Live music from local bands resonated throughout Point Park University’s Lawrence Hall lobby last Wednesday, and carts filled with everything from vintage Beatles records to hip LPs of newer artists like The Black Keys and MGMT, as well as everything in between lined the tables for Point Park’s first-ever celebration of Record Store Day.Katya McCoy, one student who attended the Record Store Day, sponsored by WPPJ, enjoyed this diversity of music and opportunity for students to appreciate records.”I think it was a really successful event,” said McCoy, a freshman cinema and digital arts major and record collector. “It’s really good to see local bands around Pittsburgh, as well as having local record stores, because vinyl is coming back. It sounds a lot better than MP3s and CDs.”In an effort to create an event that would both appeal to students and music lovers alike, as well as support local musicians and local businesses, Kelsey Kahla, music director of WPPJ, helped create and organize the first Record Store Day.”It was kind of a brain child between Anthony [Costulas], our general manager, Steve LaRussa, our production director, and me,” Kahla said, adding that the event was intentionally scheduled before National Record Day on April 16. “I’ve always known about [National Record Day], and I’ve always participated in it, and I thought why not have one here just a couple days earlier so that record stores could come and participate? I think it’s a great idea to help support local music, local bands and local record stores.”Jason Molyneaux, a local disc jockey more commonly known as J. Malls, buys and sells used records independently, but was also helping to sell records at the Jerry’s Records booth in the lobby last week. Although he recognizes that people are less likely to buy CDs when music is readily available for free downloads online, he said there is still an allure to collecting and selling records as a hobby.”[When you’re] trying to sell records in 2011, you’re not going to get rich. It’s a niche thing,” Molyneaux said. “When I first got into records in ’89, [the music industry was] trying to get rid of records at that time, and they were trying to get rid of the LP format and push people toward CDs, which they did, but it never went away completely. And now it’s hard to sell CDs, and people still want records.”Records were not the only merchandise being sold at the event, however, as a crowd of students could be seen sifting through towers of stacked CDs that WPPJ received over the years from record companies and promoters. Students who purchased one item from one of the local business vendors received a plastic bag that they could fill to the top with free CDs from WPPJ’s back stock.Not only did students like McCoy take advantage of this deal, but Kahla added that it was a helpful “spring cleaning” tactic.”It’s a good way to help [record businesses] and to get rid of all of our stuff,” Kahla said.Several local bands volunteered to spend their day performing at Record Store Day, and the “guest appearance” band of the evening arrived all the way from Buffalo, N.Y. to showcase its music.The Tins, an “indie pop rock trio,” according to the band’s Facebook page, have had their music aired on WPPJ many times. For that reason, the band traveled to Pittsburgh for the first time to perform at Point Park and meet its audience.Mike Santillo, keyboard player and vocalist for The Tins, said he genuinely enjoys playing at events like Point Park’s Record Store Day.”We like playing at colleges because usually it’s a good crowd, and people really get into the music,” Santillo said. “Plus, the whole Record Store Day thing is really awesome. We support record stores around the world,” added Adam Putzer, guitarist and vocalist.Although this was the first time Point Park has hosted a Record Day, it is unlikely it will be the last. The high number of students who attended the event has enticed WPPJ to potentially hold the same event again in upcoming years.”We’re hoping to make this an annual event,” Kahla said. “A lot of these record stores are really liking this event.”