TURN IT DOWN!

Sunday, Nov. 11 @ Okemos Conference Center, 2187 University Park Dr., Okemos. FREE admission, all ages, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Since Tesco Vee formed The Meatmen back in 1981, he’s released a pile of records and become a staple of Lansing’s punk-rock history. However, for the last few years, he’s submerged himself in a new scene: the vintage toy and collectible market. While he’s been gathering goodies for decades, in March 2018 he launched the first ever Lansing Collectable Toy, Comic & Record Show at the Royal Scot Banquet Center. That inaugural shindig drew more than 1,200 collectors and onlookers from across the state. On Sunday, Nov. 11, the bi-annual event returns, only this time to the larger Okemos Conference Center. “The vendors will have tons of vintage and newer toys records,” Vee said. “Of course, there will also be comic books, rock ’n’ roll memorabilia, posters and a lot more — it covers two floors.” For Vee, who’s currently on a “monsters and robots” kick, the toy event’s rapid growth was a validating surprise. “The idea for the show has been percolating in my cranium since I moved back to Lansing area in 1999,” he said. “Back in March 2018, we had a 40-table show at a venue we quickly outgrew. Now we’re 100 tables strong and turning dealers away. It’s quite an amazing response.” The event might be hosted locally, but Vee said his dealers were carefully curated and spans five states. For those who attended the first show back in March, Vee says to expect a fresh batch of popculture treasures to dig through. “We have lots of new blood this show,” he said. “Most of these vendors are weekend warriors who buy and sell to feed their habit and collections. A few are full time dealers who make their living at it — it’s an amazing selection.”

Saturday, Nov. 3 @ University Quality Inn, 3121 E. Grand River Ave., Frandor. All ages, FREE admission, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. While the Lansing area is stacked with a couple stellar vinyl shops — the Record Lounge and Flat, Black & Circular — for serious record collectors, another must-visit is the reoccurring Lansing Record & CD Show. Organized by Michigan-based vinyl aficionado Rod Branham, the event has been happening every few months for over 20 years now, and is always stocked with a plethora of vinyl, CDs and other tangible gems, like music DVDs, band posters, t-shirts, stereos, vintage magazines and scads of music memorabilia. From rock ´n’ roll and soul to jazz, funk and folk, all genres are represented on all formats. There’s even some obscure garage rock, rockabilly and punk vinyl in the mix. “At this show, we’ll have 65 tables with about 40 dealers from four states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Tennessee,” said Branham, who’s been buying and selling rare slabs of wax for 39 years. “We also have two giveaways per show — one in the morning and the other is in the afternoon. One is for LP or CD sleeves and one for a $15 shopping spree.”