This article is for archive purposes. Vibes is now closed as of January 2011.

Heading north from the city, at the end of the Metrolink line, we find the market Town of Bury. The town is famous for its Black Puddings, Robert Peel, Richmal ‘Just William’ Crompton and Danny ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ Boyle.  Vistors to this site may be more interested to know that it is also the home of ”Manchester band’ Elbow.  It also boasts a very fine little indpendent record shop, Vibes, which has been trading in the town since 1977. The shop even had its own record label for a while and released singles by local punk band The Reducers which now fetch a tidy sum on the collectors market.

I recognise those shiny red record racks! This is where most of my pocket money went in the late 1980s and I still treasure my double cassette copy of ‘Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld’ by the Orb, and a prized 12″ KLF promo bought for 99p in the days when major record companies were lavishing free stock on chart return shops in return for better chart placings. I am really pleased to see it is still serving the town to this day and Bury folk are very lucky to have a proper record shop right on its doorstep, so no excuses for buying your CDs from supermarkets if you live there.

The shop used to cover all bases including mainstream pop,  but now specialises more in rock, metal, indie, folk, blues, 60’s pop / pyche and northern / 60’s soul. The shop still stocks vinyl, and they also cater to local fans of Bouncey House and ‘Ardcore which is still a big sub-culture for kids up in Wigan, Bury and North Manchester.  There are occasional instore gigs, too,  (see photos…yes that IS the Magic Numbers!), most recently Faker Junior, The Travelling Band & SR Gents. So if you want to find out where Elbow (and yours truly!)  bought their tunes back in the day, hop on a tram at Victoria station and er..feel the Vibes!