I've been working in Eastwood for a good 5 or so years and the Built By Sonic store has literally been a couple of meters from where I work, but because I work the night shift when I pass by the small shop with a big sound, it's already closed. I've bought a couple of CDs from them over the years, I didn't really look through the band shirts, thinking that they were always out of my budget.
I always told myself one of these days I would be dropping by the shop, I've been eyeing the 'Happiness Is' Taking Back Sunday album that I would spot through the door whenever I would pass by the store at 9:00 in the morning, on my way home-of course the store is still closed. I could see a couple of vinyl, might check those out too.
Then, just this week Built By Sonic released a farewell video, thanking fans and supporters for a wonderful five years. What?! I was really surprised and I could feel the sadness slowly creep in. Can you imagine all of my regret? I should have visited sooner, or more often. I thought. Then I also realized that I never got to go to any of the concerts that the store arranged. They also had a couple of music festivals (Sonic Boom) but for whatever reason, I was busy or couldn't make it. I always thought I'd be there for the next one.
It may sound cheesy but in the end you can only have regrets. I think that the store closing also comes just in time to fuel my campaign to keep physical CDs in record stores (or stores in general). I was actually planning to talk about my #CDsNotDead campaign in a separate post but I think I'll start talking about it here.
With the store's closing came the announcement of a week long sale. Yesterday's sale was a Buy One Take One offer on shirts, CDs and vinyl. I had to make it to the shop before it closed at 11:00 PM, my shift was still at 12:00 AM. Arriving at Eastwood a little before the shop closed, I was running as fast as my short legs could carry me. Thankfully I made it, catching a couple of people who worked at Accenture grab a couple of band shirts.
If you have been following my posts on the blog and my social media accounts, you may have noticed that I still buy CDs (yes, Spotify may have it's advantages but I still prefer a physical CD) and my humble collection has been growing steadily. So it was a no brainier to grab as many CDs as I can right? In the words of the kuya watching over the store: "Kayo lang namakyaw ng CDs"
So here is my Farewell Built By Sonic Haul (Remember its Buy One Take One)
Foreign CDs at P495.00
Taking Back Sunday - Happiness Is
New Found Glory - Resurrection
The Used - Imaginary Enemy
The Used - Vulnerable (II) (2 CDs)
Local CDs at P195.00
Urbandub - The Apparition
<S>andwich - Five On The Floor
<S>andwich - Fat, Salt and Flame
Clara Benin - Human Eyes
I think I just added another pile to my CD collection. :)
"Kuya, anong mangyayari sa Sunday?" I asked, referring to the last day that the store would be open. "Mag-iiyakan siguro" the young kid watching over the store said, he was probably still in College. He then proceeded to tell me that the different Street Teams would probably be swinging by. Whatever they were going to have in store, I'm sure it's going to be a heart-wrenching Sunday, we have a Baptism and Birthday coverage on that day, so I'm not sure if we can drop by.
I suddenly remembered that there was also a 3 Stars and a Sun store, just right in front of the Built By Sonic shop, they sold vinly records there but sadly, by the time I got my Motorino the store was already closed. :(
I grew up having little to no extra money to buy the things that I wanted. It was only after a few years working and making my own money that I got to indulge in my hobbies (music, movies, books). There are a great number of people (the majority perhaps) who would want to save a few bucks and would rather download songs through the Internet or now, just stream through Spotify, but there are still a few people like me, who want to give back to the artist and to give them their due. Shops like Built By Sonic helped make that possible, by patronizing original band merchandise.
Hey! I pay for my Spotify premium!
Yes - you may be paying for your Spotify premium but how much of that goes back to the artist? After all the deductions with the big corporations, record labels, etc. whatever goes back to the artist is practically barya (change). So yes, I'd still rather purchase a physical CD - thank you!
Rumors are going around that Built By Sonic may become an online store, this of course is still unconfirmed news. You might have been able to tell that I'm a bit old school, so yes, it's still a different feeling going through a store's doors and making your purchase over the counter, rather than doing it after a series of clicks and waiting for your item to be shipped to your doorstep.
I can't speak for the community which the store has been able to build over the five years that they have been operating, I think that would be reserved for their regular customers and to those part of the Street Teams of the bands that the stop has been able to organize shows and concerts for. I'm merely speaking from an outsider's perspective. A music lover who regrets not being in the store, as often as I would have wanted.
Yes- there are regrets but I refuse for that to be the last feeling that I have toward the store, I would rather it be admiration and I would rather think of the store as a brother-in-arms in this fight to give music the love and respect it deserves. After all, we have a lot of things in common, we're both small but terrible, a small shop with a big sound.
I won't say good bye, but merely, take your well deserved bow, in front of cheers and flowers from your fans and admirers. We may see you again, as a different incarnation of your former self, perhaps an online store but whatever form you may take in the future, I will always see that small corner by the parking lot as the small shop with a big sound. God knows- I'll still be passing through that route for another 5 or so years.
*There are still CDs and of course band merch left in the store, I'd pass by this week if I were you. It would be hard to have just regrets in the end.*
Rumors are going around that Built By Sonic may become an online store, this of course is still unconfirmed news. You might have been able to tell that I'm a bit old school, so yes, it's still a different feeling going through a store's doors and making your purchase over the counter, rather than doing it after a series of clicks and waiting for your item to be shipped to your doorstep.
I can't speak for the community which the store has been able to build over the five years that they have been operating, I think that would be reserved for their regular customers and to those part of the Street Teams of the bands that the stop has been able to organize shows and concerts for. I'm merely speaking from an outsider's perspective. A music lover who regrets not being in the store, as often as I would have wanted.
Yes- there are regrets but I refuse for that to be the last feeling that I have toward the store, I would rather it be admiration and I would rather think of the store as a brother-in-arms in this fight to give music the love and respect it deserves. After all, we have a lot of things in common, we're both small but terrible, a small shop with a big sound.
I won't say good bye, but merely, take your well deserved bow, in front of cheers and flowers from your fans and admirers. We may see you again, as a different incarnation of your former self, perhaps an online store but whatever form you may take in the future, I will always see that small corner by the parking lot as the small shop with a big sound. God knows- I'll still be passing through that route for another 5 or so years.
*There are still CDs and of course band merch left in the store, I'd pass by this week if I were you. It would be hard to have just regrets in the end.*
