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Rock meets market

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Photos courtesy of Jaysen Michael.

Finally, all your taxidermy, handmade soap and record needs can be met in one place.

OK, maybe those things don’t make it onto your normal shopping list. But they’re just a slice of what’s on tap at the Punk Rock Flea Market later this month.

The Flea Market is the creation of Raquel Duplin, who moved to Birmingham in January after living in Pennsylvania for several years. Up north, that type of market for artists and musicians was common, and Duplin said if she can’t find something she enjoys when she moves someplace new, she’ll just create it.

“It was a great opportunity for myself to meet people, as an artist, and when I came here I was like, ‘Where’s the flea markets? Where’s the vending opportunities?’” Duplin said. “I just decided to make one because there wasn’t one that existed.”

Without many connections in Birmingham, Duplin started with a Facebook page and invited a small handful of people she knew. The idea came together quicker than she was expecting. Duplin locked down a venue — Saturn Birmingham — and sponsors, vendors and bands followed. Saturn was packed for the first Punk Rock Flea Market on March 6.

“It was insane,” Duplin said.

She describes the first market as “pretty perfect,” and as she plans the June 12 market, Duplin said a lot of it will be the same. Seasick Records, Left Hand Soap Co. and This Ol’ Thing Vintage are sponsoring the event, and Duplin said she will again have four bands and about 20 vendors. 

However, it won’t be the same old show.

The June music lineup includes Bystander, King Magnum, Electric Sheep and GT. Duplin said she’s trying to tie the Flea Market into the Birmingham community with the inclusion of Beautiful Bodies of Birmingham, Ono Ice and the Fetch dog treat truck as vendors.

Inside Saturn, Duplin said vendors will be selling everything from artwork and handmade crafts to shirts, records, vintage items, self-published zines and, of course, taxidermy. Some of the vendors are new, and some are returning, but Duplin said repeat vendors are required to bring new items.

The hardest part, Duplin said, is narrowing down the list of sellers. She had to turn down a lot of applications.

“That’s really disappointing because there’s a lot of talent in Birmingham, and the emails are coming through and I’m starting to slowly see how awesome this place is and how many people are here wanting to do something,” Duplin said. “I just want more people involved.”

When she plans the next Punk Rock Flea Market in the fall, Duplin said she’d like to close off a side street and perhaps even make a second stage to include more vendors and bands. The market gives vendors a chance for exposure and connections within Birmingham’s art community. Duplin wants everyone to get a chance to experience it.

“It’s about exposing the artists who are involved, exposing just the creators and the collectors, the bands. The more people that get to see them, the happier I’ll be, because they’re all doing cool stuff. I really want people to see how cool Birmingham is and all the talent that’s here,” Duplin said.

As an artist herself — Duplin paints and does screen printing — she said Birmingham also offers a much less competitive place for artists than what she experienced in Pennsylvania.

“Birmingham, everybody’s just open arms. ‘You’re working on this. I’m working on this. Instead of competing against each other, let’s kind of help each other out,’” Duplin said.

The Flea Market is also a side of Birmingham that most shoppers wouldn’t see otherwise.

“It’s not just punk rock. It’s called ‘punk rock,’ there’s rock ‘n rollers, some of the stuff is a little edgy, but there’s a lot more than that going on,” Duplin said. “I think it’s a really good way to experience Birmingham on a DIY, artsy level.”

Punk Rock Flea Market

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