Turn on the Turntables, Bring Your Own Vinyl is Back in Gulou!

The Factory is opening up its turntables this weekend, allowing anyone with a record collection – be it one, two, or 50 records – to share their favorite tunes with the masses as part of Bring Your Own Vinyl (BYOV).

Zak Elmasri, native Beijinger DJ Wild Wata, and Brooklyn born ADDJ began hosting the event way back in Jan 2020 just before Covid hit, after Wata brought the event from the US. The event has been hosted in different venues but now finds its resident home at the Factory.

In an age where we can just tap on our phones to open an app and listen to any kind of music (depending on where you are, that is) and skip back and forth, play on repeat, mix and match, listening to vinyl records played on a turntable is almost a means of taking a step back. Add a bit of age to that record that's spinning and you get the sound of that age, a few scratches and mixing and that's another layer to the listening experience.

The premise of BYOV is simple: those who want to take part can sign up prior to the event via the QR code in the first poster below. Once you’re up at the decks on the day of, you’ve got ten to 30 minutes to spin any genre you want* for everyone listening. Whether you’re totally new to it or a DJ looking to get experience, it’s open to everyone and anyone with some vinyl on hand.

Three DJs and BYOV veterans – BJ DizzyDi, DJ Bora, and the aforementioned ADDJ – will be there to host the night, teach those new to the equipment how to use it, and regulate the flow to make sure each set goes 30 minutes.

If you managed to get out and find some gems at the shops we recommended this past Friday, now’s the time to share them at this community listening event. If not, don’t fret, as BYOV coincides with a vinyl, CD, and cassette market taking place on The Factory’s first floor.

Well, okay, it’s actually that plus other things from the community’s band of eclectic creators on offer as well – you can see more vendors via this post here – but we’re mostly excited about all the music stuff (especially cassettes, which this editor has a soft spot for and a small collection of).

Second-hand and new analog forms of music will be available from the likes of Lost & Found, selling imported CDs, second-hand toys, and second-hand books; and Cad’s Boutique, bringing a selection of hip-hop, funk, soul, and Latin music from his store at Apollo in Sanlitun.

BYOV will be taking place on the second floor of The Factory on Saturday, Jan 27 from 3pm-midnight. Entry is free. Scan the QR code above to be taken to The Factory's WeChat and message them to express your interest in taking part.

The Arts & Crafts + Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs Market will also be happening on the same day, on the first floor of The Factory on Saturday, Jan 27 from 1-7pm. Entry is also free.

*The organizers reserve the right to discontinue any music that is too vulgar, not suitable for easy listening, or otherwise not deemed as appropriate for the event's family-friendly environment.

READ: Six Beijing Record Shops That Are Worth a Visit for Browsing & Listening

Images: Unsplash, courtesy of The Factory