Live Report: Record Store Day 2016

As the morning darkness hung over the city, die-hard collectors huddled together in queues, braving the frosty weather to get their hands on rare and discounted vinyl.

Walking around the city's intimate music shops, there was a buzz in the air. Music fans of all ages flocked to their local record vendors to support Record Store Day 2016.

This year's selection of exclusives was as epic as it has ever been. Offerings from the late David Bowie, Run The Jewels, Patti Smith, Glen Hansard, Noel Gallagher, Undertones and Foals, insured that RSD 2016 was going to be one to remember.

Meanwhile, as music fans dug their way through crate after crate of vinyl, upstairs in Tower Records, the live music portion of the day begun.

The Young Folk were the first act of the day. They dazzled the room with gorgeous harmonies and soothing folky guitar melodies. The Tower crowd were enraptured by the three-piece, who just yesterday, released their second album First Sign Of Morning.

Shortly before 1pm, September Girls hit the attic stage. "I also work here, so this is weird," laughed guitarist-vocalist Paula Cullen. Having launched their new album Age Of Indignation, the night before at the Grand Social, the quintet were full of energy, psychedelic panache and enough guitar reverb to keep the Tower floor vibrating for minutes after they exited the stage.

Rising Irish rockers Fangclub took to the stage just before 2pm. For their RSD offering, the group released a new limited edition EP Bullet Head. The attic room was instantly engulfed by thunderous drumming, pounding guitars and grunge-inspired vocals.

In fact, the drumming was so exuberant, it knocked the microphone nearest the drum kit over onto the drummer's shoulder – but like a total professional he kept playing, not missing a beat, until the mic fell back against the wall.

After their showing at One's To Watch 2016 and their record store day performance, it's evident that this three-piece has every ingredient that's needed to soar. My guess is that it's only a matter of time before the masses catch on.

Our Record Store Day marathon extravaganza was book-ended by two superb performances. The Freebird audience was treated to an immaculate concoction of vocal harmonies and a soft electro sound, from Wounded Healer; later on, we heard a tender, angelic and haunting show, from folk artist Owensie.

Wounded Healer, real name Sorca McGrath, is one half of Dublin duo Ships. Throughout the show, her lyrics shone and intrigued. Speaking about her songwriting, Sorcha remarked that she embraced "words that both repel and attract" her. "I see so much polarising in the world around us, with such a concentration on making a villain of the ‘other’ – so I want to embrace both sides to begin the process of understanding that we are all these things."

Which sounds like a potentially productive approach to us...

"There's a lot of serious faces in the crowd. Don't take it to seriously, it's just music," Owensie mused. His performance was extraordinarily atmospheric for what is a pretty unorthodox venue. He managed to captivate the room effortlessly singing lyrics with scope and depth, that certainly brought flashes of Elliot Smith to mind.

Owensie plays in Dun Laoghaire at the Purty Kitchen on April 29 and at the Stormy Teacup in Limerick on June 10.

Wounded Healer's debut EP Panic About Love is available at record shops and via iTunes.