SoundBank celebrates first anniversary

Subbmiited+%7C+The+Daily+Eastern+News%0AThe+Sound+Bank+is+a+vinyl-only+store+owned+by+the+founders+of+Cavetone+Records.+It+is+located+on+the+second+floor+of+the+Vault+Art+Collective+building+in+Tuscola.

Subbmiited | The Daily Eastern News The Sound Bank is a vinyl-only store owned by the founders of Cavetone Records. It is located on the second floor of the Vault Art Collective building in Tuscola.

Angelica Cataldo, Entertainment Reporter

Musicians, painters, singers, sculptors and music fanatics alike are invited to participate in The Vault Arts Collective’s and the Sound Bank’s anniversary celebrations on Saturday.

The Vault Arts Collective will be celebrating their third anniversary and the first anniversary of Cavetone Record’s store, the Sound Bank. It will be hosted at The Vault Arts Collective building at 100 N. Main St. in Tuscola.

The Vault Arts Collective is a privately owned collective of independent artists.

In August 2013, the collective opened, originally only showing seven artists. In the three years it has been open, those seven grew to more than 70 artists. The artists’ work varies from comic book art and painting to sculpting and ceramics.

It is located in a historic former bank building, with Cavetone Records’ store, the Sound Bank, located on the second floor of the building.

Originally from Sullivan, John McDevitt is the owner and founder of The Vault Arts Collective and one of the featured artists.

McDevitt is also the owner and founder of Yellow Dog Studio. He works with numerous mediums and different styles in his art.

The event is open to all ages and is free of charge. Activities will include a music trivia contest, an art contest, prizes and giveaways, speed painting and complimentary hors d’oeuvres and refreshments.

Teams of two or individual contestants are welcome to sign up for the trivia competitions.

Cavetone Records and Sound Bank founders and owners Keri Cousins-Walus and Scott Walus will be hosting the Sound Bank music trivia contest portion, presenting participants with a wide range of music history and knowledge.

“The trivia contest is going to be legit. We even have the buzzers, (because) we don’t half-do anything,” Cousins-Walus said. “Scott is like the quintessential trivia know-it-all, and he would know all those obscure things that nobody knows. I like to put the answer secretly in the question.”

Those interested in participating in the trivia contest can sign up at the front desk of The Vault Arts Collective building, through their Facebook page or by emailing McDevitt at [email protected].

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the contests begin at 7 p.m.

“This an amazing, awesome time in all of y’alls life that you can try all of these different things and experience these different things,” Cousins-Walus said. “I think that records, vinyl and art are all part of that college experience. I mean, how would that be if you went away to school and never saw an orchestra or went to the ballet; this is the time you’re suppose to experience those cultural related things, and this (festival) is one of those things.”

There will be a grand prize worth over $300 from Vault Arts and other bonus prizes provided by Sound Bank. Artist Karl Jendry will be performing a speed-painting session.

The Sound Bank is a musician-owned vinyl-only records store, similar to its all-vinyl record label counterpart, Cavetone Records. Cavetone is based out of Charleston and records solely with analog equipment.

Cousins-Walus said having the Sound Bank in partnership with The Vault Arts Collective has opened up many different opportunities for them as a business and has expanded their audience.

Cousins-Walus said they put a lot of time into making sure they can give personal recommendations about their entire collection of records. They personally clean every record in their collection and individually listen to and test everything before writing an individual description of each album.

“I love records, and I hope that a whole new generation of kids gets into records. That’s why I do (my job) I guess,” Cousins-Walus said.

Angelica Cataldo can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].