Underground Netherlands auctioning spree

The Velvet Underground single sleeve sells for £20k+ at the world's largest fair, as Daryl Easlea reports

- Daryl Easlea

The 60th Record Planet fair at the Brabanthallen, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, 11-13 April, boasted an onslaught of 500-plus stalls, dazzling entertainment, and sideshows across two aircraft hangar-sized halls, a third offering live music. Event organiser, Stephan Van Zal, was delighted: "Matching the visitor numbers of our record-breaking November edition, despite Record Store Day and the sunny spring weather, is a testament to the fair's international appeal and loyal community of collectors." It was also my pleasure to be there, checking prices and trends.

The main hall on the first morning illustrated the vibrancy and eclecticism of the event. I had a brilliant chat with Ken Shipley, co-founder of Numero Group, discussing his label's future. A deep music fan, he states that the imprint couldn't stay exclusively with releases like the deep-digging Eccentric Soul series. Branching into hardcore punk, emo and stoner rock has seen their releases sell out on pre-order. He eulogises about the Washington State noisenik group, Unwound, and suggests their 1993 debut Fake Train as a primer. He urges me to see them in the UK in November, his enthusiasm truly infectious. As I leave his stall, I start looking at the truly enthralling world of Japanese hardcore, while another vendor plays Climie Fisher's Love Changes Everything. A joyous juxtaposition, and typical of the fair.