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(11/19/08 5:00am)
Jon Gregory knows life sucks. Every song the Chapel Hill rapper makes under the moniker Juan Huevos seethes with the notion that there is something wrong in the world. Whether he's pointing out how silly it is for you to respect him just because he can rap telling you how scared he is to start another monotonous work week or just declaring his distaste for the acting of John Travolta Huevos' songs are rife with sarcastic disappointment.But as far as he sees it" it's nothing a little partying can't fix.""If you really listen to what I'm saying" I'm whining about something but I put it to this really fun party music" Gregory said. I'm trying to party. I'm trying to dance. I don't want to sit home and be sad.""It might come off as unusual for a rapper to pay more attention to whether audiences are dancing to his beats than whether they are listening to his rhymes" but then again" Juan Huevos is not a typical rapper.""It's hard at shows because people aren't dancing. I think they're listening to what I'm saying"" he said, adding that this is not the atmosphere he prefers. I want to see hair flailing and people getting hit in the face because people are going so crazy.""Perhaps it's just that the people who attend his shows aren't the type to dance" but it certainly has nothing to do with the music. Layered under Gregory's hilarious and caustic mocking" the music splices rock and dance parts with inventive sample choices to create a sound that pops with quirky excitement.And it's been enough to get the notice of some connected people. Gregory recently returned from a visit to France where he met with rapper Subtitle. The two were meeting to discuss making a Huevos record for Subtitle's new label.Gregory said it was interesting to finally meet the man he had previously only communicated with via enigmatic e-mails.""To him" with his record label he's like Professor Xavier" he said. And he's scouting mutants with super powers and assembling this team. He's weird like that.""Despite his new friend's quirks" Gregory thought it was a successful trip. He was able to make connections with many people in the European music scene and make progress towards a release with a wider scope than he's used to.And for a person to whom making music is vital" an opportunity to make it a more major breadwinner is serious stuff.""There's some pretty depressing shit" I feel like in my music" he said. It really is the demons. ""I'm sitting there" it's Sunday. I'm by myself. I'm hung over. I don't know what to do" so I go into the studio and make a song. And then I feel better.""And when it comes right down to it"" that's what he's trying to do for the listener too.""My problems aren't any different than anybody else's for the most part" he said. So I want people to hear what I'm saying and be like ‘I felt that way too and I want to dance too" and I want to forget my problems.'""It's like" sure your life sucks" but it might suck less if you drank another beer and shook it.""Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(11/05/08 5:00am)
It may come as a surprise to some in the area that the Triangle has enough talent to produce a three-day music festival using almost all local bands.Proving this to the unconverted is one of the main missions of Troika the annual local music extravaganza that will happen all over Durham tonight" Friday and Saturday.""There are a lot of people who know how great music from N.C. is" but there are a lot of people who don't know what's in their own backyard and might not necessarily go to a great show by a great band any given Saturday" said Kyle Miller, cofounder of Durham's Churchkey Records, who helped to plan this year's festivities. The fact that there's a festival" and there are so many bands" and it's all over town; there is a higher profile to that.""Troika boasts 62 bands this year" 52 of which are from the Triangle area. Only six are travelling from outside of North Carolina a fact that founders of the festival say is a step forward.Troika started in 2002 as the Durham Music Festival. Changing names in 2004" the festival began expanding to include artists that were not from this area.""One thing we have done over the years is add the national touring acts"" said Melissa Thomas, chairwoman of this year's festival and member of the effort since its beginnings. We kind of had to check ourselves and say" ‘Is that a good thing to do" and do people want that?'"" Thomas said that growth in the area's talent base made Troika able to thin out its national acts.""We have this growing talent pool"" she said. It keeps getting bigger and better.""Though most of the acts may be from right here at home" one of the acts with the highest national profile is from Olympia Wash.Kimya Dawson" who has gained a great deal of national recognition for her work on the soundtrack of the popular film ""Juno"" will play Troika's main show at the Carolina Theatre on Friday.But even though Dawson may not hail from N.C., she does have ties to the area.I am a friend of Melissa Thomas and I really like what she tries to do for the community there in Durham"" Dawson said in an e-mail. When I was touring a few years ago I was asked to play at a ""Piggy Princess Party"" for a little girl in her yard"" so I did that. I think that might actually be how I met Mel.""And now you guys have my dear friend John Darnielle (of the Mountain Goats) there as well.""According to Miller"" Dawson's connection to North Carolina was important in the decision to bring her here.""The fact she knows bands around here" and has played in bands around here and was interested in playing that's just a general positive thing for everybody" he said.Another big change for Troika this year is the use of the Carolina Theatre, one of the area's most famous and historic venues.In addition to Dawson, the show will feature increasingly popular local acts the Rosebuds, Bellafea and the Old Ceremony. I think it's cool that we can involve such a historic site" said Miller. I think it appeals to the bands playing there" and I think it appeals to the fans.""They don't have a ton of shows there. Not a lot rock and roll shows and not a lot of indie rock shows on top of that.""Django Haskins of Chapel Hill's the Old Ceremony said that his band is excited to take part.""Since I live in Durham" I'm excited about the opportunity to play at such a beautiful venue here in town said Haskins in an e-mail. He also mentioned that he thinks the area really needs this festival to give its bands more exposure.This area has such a great music scene year round but in the past it hasn't really had one big festival to showcase it like most similar places have" he said. Troika is starting to fill that void and we wanted to be a part of that.""And though Thomas is also excited about the buzz the festival is able to create"" she said that she doesn't want Troika to become like other high-profile music festivals.""We don't want to become that kind of $50"0 beer-endorsed festival" she said, being sure to mention the fact that she doesn't think the desire to keep Troika the way it is will make it an nonviable option anytime soon.Our bands are becoming touring acts for other cities. We're at an advantage" she said. We might just be at the start of it" now that I think of it. ""After six years"" we might be taking the training wheels off.""Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(10/30/08 4:00am)
