Celebrating its fifth birthday this year, Record Store Day on April 20 is a world-wide event paying homage to all things vinyl - and music in general.

The initiative was started not only to champion independent record shops and their survival, but also as a way of getting music fans back to the bins and buying music.

In Auckland next weekend Real Groovy in Queen St will host the biggest bash of the day with in-store specials, limited edition Record Store Day (RSD) vinyl releases, and a revolving line-up of guest DJs, including Labour MP Jacinda Ardern.

The special RSD releases at Real Groovy include the first vinyl release of Shihad's 1993 debut album Churn, limited edition copies of blood red vinyl versions of Wellington band Beastwars' new album, Blood Becomes Fire, and a reissue of Waves' 1975 debut album on vinyl.

Both Waves and Beastwars will play short sets in-store on Record Store Day with Waves at 2pm and Beastwars at 4pm. Shihad will open for Black Sabbath at Vector Arena that night.

Other record stores around Auckland are also involved, including Ponsonby Rd stores Conch and Rhythm Records and Compact Discs, and Southbound in Mt Eden, as well as stores throughout the country from the Vinyl Countdown in New Plymouth to Slowboat in Wellington.

- TimeOut