The Eighty-Six Details Two-Day Record Fair, the Independent Music Exchange

August 1, 2023

One of the centrepieces of The Eighty-Six festival’s forthcoming debut is the two-day indie record label market, the Independent Music Exchange (IME). Happening over Saturday, 28th and Sunday, 29th October, IME will host more than 50 indie labels in a free, all-ages environment.

The IME was announced last week, alongside The Eighty-Six festival’s other marquee events, Super Saturday and 1800 Street Party. They’ve now shared further details, including the event location: Masaya Reception on Stott St, Thornbury, parallel to High St and the 86 tram line.

Independent Music Exchange: presented by Butter Sessions and Efficient Space

Poster by Maryos Syawish (Butter Sessions/Research Records)

The Independent Music Exchange is the brainchild of local indie label gurus Michael Kucyk (Efficient Space), Maryos Syawish (Butter Sessions/Research Records) and Corey Kikos (Butter Sessions). According to Kucyk – whose release history includes YL Hooi, Wilson Tanner and Karen Marks – the aim is to celebrate local labels who largely operate outside the confines of the mainstream music industry.

“This is an opportunity for our peers to share their successes and failures, while casually hanging out with our compatible audiences,” Kucyk said. “We’ve long watched similar events happening aboard with envy and are proud to finally offer our unique version with the support of The Eighty-Six.”

IME will offer local music fans the chance to pick up a wide variety of vinyl, cassettes, exclusive merch, zines, test pressings, posters, warehouse finds, signed items and other limited edition stock. See the lengthy list of participating labels below, with more to be announced.