Concertofest is Concerto as you like the store best: full of people, music and stories. The anniversary program puts the record store in the spotlight for two days with live performances, from Sophie Straat and DJ sets, among others, and a mini record fair for sleuths.
In between is the Concert-history lesson by Ewo old Kieft: seventy years of business-anecdotes, iconic releases and in-store moments that made the store a phenomenon. Everything revolves around what made this place great: love of music, close to the public.
The anniversary also has a purpose beyond nostalgia: Concerto wants to €10.000 pick up for the Learning Orchestra. That amount will allow a full orchestra of fifty children to take free music lessons for a year. The store makes an explicit connection between vinyl culture and music education: record love begins with opportunities to learn to play.
There is even an anniversary beer: The Packer, brewed with brewery Walhalla - a nod to the Concerto employee who refills the bins each morning. It's exactly that combination of nerdy music love and neighborhood spirit that gives the weekend its charm: you buy a record, discover a band, drink a beer and contribute to music education.
"Concertofest feels like a mixtape in real life: instores, DJ cuts, stories - and at the end you also support the next generation of musicians."
Those who know the store know that this is not a bloated festival, but a in-store celebration with the energy of a mini-festival. You walk between rows of vinyl, join a set, catch a talk and end up back at that bin where you find just that one pressing.