Groamy’s CD’s and Tapes will be the site of yet another National Record Store Day show April 22.
File photo | The Lima News
LIMA — Paulding County band the Neon Straightjackets got their start performing at National Record Store Day at Groamy’s CDs and Tapes in 2021. Now they are set to return to the Lima venue for the newest edition of the day that celebrates independent record stores in the show, scheduled for April 22.
Larry Stahl, who sings and plays guitar for the band that tries to combine ’90s alt-rock with Seattle grunge, said the band jumped at the chance to come back to the store for part of its tour to promote the release of the new EP “Ex-Girlfriends and Ecstasy.”
“The first time we ever played a show was here, and there was a good crowd that day,” he said. “Everybody really liked the music. Everybody kept asking how old we were and how long we had been doing it, and we just felt welcomed with open arms.”
The Neon Straightjackets can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Their music can be found on all streaming sites, and fans can order the new album before it releases on April 15. Members of the band include Stahl, Colton Lloyd on drums, Johnny Hopkins on lead guitar and Mikey Cramer on bass.
Groamy’s, 1206 W. Robb Ave., Lima, has been hosting the event since it started. When the band performed there for the first time, the Neon Straightjackets stood out to the eponymous owner.
“I like their music, for one thing,” Gene “Groamy” Frueh said. “But they’re real go-getters. They’re always doing something, where a lot of bands get lazy or they don’t know how to promote themselves.”
And to the band and Frueh, nothing could be better to that purpose than returning for Record Store Day.
“Get out of the mall, get off the internet and go to an independent record store,” Frueh said. “It’s where music communities start, and it’s not just a day where we release exclusive records.”
Frueh described past Record Store Day experiences in which up to 400 releases came out, up to 10 bands performed, neighboring businesses came out to offer tarot card readings and sell other crafts and neighbors shared appreciation for listening to the music from their yards.
“We’re going to play some originals and covers for people,” Stahl said. “We’ll give everybody our all, and they can expect to have some fun. Hopefully they stick around to buy something for the store and listen to the other bands. It’s just a great day full of great live music and you shouldn’t be doing anything else other than enjoying everybody that wants to get their music out there, especially if you’re a supporter of local live music.”
And for the band that is motivated by “ripping your heart out, putting it on a plate and showing it to people,” they will be right at home.
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
