Amoeba Music (Berkeley, CA) Live Music Venue / Record Store

Indie music chain Amoeba Music has stores in San Francisco and Hollywood, but its original location is in Berkeley on Telegraph Avenue.

Open since 1990, the large store stocks music, movies, and comics, as well as hard-to-find titles coveted by aficionados. As one of the granddaddies of the 90s vinyl boom, Amoeba has a cult following, and visitors from around the world show up to revel in the rebellious, artistic vibe that extends to the revolution-celebrating “People’s Park” mural on the side of the building.

The Berkeley store is open every day for the perusing pleasure of High Fidelity-type hipsters. All genres you can think of, and some you may not have heard about, are represented in the store’s stock.

Amoeba Music (selectively!) buys used music, and students receive a 10% discount on all purchases. The store also serves as an occasional performance venue. As the smallest of the three Amoeba locations, the Berkeley store does not get as many shows, but shows at Amoeba Music have included regular appearances by indie darlings Tegan and Sara, Dengue Fever, and Minus the Bear.