Braves pitcher Spencer Strider brings baseball and music communities together through vinyl giveaway

Baseball and local music might seem like two separate parts of Atlanta’s identity, but Braves pitcher Spencer Strider sees a connection between the two. 

For the third year, Strider’s annual vinyl giveaway is highlighting Atlanta’s independent music scene and bringing fans together through a shared appreciation for the city’s culture. 

The giveaway kicked off Monday at Criminal Records in Little Five Points with performances from this year’s featured artists The Echolocations, Siichaq and Tavern Breakfast. The event was a preview for the giveaway on Aug. 11, when the first 15,000 fans to arrive at Truist Park for the game against the New York Mets will receive a collectible 7-inch vinyl featuring music from the three bands. 

Strider said the idea started as a way to create something more connected to Atlanta than a traditional sports giveaway. 

“Teams have bobblehead giveaways, they have jersey giveaways,” Strider said. “They should do something a little bit more city specific.”

Strider, who has a personal passion for local music, said Atlanta’s scene is deeper and more diverse than many people realize. Through the project, he hopes to introduce more fans to independent artists while celebrating the city’s creative community. 

“One of the big goals of the whole project is to highlight just local music, and then just Atlanta in general,” Strider said. 

The project has expanded beyond the vinyl itself, with local artists contributing designs for merchandise and additional performances planned after the giveaway. For Strider, the goal is to connect parts of Atlanta that may not normally overlap. 

“Trying to connect different parts of Atlanta that maybe wouldn’t normally interact, sports, art, music,” Strider said. “I think it strengthens community and brings people that normally wouldn’t interact together.” 

For Braves fans Sophie Morgan and her fiancé, Tyler Nelson, the event was a chance to support Strider while also discovering more local talent. 

The couple, who traveled from Smyrna, said they appreciated the way the giveaway highlights local musicians rather than only nationally known artists. Morgan said the project makes Atlanta’s music culture more accessible and gives fans another way to connect with the city.

“It’s a great way to promote local talent and the culture around Atlanta,” Morgan said. 

For the musicians involved, the giveaway provides an opportunity to introduce their music to listeners who may not have found them otherwise.

Liam Crittenden of The Echolocations said the band started as a passion project among friends, with each member bringing their own dream of sharing songs with other people. Being featured in Strider’s project gives the band a chance to bring those songs to a new audience while continuing to build connections through music.

“The goal of music is to encourage people that things now aren’t the way they always have to be,” Crittenden said. 

For Crittenden, the goal of music goes beyond simply performing. He said the biggest reward is creating something that reminds people they are not alone.

“If we have the opportunity to invest hope in people and remind them that they’re not alone, that there’s light, that’s the biggest win.” Crittenden said. 

Strider said he has already seen the giveaway create connections in both directions. Some baseball fans have discovered new local artists, while music fans and musicians have developed a stronger connection to the Braves and Atlanta sports.

“Music, just like sports, helps create an identity for a community, for a city,” Strider said.

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