Tape-deck the halls: Christmas gift ideas for music fans
Cork’s record shops are an eternal favourite, slinging new and used vinyl, CDs, and tapes - some weathering out over a decade of difficult times for physical music, only to be tasked with keeping pace with the vinyl revival. Run by passionate proprietors and knowledgeable staff, they each also boast a variety of gift vouchers for that hard-to-buy-for music fan.
It wouldn’t be a Christmas gift guide in these pages without a shout to PLUGD Records (plugdrecords.com), the seemingly unsinkable battleship of music in Cork City, going from strength to strength under the watchful eye of founder Jimmy Horgan.
As ever, a carefully-curated selection of new and secondhand wax from independent artists and labels the world over lines the walls, as well as CDs, tapes and various print endeavours. Plus, music fans and their tired companions alike can kick back with a cuppa and a snack!
Bunker Vinyl on Camden Quay wouldn’t easily be sunk either, even after more close shaves with inclement weather in its basement location.
Cultivating a loyal, cross-generational custom with new and secondhand music, chief wax-slinger John Dwyer and in-house crate digger Shannon Bowman are also behind Shandon’s Studio 23, aiming to set up a city-central spot for recording and music production. Of course, it’s always worth dropping in to say hello and one of Dwyer’s wealth of wonderful music-related anecdotes.
Nestled snugly on Cork’s southside is MusicZone (musiczone.ie), another long-battling outpost for physical tunes, trading out of Deanrock Business Park. Proprietor Ray O’Brien and crew not only oversee a deep range of music across numerous formats, but also host regular in-store gigs, as well as taking particular care of a beloved email newsletter that often functions as an opinion/editorial outlet on musical matters for the boss!
MacCurtain Street’s Thirty Three RPM trucks on, stationed alongside the Leisureplex and awaiting the fate of its near neighbour - and whether planning permission for yet another hotel in the city centre changes the context of its own existence. A family business, the shop stocks a varied selection of secondhand vinyl and cassettes, from the usual suspects, to European pop music and beyond - as well as refurbished audio gear and more.
Out in the mainstream, Golden Discs (goldendiscs.ie) has stripped its presence in Cork down to its flagship Patrick Street outpost. The Vinyl Lounge, upstairs, carries the chain’s usual mix of major-label and catalogue stock, including 2 for €50 deals and more, while downstairs packs in CDs, home video, audio gear and an increasingly-bewildering array of pop-cultural ephemera - missing a trick, in your writer’s opinion, in not stocking physical video games after the death of the GameStop franchise in Ireland.
2024 saw Crowley’s Music Centre steadily build on its rapturously-received comeback on Friar Street, at the intersection of Douglas and Barrack Streets.
Slowly stocking back up on an eclectic selection of secondhand instruments, new accessories and gear, and locally-made records, the Crowley family took up the baton for the continued presence of legendary guitarist Rory Gallagher’s Fender Stratocaster in the city, fundraising on a bid on its October auction. Latterly, the shop has hopped on the information superhighway, opening for online business at https://www.crowleysmusiccentre.com/.
Back in the city centre, Pro Musica (promusica.ie) continues to maintain a music-retail powerhouse that rivals the big European players for selection and price, stocking big names across instruments, accessories and amplification.
A comprehensive selection of guitar pedals is always worth stroking one’s chin over, while its selection of music-education material is unmatched, from music books of all genres and skill levels, to an unparalleled stock of instructionals on every imaginable aspect of Ireland’s musical tradition.
Usually, your writer would provide an exhaustive list of gigs coming up in the new year, for which tickets will no doubt be readily available online, and at venue box offices where applicable. And indeed, from supporting new local music, to stepping under the big Marquee for a summer’s night out, you can’t beat a gig ticket as a handy present for a music-mad loved one - check the online presences of venues like Cyprus Avenue, Cork Opera House and others for announcements; while TicketMaster is the destination for the big names heading for the Marquee and Musgrave Park this summer.
Wordcount, however, necessitates prioritising your writer’s treasured annual gift-guide tradition: if you can’t find a ticket you’d like, or if a record that you or your loved one has been hankering after just isn’t in stock, try a donation to a music-friendly social cause in their name.
Sexual Violence Centre Cork continues to partner with venues and festivals to pioneer gig-safety initiatives like SafeGigs, proposing a code of conduct and mutual support among gig-goers against sexual harassment and violence at live events.
Its Ask for Angela scheme, meanwhile, continues to educate staff in discreetly facilitating gig-goers in escaping risky or fearful situations; while the Centre itself provides counselling and other services to survivors of sexual violence in the city from its Camden Quay centre - visit sexualviolence.ie for more information, and to donate.
Think you can stop what they do? We doubt it! MusicGeneration Cork City has provided musical education, workshopping and performance opportunities for children, teenagers and adults all over the city, for nearly two decades; working with Cork-based musicians and facilitators to teach in its schools, libraries and community centres.
It’s been a banner year for their partners at the Kabin, with young rappers from Hollyhill and Lisdoonvarna heading up an unlikely pop megahit in ‘The Spark’ - leading straight to big performances at Musgrave Park, and festivals all over Europe. They’re also continuing their wider actions in 2024, including Creative Tradition’s third annual Féile Fear an Rí trad festival on the city’s northside, this year helmed by the bauld John Spillane, fair play to him - visit musicgenerationcorkcity.com for more information and to donate.
On a national basis, Irish Artists for Palestine have been organising gigs around the country to raise funds and awareness for the people of Palestine, as the ongoing violence in the Middle East sadly sees no signs of ending - working with reliable partners like Medecins Sans Frontieres and the International Red Cross to get money and resources where they need to be. Visit irishartistsforpalestine.com for more information on where to donate - and how to set up a fundraising event for your community.
