I don’t quite remember the opening day of Tower Records, but I believe it started with a flourish, with East 17 causing quite a panic on Wicklow street and Loudon Wainwright appeasing the music heads that would become the staple of the store in the years to follow. It has become part of the backbone of the Irish music scene, and the small stage at the back of the shop has seen many new and exciting bands play there over the years.

The store has gone through a variety of changes over the years, but what would you expect from a shop that deals in an industry that has been in a near constant state of flux for the past 20 years. I remember the news of the fire in the store, and then the subsequent excitement of the ‘fire damaged sale’ that took place. I think I still have a few CD’s (Mazzy Star’s ‘So tonight that I may see’ comes to mind)  that I bought in the sale, with their inlay cards wrinkled from the fireman’s hose! They were based in a vacant store in Dawson street on that occasion, and even had a brief stint in George’s street, before returning to their home in Wicklow street.

In recent years we have seen the demise of such records stores as Freebird (Aston Quay) and Road Records, Dublin has lost some of its charm. I spent many an hour flicking through the racks in both of those establishment to unearth a lost gem. There’s something about the physicality of a record or CD that a download can never replace. The time spent reading through the inlay card or even the striking image of the front cover, that the tiny image on an Ipod screen can never replace. It’s great that Tower has lasted through it all, and though it is quite a different shop these days, with cafe, books and a variety of hi-fi equipment, it is still all about the music,

Last Thursday was the 20th anniversary party for Tower, and it took place in the Madison nightclub on Wicklow street, with cake and a variety of bands. Here’s to the next 20 years.