delivered an invigorating set to an appreciative crowd. DJ Robin Hearn also played eclectic beats in the bar area, where people relaxed, drank and discussed their RSD purchases.
“Rough Trade celebrates its 50-year anniversary this year, with the Nottingham store having been a fixture in the city for just over a decade,” said Bar and Events Manager Tijen Fahri. “It’s great to see that the appetite for live music and physical retail in Nottingham is going nowhere – in fact, it’s booming.”
Elsewhere, we attended a well-stocked record sale at new-ish venue Movers, where we spoke to well-known Nottingham DJs Jodie Parker and Lee Cox, collectively known as The Big Faces. “It’s just fabulous to see such a vibrant and passionate underground music scene emerging and enduring in Nottingham,” said Jodie. “Today is a great representation of this – there’s some really exciting events coming up in 2026 at Movers and other independent venues, with something for everyone to enjoy.” You can catch The Big Faces on 16 May at the latest event from long-standing Nottingham brand Lovezoo, and afterwards at vinyl-first venue Mssng Pieces in Hockley.
At Fac1968 on St James’ Street, an experienced line-up of DJs played to avid crate-diggers, who relished the chance to browse the store’s eclectic range of vinyl and vintage fashion from 8am. Teaming up with Nottingham’s Record Co-Op, Fac1968 put together an impressive list of special stock for Record Store Day, with the remaining items available to purchase here.
DJ Lee Gillyon, who played at Fac1968 as well as attending Crate on Mansfield Road, noted how good the atmosphere was in both venues. “It’s fantastic to see so many artists and record lovers come out to celebrate their love of music – it’s a real strong community in Nottingham,” he said. Lee runs promotions company 808 Sunrise, dedicated to everything from Balearic beats to acid house. His next event takes place at Movers on Friday 29 May, with The Haçienda DJ Jon Da Silva headlining. Tickets here.
Alas, we didn’t get chance to visit every venue in Nottingham for Record Store day – but it’s safe to say that, faced with the cost-of-living crisis and constant competition from the commercial scene, independent music culture is alive and kicking in our city.
Below, you can see more photos of bands who performed at Rough Trade during RSD 2026, including Sunflower Thieves, Kaliko, Melanie Baker, Solar Eyes and George Gadd.
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