BY: BOOKMANS

Attention, music addicts: this Saturday, Jan 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., vendors and fans will converge on Hotel Congress for a day of vinyl appreciation during the first ever Hotel Congress Record Festival. Best of all, the event is free!

This Saturday, the first ever Hotel Congress Record Festival will take place at  - where else? - Hotel Congress, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will bring several vendors together under one roof for a full day of collectors and collecting, including Phoenix's Stinkweeds and Tucson mainstays Toxic Ranch, Twist and Shout, and sponsors Zia Records and Bookmans Entertainment Exchange.

Organizer Steve Dunn says Hotel Congress sought to fill a gap in the local music community. "We kept running into the same people, the same avid record collectors, [BOOKMANS GRANT Electronics supervisor] Mike Olivares being one of them," Dunn says. "He and one my employees, Herb Collares, just started talking about it." Dunn and Collares realized they had the perfect venue for such an event, and built-in appeal with a diverse range of music and record fans. Most importantly, they were in a position to ensure admission was free, leaving a few extra bucks in the pockets of those hoping to score a rare find.

Mario Cordova, Books supervisor at BOOKMANS GRANT and vinyl aficionado, will be manning the Bookmans booth at the Festival, and he promises a slew of carefully chosen records offered at reasonable prices. "We won't be bringing the common, everyday stock you can find in our stores," he says. "We'll have more unusual items, from post-Bebop jazz to obscure psychedelia and prog, cool indie punk, and all points in-between. Not necessarily major collectibles, but a good variety of sought-after artists and titles."

In addition to vinyl, there will be musicians, photographers, and merchandise dealers selling their wares. Stereo Hospital, which specializes in the repair and resale of audio equipment, will also be on hand to lend their expertise. Booths will be set up throughout the hotel's lobby and club, and DJs Carl Hanni, Johnny D, and KXCI's Al Perry will have sets. As an extra bonus, the Tap Room and bar will be open and vinyl and Bookmans gift certificates will be raffled off throughout the day.

Visit the Hotel Congress website for additional details and updates.