A Kent record shop appears in a documentary championing independent music stores ahead of one of the biggest days in the sector’s calendar.
Faversham’s Saturnalia Records, run by couple Elliot Barr-Macallan and Andrea McCarthy, appears in the latest series of Behind The Counter – an online series which has more than 5.6 million views.
Elliot Barr-Macallan and Andrea McCarthy run Saturnalia Records in Faversham. Picture: Record Store Day/YouTube
Produced by the organisers behind Record Store Day, taking place next month, the documentary shines a spotlight on 12 independent shops across the UK, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the people committed to vinyl and CDs.
In the episode, the pair reflect on how Andrea’s teenage years shape the shop’s unique identity and retro look.
“Andrea used to be a goth when she was a teenager, but as she’s kind of slowly grown up, she’s a hippie goth,” Elliot, 38, says.
“Her 70s style now has been a big influence on what the shop looks like.”
Andrea, 36, adds: “I was a massive goth when I was a teenager. I had the platform boots, the scary makeup, and it was all just based around my love of horror punk music.
Saturnalia Records in Faversham. Picture: Saturnalia Records
“My parents’ house basically looks like this in size, so it kind of made me feel a little bit like home.
“If I can give a little bit of that into the shop, then maybe people that come in will feel like home as well.”
The pair’s passions are clear, with a focus on soundtracks and stoner doom records at the store, stemming from their joint love of horror.
Elliot adds the name of the store, in Market Street, draws on the town’s deep history.
“Faversham dates back to Roman times, so I wanted to have the name Saturnalia as a Roman pagan sort of reference,” he says.
Saturnalia Records in Faversham will mark Record Store Day on April 18. Picture: Saturnalia Records
“Saturnalia itself is a time of festivities and celebration of music. The rings of Saturn just made sense. It looks like a vinyl.”
Now attention turns to Record Store Day on Saturday, April 18, which is expected to draw large crowds once again.
The first Record Store Day event was held in 2008 to support local, independent record stores.
It has become a huge event that significantly boosts independent shop revenues, with more than 300 shops involved in the UK and thousands globally.
In 2025, independent record stores saw a 72.1% share of vinyl sales during the event – the highest number of vinyl record sales through indie record shops since at least 1994.
Behind The Counter, an online series about independent record stores, features Saturnalia. Picture: Record Store Day/YouTube
Saturnalia will open at 8am on April 18 and stock around 200 exclusive releases, with live music planned throughout the day including an album launch from London psych-folk band Fire In Her Eyes.
Reflecting on the shop’s success, Andrea adds: “There’s nothing that I don’t like about working here. I’ve made so many friends, customers that came in who are now loyal friends. Music has changed my life.”