Strangeland Records goes out of business.

A Somber Announcement…
It is with deepest regret that I must announce that on March 17th Strangeland Records will be closing its doors forever. Sadly, while we had no shortage of verbal supporters and well-wishers, in the end we simply did not have enough paying customers to cover our expenses and keep the shop going.

An Honor to Serve…
Since day one Strangeland has been an ardent supporter of the local art and music community. In our short time here I’m proud to say that we’ve hosted over 150 DJs and 200+ bands. We’ve also displayed on our walls the works of over a dozen promising local artists. I’m personally honored to have had so many talented bands, DJs, and artists come through our doors. I can only hope the other local shops/venues will carry the torch and help to further our DC music and arts scene.

The Show’s Almost Over…
We’ll be celebrating the memory of Strangeland “Irish wake” style with a series of going away parties here at the shop…

Saturday 1/12 – Goth/Industrial Armageddon (2pm-10pm)
w/ Ego Likeness, Red This Ever, The Opposite Sex, XUBERX,
dharmata101, Rites of Ash and DJs Vlad, Shade, Liebchen, Kangal, Rift,
DuJour, Cheetahdave

Saturday 1/19 – Live @ Strangeland Apocalypse (2pm-12am)
w/ Three Faces of Eve, Salome, Absolute Vengeance, Freehand Arson,
Bliss, Ambition Burning, Vox Populi (more TBA)

Saturday 1/26 – Strictly Locals End of Days (6pm-4am)
w/ Muramasa, ODJ, Deinfamous, Alter-Ego, Encryption, Solace72,
Jungle Jessi, Quannum Logic, Harry Ransom, Brandon Black,
Miguel Lush, Nonchalant, Lycan, Psymon, Darkenetiks, Hollowpoint,
Ademaro, Shaft XXL, Axios

Last Chance Sale…
Our liquidation sale will begin on Friday, February 1st. From here on out we’ll be looking to get rid of everything, from merchandise to fixtures to DJ gear. The liquidation discount percentages will escalate with each subsequent week though the final day of business on 3/17. Details about the sale will be announced in late January.

What can you do to help?…
At this point the best thing you can do is spend some money here. Every dollar you spend at Strangeland from here on out is a dollar less that we will have to pay back to the bank. With that in mind, be kind; buy some CDs/vinyl/etc. as a final token of your appreciation.

The Changing Face of Music…
The independent music scene is dying a very painful death right now and it’s dying at the hands of its alleged fans. Downloading/piracy from major labels may strike a blow against “the man”, but doing the same for independent/underground music is KILLING those that make and make available that type of music, from the bands to the labels, the promoters to the shop & venue owners. Right now downloading is at the “fall of Rome” stage, with people ravenously downloading anything they can get their hands on, downloading stuff that they don’t even get around to listening to just so that they can brag about how many songs they have. At the same time fewer people are pulling themselves away from their computers (Tivos, Nintendo Wiis, online gaming, etc.) to see, support and buy merch from bands who are struggling to tour at all before going back to their day jobs.

The effects of this detrimental behavior won’t be truly felt until a couple years from now. As the support structure for underground music continues to erode at an exponential rate, indie labels/shops/magazines will continue to fold. As show attendance continues to decline, fewer bands will tour and venues will shut down. As club attendance continues to decline, once popular club events will cease to be. And certainly the effects will be TRULY FELT when all that remains on the desolate musical landscape is local level MySpace band demos and major label pop fodder… with nothing in between, thus robbing us of the next generation VNV Nation, Jesu, Rancid, Dimmu Borgir, etc. You can only rape independent music for so long before nothing is left.

Without support, art ceases to exist. So I urge you from the bottom of my heart, please support the bands you like. Buy their albums. See them live. Buy merch at their shows (very often this means dinner and gas money to them). In the end this is a very small price to pay in order to keep good independent music going.

One Final Note…
It has truly been a pleasure running the shop for these past two years. I’m thankful for all the new friends I’ve met, the excellent bands and DJs I’ve seen and the customers I’ve helped find and discover new music. After all, that was the point, wasn’t it? For everyone who has come in and bought something, checked out a show, handed out a flyer for us, for everyone who has shown Strangeland, my brainchild and baby, some love…

Thank You!

[Original Post by Ryan Hill, at livejournal.com. View original source here.]