Celebrated Japanese sound giant Audio-Technica is bringing back its annual market – a celebration of all things analogue, from records and turntables to handmade crafts and vintage goods. First launched in 2022 to mark the company’s 60th anniversary, the market returns this autumn on a much larger scale, taking over SKAC (Skwat Kameari Art Centre) for a month from September 2 to October 4.
Focused on the act of listening, the event’s main highlights include a listening area inside the VDS record store, which also happens to be the market’s co-organiser. At this listening station, you can try out some of Audio-Technica’s finest products, including high-end wooden headphones, turntables and more.
Meanwhile, at the Skwat Hertz Orchestra Archive, you can listen to and compare seven original recordings made at SKAC. Audio recorded from street pianos placed around the venue, along with ambient sounds – think the rumbling of trains overhead and the occasional sneeze – is mixed together to create original pieces that you can only hear here. This theme of listening (after all, Audio-Technica’s motto is the ominous-sounding ‘Always Listening’) continues in the Listening Room, where you can enjoy music played through omnidirectional speakers.
On the weekends, the creative hub gets a makeover. On September 12 and 13, 24 record stores from across Japan will set up shop in the MM Storage room from 11am to 7pm. On the weekends of September 19-20, 26-27 and October 3-4, meanwhile, expect a flea market featuring artworks, handmade ceramics, vintage treasures, interior design pieces, fragrances, houseplants, wines and more.
