A vinyl revival IRL | Morning Newsletter
And the National Guard on public transit.
The Morning Newsletter
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Listen up, vinyl lovers: This one will be music to your ears.
Record bars and listening rooms are popping up around the city, indicating a surge in appreciation for in-person grooving. “This is a major metropolitan city, so there have to be purveyors of good taste and champions crusading for good music that people haven’t heard,” said the owner of one such establishment.
And while both New York City and Philadelphia have seen a rash of violence on their public transit systems, only one is deploying the National Guard to patrol its vehicles.
We may get a reprieve from the clouds today. Let’s get into it.
— Julie Zeglen (@juliezeglen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Sure, you can stream your favorite artist’s latest album. But there’s nothing quite like hearing it live — or at least, from speakers in a room full of other audiophiles.
Vinyl is having a moment in Philly, thanks to a handful of new listening rooms, pop-up events, and steadfast record stores. Some local opportunities to listen live or add to your collection:
48 Record Bar in Old City, inspired by Japanese bars and coffee shops known as jazz kissas
Vinylcon!, a weekend-long marketplace coming to the 23rd Street Armory in April
Solar Myth jazz and record bar in the former South Philly home of beloved venue Boot & Saddle
And a score of shops where records reign, such as Philadelphia Record Exchange in Fishtown, R&B Records in Upper Darby, Cratediggaz Records in Queen Village, and Main Street Music in Manayunk
Earl Hopkins and Dan DeLuca have the story on the musical medium’s local prominence.
P.S. There’s a ton happening in Philly’s arts scene this spring. Check out The Inquirer’s full guide to upcoming performances in the latest Things To Do newsletter, from dance to jazz to theater.
Following a surge of crimes on the NYC subway system, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has enlisted the help of the National Guard to patrol vehicles and check riders’ bags.
Would Mayor Cherelle L. Parker seek to do the same in Philadelphia?
Parker has name-checked the National Guard before, noting in October that she would consider deploying the military force to shut down the Kensington drug market. (Gov. Josh Shapiro said he’s not on board with that idea.)
But this week’s rash of gun violence on or near SEPTA buses — including the Wednesday incident when eight high school students were shot — as well as New York’s move have some wondering if the proposal may resurface.
For now, it’s not on the table, both Parker and Shapiro said Thursday. Rodrigo Torrejón and Anna Orso explain what the city does have planned to combat crime on SEPTA.
What you should know today
From D.C. to Delco: President Joe Biden will be at Strath Haven Middle School today following last night’s State of the Union.
Celena Morrison-McLean, the city’s executive director of the Office of LGBT Affairs, and her husband, Darius McLean, said they may file a civil suit against the state trooper who detained them on I-76 last weekend. They also want a public apology.
Harm reduction advocates led a protest at City Hall yesterday after Philly officials moved to end one group’s work to bring showers, wound care, and other services to Kensington Avenue.
Philadelphia’s famous Boathouse Row is officially lit with a new programmable system that allows for 16 million color combinations.
Mayor Parker has named more top officials to lead her administration, including a Parks and Rec commissioner and labor director.
An emotional school board on Thursday night addressed a week of gun violence that saw 11 Philadelphia students shot, including eight Northeast High pupils at a Burholme bus stop.
Through a federal program called Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement, the city’s Office of Worker Protections is helping to shield an undocumented worker from deportation as he participates in a labor investigation.
Kareem Welton, the man who killed one person and injured five others in a 2021 spree of hit-and-runs spanning from Center City to Montgomery County, has been sentenced to up to 91 years in state prison.
The John Coltrane House near Fairmount Park may be saved from demolition thanks to a grant from a new program focused on preserving homes important to Black history.
Temple’s Diane Richardson is “more than a basketball coach” — though she’s a very good one of those, bringing the women’s team to an unexpected NCAA Tournament berth.
🧠 Trivia time
Which Pennsylvania meat staple has been made vegan by once-local creator Sarah Cain — and gained a cult following in the process?
A) Scrapple
B) Pork roll
C) Hot dogs
D) Lebanon bologna
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we're...
🏀 Wishing: We could shoot hoops with this 80-year-old baller.
🎙️ Inducting: Promoter Paul Heyman, into the WWE Hall of Fame ahead of WrestleMania XL.
🎫 Joining: The wait list to see The Boss in Asbury Park this September.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Three of the six dancing, YouTubing Quiner sisters work for this Princeton-based ballet company.
ABEL TERRANCE TEMPORARILY
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Joann Polk, who correctly solved Thursday’s anagram: The Office, whose fans have been asked to contribute to the restoration of a landmark in Scranton.
Photo of the day
I hope you enjoy your Friday. See you next week!
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