Rockers are notorious for among other things partying late into the night making the prospect of waking up early quite a hassle.But a group of local musicians and one international artist are setting their alarms early for a 9 a.m. concert Saturday on the terrace of Graham Memorial.A group of musicians including England's Billy Bragg" Chapel Hill pop-punk legends Superchunk and indie-rock forebears the dB's and folk acts Megafaun and the Bowerbirds and the pop-rocking I will play acoustics sets until 1 p.m. to attract voters to the last day of early voting at Morehead Planetarium.Free coffee and doughnuts will also be provided.""I think it's great for the rest of the country to see a typically red state like N.C. producing so many great artists and that those artists can get together to try and make something happen that's positive for the state and the whole country"" Mac McCaughan, co-founder of Merge Records and member of concert participants Superchunk and Portastatic, said in an e-mail.Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama's N.C. campaign is sponsoring the show and another in Asheville, both dubbed N.C. Rocks for Change" with organizational help from McCaughan and others in the Merge camp.We reached out to Mac and Mac was enthusiastic about putting something together" said Paul Cox, communications director for Obama's N.C. campaign.But even the popular line-up might not entice fans out to rock and vote the morning after Halloween.When I first heard about the show that's what I thought" that's kind of a sketchy thing to do" said John Booker, singer/guitarist from participating group I Was Totally Destroying It.I have a feeling with the names that are attached to it"" people are going to get up and check it out.""Cox was also hopeful that students will still be motivated to come out"" enjoy the music and vote.""I wouldn't underestimate students"" he said. I think UNC-CH students are very excited about this election.""This isn't the first concert in support of a candidate or early voting. Superchunk performed in support of Obama with Arcade Fire at May shows in Carrboro and Greensboro"" and Durham's Hammer No More The Fingers headlined a benefit for Obama in September at Cat's Cradle. James Taylor performed on campus last week.""I think young people and voters in general have gotten energized by this election" and musicians have a way to publicly express themselves McCaughan said.Booker said that his band has been highly motivated by the heated presidential campaign and is worried about the outcome.The economy and the (Iraq) War just create a lot of weight and it makes people want to contribute in any way we can" he said. This is the one thing we can contribute.""Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(10/01/08 4:00am)
It doesn't take an expert to know that the Triangle has built a reputation for ambitious and successful record labels.Merge Records the foremost example of the area's success formed in Chapel Hill in the '90s and has gone on to release records by Arcade Fire and Spoon that have broken into the top 10 of the Billboard 200. But it's easy to forget that Merge was once a small imprint formed around an up-and-coming Chapel Hill indie rock band Superchunk" who went on to national stardom and took the label along for the ride.""I don't think we really foresaw anything beyond getting some music out there for people to hear" which is kind of what we're still doing" Mac McCaughan, co-founder of Merge said in an e-mail.But, even for all of its success, it is important to remember that Merge Records is not the only label in town.Channeling a new generation of eager and talented musicians, a slew of dedicated and highly motivated labels have popped up around the area in recent years.For local labels to be successful like this" there have to be great bands" said Kyle Miller who cofounded Durham's Churchkey Records last year. And there are a ton. And there has always been a ton.""Miller formed the label last fall with friend Steve Jones to put out the debut EP by Durham metal act Tooth. The label produced a second release with the full-length debut from Southern-punk band The Dry Heathens in May.The success of these releases has made Churchkey a hot ticket for bands looking to get their music out.""We have had to say ‘no' to people" he said. We've said ‘no' to records that I really like" which makes me feel kind of awful. We're overwhelmed.""One thing that isn't in short supply right now is success stories. The Bowerbirds released their debut Hymns For A Dark House on Durham's Burly Time Records to critical acclaim before being picked up by national label Dead Oceans.And Durham experimental folk act Megafaun's self-release" Bury the Square" was picked up by an English imprint after the band was featured as a ""Band to Watch"" on the popular music blog Stereogum. All this success has lead some in the music community" including the heads of some labels" to predict that the area is poised to return to the prestige it enjoyed in the '90s.""I think it's about to hit sort of a renaissance"" said Will Hackney of Chapel Hill's Trekky Records. We've been in this music scene for six or eight years. I think this is becoming on one of the most exciting times that we've seen.""Hackney formed Trekky with friends Emma Nadeau and Martin Anderson while the three were in middle school in 2002. The label is currently experiencing its biggest year yet with back-to-back high-profile releases from The Physics of Meaning and Lost In The Trees.The release party for the latter packed Cat's Cradle on a Saturday night.""The community is recognizing that there's a lot of good work coming out of here" and we just want to have a part of that Anderson said.Community is a point of emphasis for Chapel Hill's Holidays For Quince Records.That's a conscious effort on our part to bring together the parts of the Triangle" said Heather McEntire, lead-singer of Bellafea who cofounded the label with fellow Chapel Hill musician Jenks Miller. There's a Durham thing"" a Chapel Hill thing and a Raleigh thing. ""We feel it's really detrimental to the Triangle in general.""Though the label has only released albums by Chapel Hill bands so far"" McEntire echoed the sentiments of Trekky and Churchkey that working together by mixing bands from different labels on bills was important to the community.""It's about collaboration. I think that makes all the difference"" Anderson said. What makes this town special is that people are willing to work together.""But at the point when local labels have pushed their bands to the brink of making it big"" more issues rear their heads.Miller emphasized the significant investment it takes to give a band national exposure.""It's tough as a local label to decide if you want to do that"" he said. There's a lot of people who don't. They really want to be a local label.""One label that has turned being a jumping-off point into an institution is Chapel Hill's Pox World Empire.Zeno Gill" who brought Pox to town when he moved from Ithaca N.Y. in 2001" said that his vision for the label is to be able to step in to help bands that have few prospects for releasing their material.""If we come across a band that is inaccessible" meaning they don't have access to any bigger options or bigger labels then we'll approach them and offer working with us as an alternative to having to release something themselves he said.In doing so Pox has released records by popular Chapel Hill artists such as Nathan Oliver and Schooner who might have never gotten their music out any other way.But Miller was excited to speculate on what it would mean to this area if a label stepped up and made the kind of investment it would take to sky rocket a band to the big time.I think if that happens has a lot to do with money and a lot to do with luck" he said. What if one of these labels does decide that they're going to borrow 20 grand and make it happen?""Maybe that's what it's going to take.""Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(09/24/08 4:00am)
