The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Although it would not reach as many people as a YouTube video or broadcast (or whatever else can be managed nowadays), have any of you, or do any of you either participate in, or know of, a circumstance in which cylinders/78's/Diamond Discs are played in public?

My girlfriend opened an antique shop here in Pennsylvania about six months ago. She is fully supportive of my record-collecting. Once a month, using either an HMV 32, a 1916 Diamond Disc player, or a 1924 Victrola (I forget the model), music is played "live" for customers at her store. Although a number are indifferent to it, a number of others have made respectful inquiries regarding either the machines or music, or spoken of what they have at home in terms of records.

I would not be so presumptuous as to state that it is unique, but I would think it rather uncommon that "the public" is thus exposed to "our music" in such a manner.

Would be happy to hear of occasions that you know if, or have participated in that were/are similar.

At some antique car gatherings there are occasionally folks who will play a portable disc phonograph or cylinder machine.

JerryVan wrote: Thu May 30, 2024 12:05 pm At some antique car gatherings there are occasionally folks who will play a portable disc phonograph or cylinder machine.

How fitting! Glad to hear that's the case.

Here I am :

Yes indeed! I've done various:
- as others have mentioned, taking a gramophone to classic car shows and rallies
- playing one all day at the entrance to an antiques fair (I used to do that every month but the fair in question finished)
- at friends' parties and a wedding
- at WW2 events
- at gigs with a band I used to play in
- occasionally 78 DJing in London with members of the Shellac Collective https://www.facebook.com/SHELLAC78/?locale=en_GB (I resolutely don't do Farcebook nor any form of social tedia so, sadly, I'm always out of touch with them)

My music professor in college had an event where he hired me as a sort of DJ to play 78s on my VV-IX. Lots of fun, but it was so crowded, hardly anyone heard anything.

I'm a senior in highschool and my final assignment this year in my literature class was to teach the class about something. I presented on collecting and caring for 78rpm records, and I brought in my 1930s German Polydor-Electrix machine to demonstrate.

There were definitely some who enjoyed it more than others. My teacher did like it, though. I have a friend in the class who is a year younger than me who collects records, mostly vinyl, but some 78s, especially classical. I've given him some 78s from my collection and he even found me an Eddie Cantor record I'd been looking for for quite some time.

I'm also one of those who do this kind of things, under the battlename Captain Shellac.

The most important event I have organised so far is a commemoration of the centenary of WWI which went under the name of The Sound Of The Great War and was repeated in several towns in 2015, then again in 2018 and once more in 2019.

But I also DJ at private parties and meetings, unfortunately less than I would like to (it didn't happen again after the pandemic).

I'm quite suprised that DJ Black Jack Shellac, whom actually I took inspiration from, still didn't chime in!

I play 78's each spring at my wife's quilting groups annual outdoor show using a portable wind-up of some kind. Also have played V-discs on WW2 military issue wind-up machines (Portelec) and at a local veteran's memorial and museum. It is always well received and lots of people are totally fascinated with the old technology. It is a blast and worth the time and effort to share the hobby!

William Grimshaw, a Manchester gramophone dealer, is said to have been the first person in England to give public gramophone concerts in the open. Here is the full story :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/conten ... ture.shtml