Columnist Spencer Patterson: Vegas Zia store sure to feed your music needs

Spencer Patterson

Friday, July 1, 2005 | 8:27 a.m.

Back in high school, I once went to four record shops in the same chain in a single day.

And I'm not talking about four stores in the same part of town. These were spread out across the four corners of metropolitan Phoenix, no tiny 'burb by anyone's definition.

You're wondering what could possibly make anyone -- even someone as music obsessed as myself -- embark on such a foolish excursion, right?

The answer can be found inside Zia Record Exchange, a chain probably responsible for at least one-third of my CD collection. And now, a chain with a shiny, new Las Vegas location.

The recently launched local franchise, situated near the corner of Eastern Avenue and Flamingo Road (4225 S. Eastern Ave.), is the first Zia to open outside of Arizona. It joins seven stores in that state, five in metro Phoenix and two in Tucson.

Zia bills itself as "The Last Real Record Store." And while that slogan is a tad over the top -- California's Amoeba Records chain, Las Vegas' own Big B's and half a dozen shops in New York's East Village certainly qualify -- it isn't that far off in today's big-box-store-dominated retail world.

Open since 1980, the Arizona Zias have even managed to stay relevant through the advent of online CD shopping and the upsurge in music downloading.

Primarily, they've done it by emphasizing the trading post aspect of their business. Zia sells new CDs for fair prices, but most everyone I know in Arizona goes there to unload stacks of old discs and use the credit for new batches of used discs.

Those thriving trade counters allow Zias to constantly freshen their sales racks, a drastic difference from the many defunct Vegas disc shops that sat with the same used CD supplies for month upon month.

I visited the new local branch this week, and am pleased to report that its approach appears to be the same as that of its Arizona counterparts. I discovered plenty of used offerings by indie-rock favorites Bright Eyes and Death Cab For Cutie, among more usual suspects such as Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin.

"This town has been screaming for a Zia for years," said Karl Hartwig, Zia's director of operations for the Nevada market and former manager for Las Vegas' deceased Virgin Megastore. "This is what a real record store should be. We acknowledge our customers, offer fair prices and we're able to offer the best new and used selection or any store in town."

Thus far, the Vegas Zia has only been able to offer credit for trade, with most CD titles fetching between $3 and $5, provided they are in good condition and in demand. Hartwig said the store expects to have a pawning license soon, which will allow it to provide a cash option for trades.

The store includes a large DVD section, with plenty of used titles sprinkled in, along with a selection of used vinyl.

One corner of the store also features a significant, raised stage area, which can handle in-store performances by local and touring bands -- common occurrences in many other towns but rare events in Southern Nevada's recent history.

It's not often I endorse a new business venture with this much gusto, particularly given the transient, come-and-go nature of the Las Vegas area. In this case, though, I have a lifetime of experience -- literally -- with the company that tells me it will be successful here.

Grab a handful of your old CDs and see for yourself. Just make sure you have a little time, because as my four-Zia trek should tell you, the store can be pretty addictive.

Music notes

Local Live 8: Area music fans can catch live broadcasts from Saturday's Live 8 concerts on MTV (Cox cable channel 37) and VH1 (Cox cable channel 39) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both networks. Local ABC affiliate KTNV (Channel 13) will also air a two-hour highlight package from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The series of shows, which concludes on Wednesday, will bring together more than 100 acts from 10 locations around the world, for the purpose of raising awareness about global poverty.

Among the biggest names scheduled to perform: Paul McCartney, U2, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Brian Wilson, Neil Young, Sting, R.E.M., Coldplay, the Dave Matthews Band, Green Day, Snoop Dogg and Bjork.

Las Vegas' the Killers are slated to play at the London event, which will also be home to Pink Floyd's first live set with Roger Waters since 1981.

America Online will also provide live Internet broadcasts of five of Live 8 concerts to both AOL subscribers and nonsubscribers. Visit www.aol.co.uk/live8 for more information.

Independent spirits: Among the many headliners in town for the July 4 weekend: country veteran Merle Haggard (tonight, Texas Station); honky-tonk revivalist Dwight Yoakam (tonight and Saturday, the Cannery); singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett (Saturday, Mandalay Bay Beach) and pop-rocker Billy Idol (Sunday, Hard Rock Hotel).

The "Jazz Under the Stars" series continues with performances from Kim Waters, Marion Meadows, Jeff Kashiwa and Acoustic Alchemy (Saturday, Spring Mountain State Park).

And the "Red, White & Boom" festival brings together Social Distortion, Better Than Ezra, Bowling For Soup, Crossfade, Fatty Koo and Brian Evans (Sunday, Desert Breeze Park).

On sale

Mudvayne plays the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on Aug. 17. Tickets are $27 to $35 and are on sale now at the House of Blues box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 474-4000 and at www.ticketmaster.com.

The Grass Roots stop at the Aladdin Showroom on Aug. 26-27. Tickets are $45 and are on sale now through the Aladdin box office and Ticketmaster.

Starship lands at The Aladdin Showroom on Sept. 3-4. Tickets are $39.50 and are on sale now through the Aladdin box office and Ticketmaster.