The opening track to Chapel Hill trio Transportation's first-ever full-length Dreams begs for a good rock 'n' roll station to listen to.But townies and students need not have that problem.Transportation play lean passionate" classic-leaning rock with a grab bag of influences as large as the group's considerable musical ambitions.""Wanting a good rock station" it's kind of blasphemous to say in indie rock heaven bassist Robert Scruggs said. I think it's a cool statement. It's not literally wanting Tom Petty or Eddie Money" but it's just a wish.""And Transportation admit they don't adhere to the standards of some in the music community" listing influences such as Pink Floyd and Steely Dan that some people might consider played out.Scruggs and guitarist Stephen Martaugh said the new album which will be celebrated with a release party Saturday at Local 506" reflects the ways in which the band has been affected by the concept albums of '70s rock and the experience of having lived in college towns almost all their lives.""It has a lot to do with the college" with UNC Scruggs said. I was just thinking" someone needs to talk about the cycle in terms of graduation in a song format."" Parts of the album hinge on that theme of a cycle in a college town that the majority of its residents will only experience for 4 years. ""Your life gets based on the September to May sort of schedule"" Martaugh said. You feel like you're taking summers off.""As such"" the group recorded Erskine Bowles at UNC's graduation in 2007 and placed it over a ""Pomp and Circumstance""-esque guitar line on the album.""Marry the idea of school graduating rhythms to the next logical step" which is the graduation present that most guys get which is a robot that then comes to life and picks up pirated radio stations" Scruggs said, describing far-reaching affair that includes futuristic as well as collegiate themes.The theme of college towns is embedded thoroughly in the band's history. Scruggs and Martaugh first started playing with drummer Ben Dunlap 1993 while attending Massachusetts' Amherst College.Robby had been living on my floor because he got a shitty room draw"" Martaugh said, describing the day he first met and played with Scruggs. Three" four months had gone by" and I'd never seen him even though he was living on the floor.""The three moved to Chapel Hill in 1997 and have been making music under the name Transportation ever since.In the light of the release of the long put off debut full-length release"" Martaugh said that he hopes the band's place in the context of the Chapel Hill scene becomes more clear to its followers.""It's interesting to me the thing with us and the '70s. We don't set out at any level to sound like the '70s. To me it sounds kind of futuristic"" he said. This album I hope will help people see us in more of a contemporary light.""Both Scruggs and Martaugh said that Dreams sounds different and is far more cohesive than any of Transportation's previous output"" a trait Scruggs attributed to the band members improved ability to edit their own work.""Stephen King calls them the ‘little darlings"""" said Scruggs describing the unnecessary parts of the music each member was attached to. ""We assassinated our ‘little darlings.'"" Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(09/17/08 4:00am)
As you plunge into the cavernous shelves of CD Alley it's often difficult to distinguish owner Ryan Richardson from one of his customers.Hunched over the massive bin of used CDs looking through the titles and adding new ones" he looks as enthralled as the others around him who dive in to the stacks in the hopes of finding a previously owned gem.""We're able to get to know people"" he said. The owner being there is important as anything.""Whether it's because of this dedication to fostering customer loyalty or something else" the West Franklin Street store has been able to survive where many other record stores in the area have not.With the April closing of East Franklin's Schoolkid's Records" the store became the only record store on Franklin Street.Richardson attributed CD Alley's ability to exist in a place that has killed so many of its peers to the store's low rent and overhead and its selection of hard-to-find titles. ""We've got relatively low overhead here with the small space" and it's pretty reasonable for being on Franklin Street he said. We tend to just have a lot of really good used stuff coming in really regularly" usually more than we can handle just piled up on the counter."" The biggest cause Richards gave for his success was the fact that he doesn't have to rely on students for the majority of his business.""I'm thrilled for the students who find their way down here and shop here" but luckily that isn't our total customer base" he said. We haven't been quite as affected by the downloading and the Ruckus that UNC has on campus.""And for Schoolkid's" the dwindling of student business was one of the major contributors in the demise of its Chapel Hill location.Ric Culross manger of the Raleigh location and former manager of the Franklin Street store" said that lack of student interest and high rent created an environment in which the store could no longer survive.""Each fall for years and years when students arrive our sales would jump way high"" he said. For the last five years the number of students came into the store went down.""Students have found some other means of finding their music.""Culross said he observed that as the number of record stores in Chapel Hill continued to diminish"" the business at Schoolkid's never saw a significant spike.""Each time one store closed" the other store didn't increase our sales" he said. It lost some customer base that would buy music.""Without a record store right on the edge of campus"" Culross said that students are missing out on what he sees as a pivotal part of the college experience.""Someone has to expose the people to the breadth of music that's out there. It used to be radio. But there's a lot of music that they don't play"" he said. The message is in music and I like to make sure that our stores always have the message.""But for CD Alley"" relying on students will not keep them open.""There's a lot more to Chapel Hill than just the student population" Richardson said. I always get that question when school starts. You know" ‘Oh I bet it's busy now.' But it's not a noticeable difference for us. Not on this end of the street.""And not being part of the new generation of stores that have popped up on East Franklin to serve the changing needs of students is a point of pride for Richardson.""(West Franklin) is the cooler end of the street because the other end has been taken over by Cluck-U Chicken and Cold Stone Creamery"" he said. That looks like Mall of America up there. ""Though CD Alley might not be doing much to expand the musical education of University students"" it still has an impact on the youth of Chapel Hill.""You can get old stuff" new stuff and used stuff for small prices" said Eric Jankins, 14, from Chapel Hill. It just feels like a place you can walk into and just spend all day listening to music and stuff.""And while Richardson has had some thoughts about moving CD Alley to a larger location"" for now he's happy where he is.""There's never been a place available that ever seemed even remotely affordable"" he said. For now we're just going to keep trying to cram as much into this little spot as we can.""Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu
