Connections, Recollections, Record Collections
Imagine a close-to-comprehensive selection of highly desirable vinyl available to two floors of like-minded music lovers searching for the perfect beat. Or checking off your list of “want” records after having exhausted your “need” list, digging side by side with legendary veterans and new generation favorites with their own dream collections already potent at home. Or coming up on $5 shirts and experiencing real-time style being sold by fashionable folks with fits to stay fly’d up. Is this an exaggeration? Nope… It’s the third Official Los Angeles Beat Swap Meet… a festival of records, live DJs, spirits, good conversation, sunshine, and clothing (as the newcomer).
I must say, I truly enjoyed myself this time around. The new venue (The Grand Star Jazz Club), although seldom seen in daylight, was the perfect spot for an afternoon of good vibrations as the feeling that Beat Swap Meet is growing and accomplishing its goal of keeping digging relevant becomes more and more obvious.
Amongst the faithful and ever-changing countenance of Beat Swap Meet attendees, a short roll call of favorites: the Beat Junkies were represented by Mr. Choc and J-Roc, who apparently left cheesing with a nice stack of come-ups and no complaints about pricing; Flying Lotus whose fam Ras G turned the party out with his live set on a SP-404, an obvious crowd pleaser as cameras recording his set were abundant; BSM resident C-Los spun records from his own for sale rack.… and the list goes on and on. The Beat Swap Meet is becoming what the Roosevelt convention was without the perceptible politics and exclusivity.
The movement is happening and its participants are alive and kicking. The regular topic of discussion was the NEXT Beat Swap Meet. BSM goers are no-doubt ready for the movement to keep rolling. The obvious one-stop for tastemakers, cool kids, low-key DJs, producers, bedroom beatmakers, MCs looking for beats, grinders looking to network, and music lovers embarking on excavations for the vinyl to complete their collections.
