The Day of Amazing Days.

Sup, [insert preferable slang term for 'friends' or 'sexual partners' here]!

I figured a week is long enough to put off writing this post, as I am now able to talk about the day without going into an excitement-induced coma or a serious shaking fit. "But Grace, what on earth are you talking about? What day is this you speak of?!" I hear you shout, like a crowd of impatient, yet very well spoken children. This day was the almighty Record Store Day!

I woke up and ate what felt like three bowls of Coco Pops, when it actually amounted to about 3 Coco Pops [I can't eat when I'm excited or nervous, particularly in the mornings]. I decided to celebrate Record Store Day with my Dad, because he was the only person who would fully appreciate the experience apart from the person I had planned to go with [he ditched me for the Cotswolds, whey!], so I got on the tube at Hatton Cross station until we reached... some place I can't remember the name of. But anyway, we got on a different tube and took the tube to Liverpool Street - that really excited me, because it's on the Monopoly board and I've never been there before.

We then proceeded to try and work out the route to Rough Trade East, which was certainly easier said than done. However, with my father's knowledge of the main streets of London from being a bus driver for years, and my awareness of hipsters who look like they'd shop at Rough Trade, we managed to find an Indian guy in a Dinosaur Jr. t-shirt and follow him some of the way. Then he disappeared, and as I squinted against the sun and searched for him, resenting my height, or lackthereof, a man with a pink folder shouted, "Are you looking for a guy with a pink folder?". Apparently, I was staring right at him and his congregation of nerds, and though I half wished I could stay with them [I felt like I really fit the bill - glasses and an air of quirkiness] I had to say "no" and carry on my voyage. It was actually really easy to find it then, because my Dad had a somewhat frightening knowledge of the backstreets of the Brick Lane area. As we neared the store, which was obvious as the streets were brimming with hipsters and music snobs, it suddenly dawned on me where I was. I'd made it to Rough Trade East.

Unfortunately, there was a queue, but my Dad was happy to wait with me. We were standing in that queue for about 30 seconds, shuffling along instinctively with the ebb and flow of vinyl-lovers, when he walked past: Alex Day. I saw him from the corner of my eye, thinking "he looks an awful lot like Alex Day, and look! His friend has his hair dyed blue like Tom Milsom!" I then took a double take and muttered, "That's... Alex Day. Oh... oh my God. Alex Day." My Dad, being awesome, pushed me out of the queue, saying "I'll wait for you!" I ran towards them, unaware of anything else around me, and tapped Alex on the shoulder. He turned around and I say, "Hi!", shocked that I could squeeze any sound out of my shaking vocal chords, to which he replied "Hello!" in that Alex Day way I adore so much. All I could think to say was "You sound the same!" *FACEPALM*, before explaining that I had only been discussing my favourite member of Chameleon Circuit with a friend the day before. "My friends all love Charlie, but you're my favourite," I told him. "Your favourite should be Charlie too! He makes good videos," he modestly replied, to which I imagine I made a noise that would have sounded something like a quiet "Pffffffffffsdasfhsft" and assuring him, "YOU'RE my favourite." Tom then cut in, stating that although Alex wasn't his favourite member of Chameleon Circuit, he was his favourite member of Sons of Admirals [don't worry if you don't get the joke, it's a YouTube thing ;D], to which I felt I had to reply with, "If it's any consolation, Tom, you're my second-favourite member of Sons of Admirals!" Clearly, he didn't feel it was any consolation. Alex and Tom were just about to leave when I remembered I had my camcorder [WIN!], so I asked if I could take a picture of Alex, which he modestly accepted. I took the picture, my hands, knees and most other limbs shaking furiously, and got a hug from Alex [UNDERSTAND MY EXCITEMENT, YES?!]. Then they left, and that was the end of the greatest moment of my life. And there he is, in all his neriglory.

I returned to my Dad, who had edged much closer to the entrance of Rough Trade East, threw my arms in the air and matter-of-factly stated, "I am a God." We then entered the store and who did I see? None other than Laura Snapes, a writer at NME, who just so happened to act as my mentor during my work experience week [when I wasn't saying embarrassing things to Jaimie Hodgson, that is]. We exchanged that awkward 'acknowledging each other without saying hi' smile, and I continued in the shop. It was honestly one of the most incredible places I've ever been, the bustling atmosphere only adding to my excitement. I was given £15, so I bought Metronomy's 'The English Riviera' on disc and The Wombats' single 'Anti-D/Valentine', as it was the last copy of the limited stock of 1000 which were released specifically for Record Store Day, plus I have a sort of inside joke with the friend who couldn't make it that day about the fact that Murph sings, "It's hard to smile when you're as flattened as a panc-c-cake", thus ruining the mood of the whole song. I also managed to grab a bunch of flyers, an album sampler by a band I'd never heard of called Hest and a Rough Trade paper cup, all for free. I love free stuff.

By the time we'd left the shop, it was only midday, so my dad suggested [in his terribly embarrassing Ali G impersonation voice] "We've been to da Eeeeast-side, so why not go to da Weeeest-side?" And so we did. We got on the tube to Notting Hill Gate and walked along Portobello Road, stopping at a fish and chip shop for lunch, where I had chips and my dad had the local delicacy: Jamaican patty. Once we had finished gorging ourselves on greasy food, we walked over to Rough Trade West, just in time to see the 3 o'clock performance: Pete & The Pirates, who saw a glimmer of fame in 2008 with their song 'Mr. Understanding'.

They were playing outside Rough Trade West, because the shop itself is miniscule, and were incredibly impressive. By the end of their "gig", there were so many people watching that they were obstructing the road, and so the police had to move them. Afterwards, my Dad and I approached them, having a nice little chat I even got a picture with them, in which I look awfully excited.

Overall, I'd say that Record Store Day was a pretty successful day for me. Actually, no, I wouldn't. I would say that Saturday 16th April 2011 was, if not the greatest day of my life, certainly in the top 3.

Here's an awesome picture:

Later, [insert similar preferable slang term for 'friends' or 'sexual partners' here]!

x,.