If you ever come to my house (and why shouldn’t you, you’re all invited), the first thing you’ll notice as you walk through the front door and into the living room is the lack of a television. Now, this isn’t some snooty stab at being high brow by shunning the TV for books on philosophy and women’s studies. To answer Jules from Pulp Fiction, yes I’m aware that there’s an invention called television, and on this invention they show shows.

It’s just that when it came down to decorating the ladyfriend and I’s abode, my records won out over reruns. To borrow a phrase from Pearl Jam, I like to "spin the black circle."

The walls of the living room are covered in wooden boxes stuffed full of vinyl. Beautiful, beautiful vinyl. All leading like landing lights to my beloved record player. I love music, but more importantly (and more fetishistic, if you like) I love hearing it played through the old-school crackle and hiss of real live vinyl.

So as you can imagine I’m quite stoked about this Saturday’s national celebration of Record Store Day.

All across the country, indie record stores will host in-store concerts and stock their shelves with mostly exclusive content not available at the ginormo-dome retailers. Best of all, a lot of it will come in the form of seven-inch vinyl singles: just like God intended.

Portland being a hub for indie rock, there’s lots of local goodness going down.

Jackpot’s downtown location will host performances by the Shaky Hands and Loch Lomond, while Music Millennium will have Queensryche on hand to sign copies of their latest album. And there’s a ton of great tunes from our beloved bands: a split seven-inch from the Thermals and Thao With the Get Down Stay Down, a new song from Blitzen Trapper called "War is Placebo," as well as unreleased demos from the Decemberists.

There’s plenty of national and international acts getting in on the indie act, too: The Smiths, Wilco, Pavement, Sonic Youth, Beck, Magnolia Electric Co., My Morning Jacket, Guided by Voices, Iron and Wine, Flaming Lips, Tom Waits, the Stooges, Queen, the Boss, Dylan, Jane’s Addiction.

For more complete information, head to the official site of Record Store Day.
And also, below I’ve posted a partial list of local record stores (with links where available) worth your time. And money.

Enjoy your weekend.

Jackpot Records
Multiple Locations

Music Millenium
3158 E Burnside

Vinyl Resting Place
8332 N Lombard St
vinylrestingplaceusa.com

Timbuktunes
4726 SE Hawthorne
timbuktunes.com/cd/cd-front.php

Second Avenue Records
400 SW 2nd

Q is for Choir
2510 SE Clinton

Green Noise Records
2615 SE Clinton
greennoiserecords.com

Everyday Music
Multiple locations
everydaymusic.com

Crossroads Music
3130-B SE Hawthorne
xro.com

Brickwall Records
704 NE Deckum
brickwallrecords.com