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Roman Candle burns bright

Seniors gather for the climbing of the bell tower, a traditional event, where for one day they are allowed to walk the spiral staircases and sign their names on the walls.
Seniors gather for the climbing of the bell tower, a traditional event, where for one day they are allowed to walk the spiral staircases and sign their names on the walls.

For Skip Matheny, headlining a show next week at Cat’s Cradle will be a homecoming of sorts.

He’s played the Cradle a number of times with his country-leaning pop-rock band Roman Candle, and it’s long been a favorite venue for a band that called the Triangle home not too long ago.

Lead singer and guitarist Matheny has Chapel Hill roots that run deep. The original lineup for Roman Candle was formed here in 1997 when he was a UNC student, and the band spent a decade in the area before relocating to Nashville a few years ago.

See the Show

Time: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday
Location: Cat’s Cradle
300 E. Main St., Carrboro
Info: catscradle.com



“We love it there,” Matheny said. “We spent such a long time in Chapel Hill, so it’s still sort of like home to us.”

Roman Candle is a family affair. The band includes  Matheny’s wife, Timshel, and brother Logan, and the tour has grown even larger recently — Matheny’s two kids now hit the road with the band.

“People would probably expect things to get volatile and what have you, but that really hasn’t been the case,” Matheny said.

“I mean, I can be an idiot sometimes. We can all be idiots. But it’s been really great to work with people that you know and love and to see this band grow with them. And to have those people be your family makes it that much better.”

The band has risen to new heights with its 2009 album Oh Tall Tree In The Ear. The record has received widespread word-of-mouth support and rave reviews, with music critics using words like ‘classic’ and ‘masterpiece’ to describe the band’s blend of alt-country, roots rock and pop.

“I don’t know why the album’s struck such a chord with fans, but it has,” Matheny said. “Before, when we used to play shows, I usually recognized the few people who were there that showed up. It’s actually kind of nice that we don’t recognize everyone who comes to our shows now.”

After years struggling with label and manager problems, the band is poised to break big. Back in 2003, Rolling Stone called Roman Candle Chapel Hill’s ‘darling’ band on the rise. Now they’re starting to splash onto the national music scene.

“It really feels like we’re finally on track now with this album,” Matheny said.

Despite the hype, Matheny still fondly recalls his days as a UNC student, often spent attending concerts at local music venues.

“What’s so great and unique about the Chapel Hill music scene is there’s a little bit of everything,” he said.

Matheny’s days as an English major at UNC have had an influence on his music. He’s been working on a blog project called “Drinks With” for the magazine American Songwriter, putting together interviews with musicians like the Arctic Monkeys and Elvis Perkins to discuss the ins and outs of the craft of songwriting.

He’s also put those English studies to use writing songs for Roman Candle that are chock-full of obscure literary references.

“It’s about finding music that’s as beautiful as the music found in the natural world. It’s about being in love with music.”

Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.

 

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