(09/03/08 4:00am)
As much as Triangle college towns are great incubators for music students are often not the main audience for the bands.Duke University senior Corina Apostol is out to change that.As president of the university's Campus Concert Series" she has expanded the lineup this year to local bands and more shows. ""A lot of people on campus want to hear something else. They don't want to hear everything that's on MTV"" Apostol said, explaining why she thinks students will be receptive to local music on campus.Apostol has led Carolina Campus Seriesto expand its lineup to include 14 weekly shows at the Armadillo Grill on Duke's West Campus this semester. Shows are on Fridays from 5:30 p.m. to about 10 p.m.The series kicks off Friday with the Hey Man! Festival, featuring Durham's Red Collar, Chapel Hill's I Was Totally Destroying It and Raleigh's The Secret Theatre, in addition to Duke-student band Panda Force.Chamindra Goonewardene, president of the Duke University Union which funds CCS, said that he supported the expansion because it will help to remove the divide between Duke and the rest of Durham.Especially at Duke (students) tend to be sort of distant from the music scene"" he said. We're trying to build that bridge and make sure students are exposed to local music. That's one thing that we really want for them to do.""The series's funding for the year was expanded to$15""300 to facilitate the expansion.Apostol said she was excited to include local bands because of the great experiences she has had going to local shows.""My first semester here I felt really trapped on campus"" she said. I wanted to go out there and see something else.""Some of her friends began taking her to off-campus concerts and she was hooked immediately. ""There was a lot of live music. All the musicians came and talked to you" she said. I thought that if I put in the bands that I really liked if I brought them here people would think 'Oh this is a really good band" I want to listen to these people.'"" Goonewardene said he is also supportive of the initiative because of the opportunity it gives student bands to share a bill with more established local groups.""The idea of having a local band and a student band was actually thought of by Corina" and I think it's fantastic he said. You give exposure to bands on campus" and you give exposure to local bands.""Jason Kutchma" lead singer of Red Collar" said he's excited for the series as an opportunity to get students excited for local music.""It's important that you go where they are"" he said. They simply don't know what's out there. You have to bring it to them first. You can't expect them to necessarily leave their comfort zones.""Kutchma also emphasized that he thinks CCS is an example of how possible making this happen can be.""A lot of universities say" 'We should get local music playing here' but they look at that as such a large pain in the ass he said. All it takes is one person who's willing to work a small amount of money and somebody who's hopefully tied into the local scene" he said.Apostol is hopeful that the series will get Duke excited about local music, using herself as an unlikely example of a student who didn't.I'm from Romania originally. I had no connection. The only thing we watch is MTV. If I came to the point where I love what's going on here and want to support it"" I think it's possible.""Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(09/01/08 4:00am)
It would be hard to imagine a more dedicated fan than Raleigh's Cy Rawls.For about the last 20 years, the former Merge Records intern and one-time WXYC DJ has gone to great lengths to see local bands.He goes to a show in D.C." and he'll drive back in time to come back and see the last band play here" said local drummer James Hepler, a long-time friend of Rawls.In addition to such displays of musical commitment, his dedication also extends to UNC football: He hasn't missed a home game since 1982.I've always enjoyed being in Kenan stadium"" the 33-year-old said. They're not that inconvenient for me to get to.""This year" the local music community got its chance to give back to one of its most frequent audience members though it came under the most unfortunate of circumstances.On July 12 doctors found a tumor in Rawls' brain after he suffered a seizure. After running tests for about a week doctors realized it was too risky to operate and decided to treat him with radiation and chemotherapy.But Rawls who has no health insurance" would be unable to pay for the expensive treatment on his own.""It could easily hit a half a million dollars"" Hepler said of the cost. To not have insurance and to have to deal with that is pretty ridiculous.""When the news of the diagnosis spread throughout the local music community"" Hepler rallied bands and venue owners to come to Rawls' aid.""There were so many bands and so many people who wanted to help out"" Hepler said, explaining why he stepped in to coordinate. We were finding it very difficult to figure out how to distribute all these bands to different venues and stuff.""Once organization was in place" a series of shows began to formulate the most prominent of which will be held Friday with Chapel Hill legends Superchunk" the Rosebuds and Birds of Avalon taking the Cat's Cradle stage in support of Rawls.All money raised by the $25 tickets will go toward Rawls' treatment.""Cy is such a fixture in the local music scene" I think it would have been more peculiar had we not gotten involved" said Derek Powers, director of operations at the Cradle.Cat's Cradle, which hosted a benefit for Rawls earlier this month featuring newly reunited Chapel Hill stalwarts Polvo, will also donate all of Friday's bar profits. Between the $15 tickets and bar money, Powers said the venue was able to raise almost $5000 from the last show. Paul Siler of Raleigh's Birds of Avalon said that his band jumped at the opportunity to help such a devoted follower of local music.There couldn't be a better cause than a guy like that just out of the blue getting sick and needing help"" said Siler who has known Rawls since 1995. It's good to do a benefit for a person who likes music so much.""But charity shows are not the only means planned to be used in easing Rawls' plight.Hepler" with the help of localproducers is organizing a Web-based music store to raise money.The site dubbed CyTunes" is planned to launch in the next two or three weeks and will feature songs by local and some national bands. Songs donated will be exclusively available for one year and will cost a dollar each.Hepler said that the store will be a way to raise even more substantial sums for Rawls.""It's not like we're raising money for a cause like the Red Cross where a $100 donation's really nice" he said. But getting an exclusive song from a band like Superchunk can raise real money. They can sell 50000 records without even thinking about it and if they can download 50000 songs at a dollar a song" that's real money.""In addition to donated songs" CyTunes will feature live recordings made at the benefits.Glenn Boothe owner and operator of the Local 506 which has already hosted two Rawls benefit shows and a dance party" said that the push to help Rawls has helped bring the music community together in a way that it hasn't in some time.""Every once in a while the music scene needs a wake-up call" he said. This is an unfortunate way to get our priorities straight" but now there's a greater purpose. And that just kind of helps every one realign and commune and come together.""Hepler emphasized that this is a movement he plans to continue.""I think that the need for raising money is not going to go away any time soon"" he said. This is going to be kind of ongoing.""Despite his condition"" Rawls doesn't want to miss the chance to hear some of his favorite bands perform.""I felt pretty confident that I could be at the shows because I'd be getting better each day"" he said. I was definitely planning on being at these shows.""And though Rawls said it is odd to go to shows in his honor"" he tries to not let that alter the experience. ""I'm quite flattered by it"" he said. But once the music starts I'm just enjoying it. It doesn't feel any different. I just enjoy it as usual.""Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu
