There’s something undeniably special about watching a room full of people thumbing through record bins—brows furrowed, sleeves flipped, smiles exchanged. At the Sonoma County Record Sale, held at 420 First Street in downtown Santa Rosa, those little moments added up to a full day of analog joy, music discovery, and deep community connection. KSVY Sonoma 91.3 FM was on-site for a two-hour live broadcast, soaking in the sounds, stories, and scenes of a packed event driven by vinyl lovers and music lifers.
From the moment the doors opened, hungry little fingers were flipping through crates packed with records from every decade and genre. The room buzzed with DJs, collectors, casual diggers, and families, all coming together in a vibrant celebration of recorded sound. All vinyl DJs spun all day, and our very own Nate from Off the Shelf was right in the thick of it—radiating joy as he dropped crate-dug gems in his element.
Our interviews began at with Steve Joddy, the owner and brewer of Shady Oak Barrel House, the host venue for the day’s festivities. Steve spoke with warmth about the history of the space and his own journey into brewing, which began when his dad gifted him a brewing kit at age 16. He lit up talking about getting his own hands into the record crates and his excitement to dig for hidden treasures.
At 1:30 PM, Gerry Strumbaugh, owner of Next Record Store in Santa Rosa, shared a long-view perspective on the rollercoaster ride of vinyl’s popularity. Gerry started as a clerk at The Last Record Store, once literally the final shop standing in the county. Today, Sonoma County has multiple record stores—evidence, he said, of a resurging scene that’s stronger when it comes together. Events like this one, he emphasized, are how culture is kept alive and shared.
Chris from Record Mill in Forestville joined us alongside Gerry, and the two quickly found a shared groove on-air. Chris was quick to pay props to Gerry, recognizing him as a pillar of the local scene and a ready collaborator rather than a competitor. Their dialogue captured the spirit of the art, craft, and hobby of vinyl collecting—one driven by passion and a sense of shared history rather than rivalry.
At 2:05 PM, James Florence of Rain Dog Records offered his insights into the indie shop experience and the relationships they build with customers. For him, it’s not just about sales—it’s about storytelling, music education, and community curation. That personal touch can’t be found in an algorithm.
At 2:30 PM, we shifted gears into the festival world with Chris Schultz, Music Director for the upcoming Cosmico Festival. He drew the lines between records, live music venues, artists, and festivals—how each reinforces the other, strengthening the ecosystem.
We wrapped our interviews at 2:45 PM with Jason the Argonaut, merchant of treasures at Radio Thrift Records the producer of the event and host of Audio Gathering on KSVY. Jason highlighted how digging for records and listening intentionally builds a different kind of appreciation and memory. It’s not passive consumption—it’s groove and communion.
Throughout the broadcast, Nora T Murphy, KSVY resident Punk and host of Left of the Dial served up a brilliant mix of tunes that underscored the themes being discussed and her intimate relationship with music, records, and the culture.
RJ Grooms, host and co-producer of the live broadcast, put forward a theory on-air that sparked conversation across interviews: That tech disruption, streaming, and pandemic-era isolation fractured the lineage of the club and dance scene. But events like this—where DJs, diggers, and listeners all converge—are a kind of healing. A way to restore those connections, pass on the rituals, and energize the next generation.
🎧 How to Listen to the Broadcast
Missed the live show? Don’t worry—we’ve archived both hours of the broadcast so you can catch every interview, every beat, and every groove-filled moment.
🕐 Listen to Hour 1 (1 PM)
🕑 Listen to Hour 2 (2 PM)
