Daily Loaf

Capitol/EMI has done little with the Beatles’ music since 1987, when it first re-released the foursome’s catalog and did little to ensure the sound quality stood up to the transfer from vinyl to disc; 2004’s The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1 and the soundtrack to Cirque de Soleil’s Love revealed just how good the Beatles’ songs could sound when given the right treatment.

This Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (9-9-09) is an important date for Fab Four fans – The Beatles: Rock Band hits the racks along with long-awaited, much-anticipated digitally-remastered versions of all of the Beatles’ studio albums. This re-release encompasses Please Please Me, With the Beatles, A Hard Day’s Night, Beatles for Sale, Help!, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The White Album, Abbey Road, Let It Be, Yellow Submarine as well as Magical Mystery Tour and Past Masters Vol. I and II packaged as a single collection. Each album features the songs and artwork as they were originally released in the U.K. and come with expanded booklets of rare photos and original and newly-inked liner notes. For a limited time, each of the 14 albums will also be “embedded” with a brief documentary about its making. There are all kinds of other tasty bonuses that I won’t go into here, but I will tell share some info with you about some special events being held all over town in honor of the re-release.

On Tuesday, Vinyl Fever hosts an After Hours Beatles Party leading up to the midnight release. The festivities kicks off at 10 p.m. with free beer (thanks PBR/Pabst!), a Beatles trivia contest with giveaways, and Beatles karaoke — woo hoo! For those who can’t make it out late Tuesday night, Vinyl Fever opens early (10 a.m.) the following Wednesday and offers the albums at a discount all day. Local musicians perform renditions of Beatles songs throughout, and while supplies last, VF will give away Beatles lithographs to those who purchase five or more of the CDs, and green apples to anyone who wants to eat ‘em. Vinyl Fever Tampa, 4110 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, 813-289-8399.

Daddy Kool Records extends its hours on 09/09/09 — from 10 a.m. to well past midnight — and stages a storewide sale on everything, with 12 percent off posters, LPs, CDs, DVD’s, 7″, magazines, toys, stickers, magnets, tote bags, t-shirts and patches. Daddy Kool Records, 538 Central Ave., downtown St. Petersburg, 727-821-6250.

Gaming fans can be among the first to play, rent or purchase a copy of The Beatles: Rock Band on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at a midnight release party hosted by Blockbuster Video in Temple Terrace. The fun begins at 8 p.m. with live entertainment by The Beatles Experience by Live and Let Die from 9 to 11 p.m., pre-release gaming demos of The Beatles: Rock Band beginning at 10 p.m., prize giveaways (game software, hardware bundles, standalone guitars), and live FM broadcasts by WMTX-Mix 100.7 and WFLZ-93.3 on site with games and prizes. The game is released for sale at midnight. Blockbuster Video, 9309 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace, 813-980-0879.

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