(09/01/08 4:00am)
It would be hard to imagine a more dedicated fan than Raleigh's Cy Rawls.For about the last 20 years, the former Merge Records intern and one-time WXYC DJ has gone to great lengths to see local bands.He goes to a show in D.C." and he'll drive back in time to come back and see the last band play here" said local drummer James Hepler, a long-time friend of Rawls.In addition to such displays of musical commitment, his dedication also extends to UNC football: He hasn't missed a home game since 1982.I've always enjoyed being in Kenan stadium"" the 33-year-old said. They're not that inconvenient for me to get to.""This year" the local music community got its chance to give back to one of its most frequent audience members though it came under the most unfortunate of circumstances.On July 12 doctors found a tumor in Rawls' brain after he suffered a seizure. After running tests for about a week doctors realized it was too risky to operate and decided to treat him with radiation and chemotherapy.But Rawls who has no health insurance" would be unable to pay for the expensive treatment on his own.""It could easily hit a half a million dollars"" Hepler said of the cost. To not have insurance and to have to deal with that is pretty ridiculous.""When the news of the diagnosis spread throughout the local music community"" Hepler rallied bands and venue owners to come to Rawls' aid.""There were so many bands and so many people who wanted to help out"" Hepler said, explaining why he stepped in to coordinate. We were finding it very difficult to figure out how to distribute all these bands to different venues and stuff.""Once organization was in place" a series of shows began to formulate the most prominent of which will be held Friday with Chapel Hill legends Superchunk" the Rosebuds and Birds of Avalon taking the Cat's Cradle stage in support of Rawls.All money raised by the $25 tickets will go toward Rawls' treatment.""Cy is such a fixture in the local music scene" I think it would have been more peculiar had we not gotten involved" said Derek Powers, director of operations at the Cradle.Cat's Cradle, which hosted a benefit for Rawls earlier this month featuring newly reunited Chapel Hill stalwarts Polvo, will also donate all of Friday's bar profits. Between the $15 tickets and bar money, Powers said the venue was able to raise almost $5000 from the last show. Paul Siler of Raleigh's Birds of Avalon said that his band jumped at the opportunity to help such a devoted follower of local music.There couldn't be a better cause than a guy like that just out of the blue getting sick and needing help"" said Siler who has known Rawls since 1995. It's good to do a benefit for a person who likes music so much.""But charity shows are not the only means planned to be used in easing Rawls' plight.Hepler" with the help of localproducers is organizing a Web-based music store to raise money.The site dubbed CyTunes" is planned to launch in the next two or three weeks and will feature songs by local and some national bands. Songs donated will be exclusively available for one year and will cost a dollar each.Hepler said that the store will be a way to raise even more substantial sums for Rawls.""It's not like we're raising money for a cause like the Red Cross where a $100 donation's really nice" he said. But getting an exclusive song from a band like Superchunk can raise real money. They can sell 50000 records without even thinking about it and if they can download 50000 songs at a dollar a song" that's real money.""In addition to donated songs" CyTunes will feature live recordings made at the benefits.Glenn Boothe owner and operator of the Local 506 which has already hosted two Rawls benefit shows and a dance party" said that the push to help Rawls has helped bring the music community together in a way that it hasn't in some time.""Every once in a while the music scene needs a wake-up call" he said. This is an unfortunate way to get our priorities straight" but now there's a greater purpose. And that just kind of helps every one realign and commune and come together.""Hepler emphasized that this is a movement he plans to continue.""I think that the need for raising money is not going to go away any time soon"" he said. This is going to be kind of ongoing.""Despite his condition"" Rawls doesn't want to miss the chance to hear some of his favorite bands perform.""I felt pretty confident that I could be at the shows because I'd be getting better each day"" he said. I was definitely planning on being at these shows.""And though Rawls said it is odd to go to shows in his honor"" he tries to not let that alter the experience. ""I'm quite flattered by it"" he said. But once the music starts I'm just enjoying it. It doesn't feel any different. I just enjoy it as usual.""Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu
(08/28/08 4:00am)
It would be hard to imagine a more dedicated fan than Raleigh's Cy Rawls.
For about the last 20 years, the former Merge Records intern and one-time WXYC DJ has gone to great lengths to see local bands.
"He goes to a show in D.C., and he'll drive back in time to come back and see the last band play here," said local drummer James Hepler, a long-time friend of Rawls.
In addition to such displays of musical commitment, his dedication also extends to UNC football: He hasn't missed a home game since 1982.
"I've always enjoyed being in Kenan stadium," the 33-year-old said. "They're not that inconvenient for me to get to."
This year, the local music community got its chance to give back to one of its most frequent audience members, though it came under the most unfortunate of circumstances.
On July 12, doctors found a tumor in Rawls' brain after he suffered a seizure. After running tests for about a week, doctors realized it was too risky to operate and decided to treat him with radiation and chemotherapy.
But Rawls, who has no health insurance, would be unable to pay for the expensive treatment on his own.
"It could easily hit a half a million dollars," Hepler said of the cost. "To not have insurance and to have to deal with that is pretty ridiculous."
When the news of the diagnosis spread throughout the local music community, Hepler rallied bands and venue owners to come to Rawls' aid.
"There were so many bands and so many people who wanted to help out," Hepler said, explaining why he stepped in to coordinate. "We were finding it very difficult to figure out how to distribute all these bands to different venues and stuff."
Once organization was in place, a series of shows began to formulate, the most prominent of which will be held Friday with Chapel Hill legends Superchunk, the Rosebuds and Birds of Avalon taking the Cat's Cradle stage in support of Rawls.
