Before the tsunami tidal wave of soulless CD, MiniDisk and MP3 media engulfed the once stalwart shoreline empire of vinyl, terms like stylus, double A side and gatefold album were a major part of the music lovers repertoire. Said music lovers were to be found trawling record shops shelves on the word of John Peel, and the lure of decadent album cover art work. As music science advances, the presence of the record shop on the high street is being exposed to increasing levels of pressure. World Record Store Day was created to highlight the issue of independent retailers becoming marginalised, and driven to extinction.

One example of the traditionally friendly local store, free of corporate coldness is Cob Records. First beginning trading in 1967 with their store in Porthmadog, the team of music enthusiasts nurtured a product that has become known by music collectors across the world. Providing their contribution to World Record Store Day, Cob Records hosted live sets by Pwlhelli band The Stilletoes, and Celtic Cajun trio by Steve Eaves. Appropriately crammed amongst the historic, memorable stacks of carefully labelled vinyl, an alternative to the sweat soaked festival stages, the neo punk trio delivered a set toned down from the customary anarchic wall of sound that characterises many Stilletoes gigs.

There has been a lot of talk that front woman Efa has failed to progress from the bands origins in 2007. Two years on, with their single on pink vinyl gracing the Cob Records shelves, and the eve of a new album ADH Dreams, a thinner, blonder, empowered Efa launched the electro acoustic set. The confined space made little impact on the pyrotechnic stage act, measurable on a seismic scale. Channelling attitude direct from the Sex Pistols, visceral lyrics like “ Don’t be a knob” were spat giving no quarter to modesty. Efa did not disappoint in her signature tirade of socio-political comment. Venting her hostility towards the corporate domination of the high street, and the topical issue of racism and right wing prejudice in modern Wales. Solidly backed up by younger brother Yago on drums and bassist James, Efa dispelled the critics, and at her young age staked her place as a future first lady of Welsh rock.

The attendance was quieter than would be prefered, though the undercurrent of feeling and nostaligia grows and continues to be championed by shops like Cob Records. With the work of World Record Store Day, unique and atmospheric places will thrive on the high street, and be a place where music fan, musician and collector can step into a different world and find something inspirational.