Melbourne is the place to see and hear music in Australia. There are innumerable live venues and a number of specialist music stores. Especially vibrant in the pre-internet 1990s, it has waned in the connected world, but remains vibrant - 20,000 people took to the streets in 2010 for the Save Live Australian Music (SLAM) rally.

Music stores for people that like music

Basement Discs - in the European quarter, in a basement off Block Place. Specialising in Jazz, Country, Folk and the softer end of Rock. Healthy selection of vinyl and box sets from your dad's favourite artists.

Goldmine Records - defies all trends. Exists in an odd spot - Nicholson St, Carlton North, it's only real specialty seems to be that the hippest DJs drop their old gear here. It is literally a well priced goldmine.

Heartland Records - in North Melbourne, another indie.

Missing Link Records - found under Bourke St, Missing Link is the home of Melbourne's Rock, Metal, Grind, Death, Punk, Noise and other weird sounds. Zines, t-shirts, vinyl, hand labelled tapes. Knowledgeable, slightly condescending staff who are always willing to help when not hand labelling their own grind-hair-poetry-folk-metal band's tapes.

Polyester Records - on Brunswick St, Fitzroy, right next to the tram stop. All the latest in Rock and Indie.

Record Collector's Corner - moved in with Missing Link a couple of years ago. VINYL. THAT YOU NEED.