All money raised by the $25 tickets will go toward Rawls' treatment.
"Cy is such a fixture in the local music scene, I think it would have been more peculiar had we not gotten involved," said Derek Powers, director of operations at the Cradle.
Cat's Cradle, which hosted a benefit for Rawls earlier this month featuring newly reunited Chapel Hill stalwarts Polvo, will also donate all of Friday's bar profits. Between the $15 tickets and bar money, Powers said the venue was able to raise almost $5000 from the last show.
Paul Siler of Raleigh's Birds of Avalon said that his band jumped at the opportunity to help such a devoted follower of local music.
"There couldn't be a better cause than a guy like that just out of the blue getting sick and needing help," said Siler who has known Rawls since 1995. "It's good to do a benefit for a person who likes music so much."
But charity shows are not the only means planned to be used in easing Rawls' plight.
Hepler, with the help of local producers, is organizing a Web-based music store to raise money.
The site, dubbed CyTunes, is planned to launch in the next two or three weeks and will feature songs by local and some national bands. Songs donated will be exclusively available for one year and will cost a dollar each.
Hepler said that the store will be a way to raise even more substantial sums for Rawls.
"It's not like we're raising money for a cause like the Red Cross where a $100 donation's really nice," he said.
"But getting an exclusive song from a band like Superchunk can raise real money. They can sell 50,000 records without even thinking about it, and if they can download 50,000 songs at a dollar a song, that's real money."
In addition to donated songs, CyTunes will feature live recordings made at the benefits.
Glenn Boothe, owner and operator of the Local 506 which has already hosted two Rawls benefit shows and a dance party, said that the push to help Rawls has helped bring the music community together in a way that it hasn't in some time.
"Every once in a while the music scene needs a wake-up call," he said. "This is an unfortunate way to get our priorities straight, but now there's a greater purpose. And that just kind of helps every one realign and commune and come together."
Hepler emphasized that this is a movement he plans to continue.
"I think that the need for raising money is not going to go away any time soon," he said. "This is going to be kind of ongoing."
Despite his condition, Rawls doesn't want to miss the chance to hear some of his favorite bands perform.
"I felt pretty confident that I could be at the shows because I'd be getting better each day," he said. "I was definitely planning on being at these shows."
And though Rawls said it is odd to go to shows in his honor, he tries to not let that alter the experience.
"I'm quite flattered by it," he said. "But once the music starts I'm just enjoying it. It doesn't feel any different. I just enjoy it as usual."
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu
(08/21/08 4:00am)
For most local bands, selling CDs for a couple of dollars after a show is standard procedure for those who have taken the time to put their music on record, often at their own expense.
It's one of the few methods they have to augment the often meager payment they receive for playing shows at bars and other venues across the Triangle and throughout the state.
In spite of this, Durham's Maple Stave is moving against the trend with the release of its third EP.
Starting on Saturday, when the three-piece releases its third effort, EP3, at Durham's Bull City Headquarters, the plan is to give the CDs away free of charge at most local shows.
"We've been playing around here for a while, and people have been really awesome," said Evan Rowe, drummer for the mostly instrumental rock outfit.
"And if they've been to one show they've probably been to other shows. And they might have had to pay for those shows or a CD.
"It just felt like the nice thing to do to not ask for any more money from the community."
Andy Hull, the band's baritone guitar player, said that another reason for the move was to allow more people to hear the band's music.
"I would rather have 30 people hear our album than make a couple dollars," he said. "Hopefully they hear it and they really like it and want to come see us."
Hull also added that he sees the free EP as a way to pay tribute to the Durham scene that is accepting of so many different bands, citing Maple Stave's relationship with fellow Durham band Red Collar as an example.
"We really like Red Collar, and Red Collar likes us. But we don't sound anything alike," he said. "There's just all kinds of really great, crazy-good bands out there that just play all different kinds of music."
Both agreed that this fits with the main goal for Maple Stave's recordings.
"Making a record for us is much more about making a record of what we're doing right then," Rowe said.
By that token, if one were to judge by the sound of the new EP, which bursts with tense guitar lines and cavalcades of aggressive drumming, it'd be easy to guess that something's eating at Maple Stave.
Rowe agreed with this but only to a point, saying that the reason this EP is more out of control than previous recordings can be traced to forces in three players' lives outside of the band.
"You're getting older, and you're getting more settled and it actually seems that you have to deal with more tumultuous things than you did when you're life seemed all tumultuous," Rowe said, adding that all of Maple Stave's members are married with some starting families.
"You actually start dealing with more things that you have less of a handle on. You have to focus on other things, so the music has a little less focus."
But though the experiences that gave inspiration to the album's mood may have been stressful, Row and Hull were fervent in expressing their desire to continue the band.
"We were friends before we were in a band, and we're friends outside of being a band. So it's kind of a lucky thing that's been added on," Rowe said, emphasizing how much fun the group has making music.
Rowe indicated that he's very confident in its quality.
"If you don't like it we'll buy it back," he said. "For what you paid. That's how we get you."
Contact the Diversions Editor
at dive@unc.edu
(08/18/08 4:00am)
Everyone walking into the Chapel Hill Public Library passes by part of a communitywide art exhibition.
Carrboro artist Mike Roig's steel ring creation "Cloud Lasso," currently residing outside the building, is part of this year's Sculpture Visions display, a program of the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission.
Roig said the program, which places sculptures in various locations around Chapel Hill and Carrboro, is a great opportunity for local artists.
(07/17/08 4:00am)
(4 stars)
On its debut LP World Class, Chapel Hill hard-rock troop Caltrop pummels the listener with hard-edged music that creates an overwhelming sense of dread.
But, where most other heavy bands use such a mood to create a sense of outright hopelessness, Caltrop seem to be after the opposite.
On the politically driven epic, "Julian Horde," singer Sam Taylor exclaims, "Life is so bright and beautiful," in a voice full of pained wonder before exploding in rage as he screams, "You destroy in war."
