No Hot Spot

Music Trader district manager Darren Fionda was arrested in May at the chain's SDSU store for allegedly selling "pirated music." In a sting orchestrated by the Recording Industry Association of America, 195 discs were seized, most of them "mix CDs" featuring compilations of hip-hop tracks. Around the time of Fionda's arrest, the recording-industry organization claimed San Diego was among the top 12 "hot spots for music piracy."

This week's San Diego Record Show will offer fewer counterfeits than in past years. "There aren't many bootlegs at the show," says organizer Alan Garth, who spent seven years as Tower Records' vinyl buyer. "All the vendors sign a form every time that clearly states 'no bootlegs' and places all the liability on the individual vendor and not the promoter and/or the venue, etc."

The San Diego Record Show takes place July 15 at 3909 Centre Street in Hillcrest. Admission is $5 (or $10 for the early-bird preview, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.).