Good news: Record stores still exist, apparently. In recognition of that -- and also in hopes of keeping them in existence -- today, April 19, 2008, is Record Store Day. What does all this mean? Basically it's a chance to listen to some tunes, get some free stuff and give your local music store a boost. And, if it makes you happy to know this, it's been officially declared as such in Maine.

Unfortunately, the last local record shops around here have vanished, but you can still take in the festivities. The Salem location of Bull Moose music, which came up with the Record Store Day idea, is featuring a live performance by And Then There Were None.

Newbury Comics is also taking part, with lots of stuff going on at all their stores, including free stuff, which is always cool. Boston rocker/radio personality Robby Roadsteamer plays at 2 p.m. at the Nashua store.

The Dresden Dolls are playing and apparently working at the Harvard Square location from 2-5 p.m., and Aaron Lewis from Staind is playing a solo acoustic show at 2 p.m. at the Amherst, Mass., store, if that's your kind of thing. A full list of Newbury Comics events can be found here.

Also, be sure to ask for if the store has any copies of a free split seven-inch from Merge Records -- the A side is a Destroyer tune, the B side is by Wye Oak.

The full listing of participating stores is here.

If you're not down with Newbury Comics, here are a few places within driving distance:

-Bull Moose - Salem and various locations in Maine

-Bill O'Neil's House of Rock 'n Roll - Route 1, Saco, Maine

-Listen Up! Music - 1 South Ave., Natick, Mass.

-Turn it Up! - Keene, N.H., Northampton, Mass., Brattleboro, Vt.