Faded technology finds a new home with Secret Tape

May 1, 2026 - 04:59

Every other month, Eli Leiss opens the doors at Needle Exchange Records for a gathering that feels like a time capsule come to life. He invites fellow VHS enthusiasts to bring their latest finds and share them during screening sessions. The next event is set for Saturday, May 2.

What started as a small circle of collectors has grown into a steady community. People show up with dusty tapes from thrift stores, forgotten horror movies, and old home recordings. They watch together, trade stories, and sometimes argue over which grainy transfer looks best. For Leiss, it is not about nostalgia alone. It is about keeping a fading format alive in a world that has moved on to streaming.

The appeal of VHS is not just the look. It is the feel. The clunky plastic cases, the rewinding sound, the tracking lines that cut across the screen. These are details that digital copies cannot recreate. Younger audiences, who never lived through the era, are showing up too. They want to experience something real and imperfect.

Leiss sees the events as a way to preserve a piece of media history that most people have written off. The screenings are casual. No tickets, no strict rules. Just a room full of people who still believe in the magic of magnetic tape.