Despite acknowledging that our world is totally screwed up, Taylor still sees it as a good place. A place that still has hope for something better.
Much of the rest of the songs pit Taylor's search for hope against the palpable anguish and fear that permeates the majority of the music.
And the anguish the band creates is enthralling.
Blending prog-rock and metal into a package that never compromises its abrasive edge while still delivering amazingly impressive instrumental performances, Caltrop creates an inescapable sound that surrounds the listener with fire and brimstone.
And it is in the center of this storm of hellfire that Taylor struggles to come to grips with all the wrong he sees around him.
"I don't know which way to compose my concern," he complains during closer "With a Fire in the Middle." "It's almost as if there is/ A selection of ways to go."
But blind as he might claim to be as to his means, Taylor continues to fight on, screaming to be heard through the din his band creates.
Taylor's voice is smartly subdued throughout the record, often making it hard to understand him, emphasizing the difficulty he has pushing through the struggle.
But at the end of the record, Taylor finally finds some peace.
As the roar of the band dies away to be replaced with delicate piano, Taylor sings, "It's best sometimes/ To lay back and watch the sky/ Long long time."
As the album comes to a close, Taylor discovers the only way he can find hope is by ignoring life's struggles and looking into himself.
But when the struggle is so poignant and thrilling to hear, it becomes hard to imagine the listener doing anything besides, then begging for more.
Contact the Diversions Editor
at dive@unc.edu.
(02/28/08 5:00am)
I can remember the exact moment.
It was the summer after my junior year in high school.
Waking up on a Friday morning with nothing to do, I logged onto the Web site for Rolling Stone magazine - as was often my custom in the morning.
I was intrigued by an article ranking the nation's top 10 college towns based on their musical diversions.
Lo and behold, No. 2 was Chapel Hill/Raleigh/Durham, N.C., the home of my mother's alma mater, UNC.
The crux of the writer's reasoning for the choice lay with the line-up of shows at Cat's Cradle and the reputation of a great little record store by the name of Schoolkids Records.
It was at that moment I decided I wanted to go to Carolina.
A couple of days after arriving on campus as a freshman, I walked up to Franklin Street and went to Schoolkids for the first time.
I was blown away by the store.
They had CDs by every band I liked and many more by ones I'd never heard of - but wanted to.
I left that day carrying away three used discs and feeling a lot cooler.
Sadly, no incoming UNC freshman will be able to repeat my experience next fall.
The Chapel Hill store, which has endured since 1975, will close its doors at the end of March.
It's not that I didn't see it coming.
The store's selection of CDs had been running thin lately, and there never seemed to be many people in there when I went.
And it's not like I won't be able to get on without the store. I'll still be able to pick up my CDs a couple blocks down the road at CD Alley.
But it's still a big loss to me.
It's the loss of a place to blissfully kill extra time (and money) looking at records while waiting on friends.
It's the loss of a store where I recognized all the salespeople and got to buy CDs from Sweater Weather bassist Jon Mackey.
It's the loss of a store that consigns records, giving local artists a chance to get their music out.
It's the loss of one of the few, at least symbolic, connections between the University and the local music community.
And, most importantly to me, it's the loss of the place where I made my first baby steps towards getting to know that community.
Because while I know now that there's much more to this area than Schoolkids and Cat's Cradle, it still hurts to think that, very soon, I'll never be able to walk into the store again and reminisce about the excitement and wonder of that first time.
Thanks for the start Schoolkids. I'll miss you.
Contact Jordan Lawrence at lzjordan@email.unc.edu
(02/28/08 5:00am)
There's a certain feeling that comes from seeing the dawn.
Watching the sun rise over the horizon brings with it an invigorating feeling of wonder and possibility.
Full of crisp, clean steel guitar, soft, propulsive strumming and a voice that's still full of hope despite the fact that it's also full of painful experience, "Something To Me," the first song on Tift Merritt's Another Country, captures this feeling.
"But you take tomorrow/So long as you know/It's something to me," Merritt sings with a knowing smile and wink that comes right through the headphones.
It's a song with enough charm that the listener wishes he could be anything to her.
When taken one at a time, that's the effect of many of the songs on the record.
For the majority of Another Country, Merritt blends country and pop into warm balladry that's easy on the ears and bittersweet on the heart.
But as Merritt repeats the trick almost verbatim for the first eight songs, the album feels white-washed.
Luckily, Merritt finishes the record with a barrage of creativity.
First, Merritt breaks out a horn section and bounces along with the irresistible pop joy of "Tell Me Something True."
Then she borrows the amphetamine-driven midnight fury of Bob Dylan's psych-rock for the fist-pumping, runaway anthem "My Heart Is Free."
The rest of the album could have done with more of the creative spice contained in these two songs
But despite Another Country's tendency for repetition, Merritt's delivery has more than enough heart-warming charm.
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(02/28/08 5:00am)
I can remember the exact moment.It was the summer after my junior year in high school.Waking up on a Friday morning with nothing to do I logged onto the Web site for Rolling Stone magazine - as was often my custom in the morning.I was intrigued by an article ranking the nation's top 10 college towns based on their musical diversions.Lo and behold No. 2 was Chapel Hill/Raleigh/Durham N.C. the home of my mother's alma mater UNC.The crux of the writer's reasoning for the choice lay with the line-up of shows at Cat's Cradle and the reputation of a great little record store by the name of Schoolkids Records.It was at that moment I decided I wanted to go to Carolina.A couple of days after arriving on campus as a freshman I walked up to Franklin Street and went to Schoolkids for the first time.I was blown away by the store. They had CDs by every band I liked and many more by ones I'd never heard of - but wanted to.I left that day carrying away three used discs and feeling a lot cooler.Sadly no incoming UNC freshman will be able to repeat my experience next fall.The Chapel Hill store which has endured since 1975 will close its doors at the end of March.It's not that I didn't see it coming. The store's selection of CDs had been running thin lately and there never seemed to be many people in there when I went.And it's not like I won't be able to get on without the store. I'll still be able to pick up my CDs a couple blocks down the road at CD Alley. But it's still a big loss to me.It's the loss of a place to blissfully kill extra time (and money) looking at records while waiting on friends.It's the loss of a store where I recognized all the salespeople and got to buy CDs from Sweater Weather bassist Jon Mackey.It's the loss of a store that consigns records giving local artists a chance to get their music out.It's the loss of one of the few at least symbolic connections between the University and the local music community.And most importantly to me it's the loss of the place where I made my first baby steps towards getting to know that community.Because while I know now that there's much more to this area than Schoolkids and Cat's Cradle it still hurts to think that very soon I'll never be able to walk into the store again and reminisce about the excitement and wonder of that first time.Thanks for the start Schoolkids. I'll miss you.Contact Jordan Lawrence at lzjordan@email.unc.edu
(02/28/08 5:00am)
There's a certain feeling that comes from seeing the dawn.Watching the sun rise over the horizon brings with it an invigorating feeling of wonder and possibility.Full of crisp, clean steel guitar, soft, propulsive strumming and a voice that's still full of hope despite the fact that it's also full of painful experience, Something To Me"" the first song on Tift Merritt's Another Country, captures this feeling.But you take tomorrow/So long as you know/It's something to me"" Merritt sings with a knowing smile and wink that comes right through the headphones.It's a song with enough charm that the listener wishes he could be anything to her.When taken one at a time, that's the effect of many of the songs on the record.For the majority of Another Country, Merritt blends country and pop into warm balladry that's easy on the ears and bittersweet on the heart.But as Merritt repeats the trick almost verbatim for the first eight songs, the album feels white-washed.Luckily, Merritt finishes the record with a barrage of creativity.First, Merritt breaks out a horn section and bounces along with the irresistible pop joy of Tell Me Something True.""Then she borrows the amphetamine-driven midnight fury ofBob Dylan's psych-rock for the fist-pumping"" runaway anthem ""My Heart Is Free.""The rest of the album could have done with more of the creative spice contained in these two songsBut despite Another Country's tendency for repetition" Merritt's delivery has more than enough heart-warming charm.Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(02/04/08 5:00am)
Some people in Chapel Hill might not think of Franklin Street's Jack Sprat Cafe as a place to see local music. Dayn Peters is out to change that.The booking agent and live sound engineer at the restaurant says he has a canned response to correct local bands who think they wouldn't fit in at the venue.""Some bands think they're way too loud to come and play here"" he said. I just say that's why they sell ear plugs.""Peters" who has been spearheading a recent flurry of live local music at the venue" said he believes his venue has a place among the area's already established music clubs such as Cat's Cradle and Local 506.""I'd like us to be a mini-Cradle or a mini-506"" he said, adding that he wants the cafe to be an outlet for bands that aren't big enough to headline at those venues on weekend nights. I'd like us to be the venue they can go to.""But in light of the January 19 closing of Raleigh's Hideaway BBQ" some members of the Triangle music scene question the viability of such non-traditional music venues.Glenn Boothe owner and bartender at Local 506" said he loved the concept for the combination of country-music bar and southern barbecue that Hideaway employed.""When Hideaway BBQ opened up" I thought it was a really genius idea he said.But Boothe also said that such enterprises combining live music with other businesses can be tough to operate.When you try to do live music and something else one of those businesses has to give" he said, indicating that when you have food and music it's hard to not let one suffer at the cost of the other. At the end of the day" if you're going to do it" then both ends have to be good.""Boothe admitted that Jack Sprat has had some ideas he has also begun to implement at the 506. For instance" 506's new Free For Alls free shows on week nights that give untested acts a chance to play the venue" are modeled on Sprat's ability to cut costs by using a smaller PA system and not having to hire someone to manage the sound.""The idea is we can buy the same PA that this place has" plus we have the benefit of having a stage" Boothe said, emphasizing the fact the stage at 506 offers a better view of the band than venues like Jack Sprat can.Boothe also added that the newly installed DJ booth at the venue is a direct reaction to such sets being played at local venues such as Blend.Some of these things that we're doing right now are a reaction to the smaller venues in town"" he said.Boothe added that bands and audiences have different expectations about what they want from venues, indicating that these differences sometimes give the smaller, non-traditional venues an edge.Bands would much rather play with a stage and a nice PA system" as opposed to having to move some chairs out of the way and use a vocals-only mic and set up on the floor he said.Boothe explained that concert-goers' expectations are different.If X band is playing here and we have to charge $6 because we have to make enough money to cover our sound-guy cost and that same band is playing at a restaurant or a bar in town that doesn't have a stage and is able to do it at a cheaper door price" most people don't see the difference.""And some artists in the area do like playing the smaller clubs.Nathan White" leader of Chapel Hill's Nathan Oliver" said that he enjoyed his performance at Sprat earlier this month.""I thought it was a pretty good experience"" White said, admittinga drop in sound quality from more traditional venues such as the 506. It's not set up to be a music room."" ""It was definitely a lot better than other places we've played before. Even other places we've been that have bands more frequently.""White was also pleased with the different crowd drawn by Sprat.""I think the best aspect that Jack Sprat has going for it is probably just that it gets really good street draw"" he said. It's just a different group of people; I think it's younger people too.""White" like others in the area" has also noticed a pattern of places not known for live music beginning to jump into the game and is not sure what to think about it. ""I think more places are becoming more open to different kinds of music" which I think is better on the whole for everyone" he said.But others, such as Jason Kutchma, lead singer/guitarist of Durham's Red Collar, don't look on the rise in the number of venues in a completely positive light.I don't think there is enough of a crowd"" Kutchma said, explaining that there aren't enough people willing to go to shows to support the growing number of venues. Show attendance is in a bit of a drought.""If one place is successful" then you open a second one and if that one is successful then you open a third. But they just keep opening" and I'm not sure if it's for the best.""Boothe said he believed that there is simply not enough room for more venues in the area.""I think this area's maxed out"" he said, proposing that the amount of venues in Chapel Hill could become a problem.He explained that just because there is a wealth of bands and venues in the Triangle, this doesn't correlate to a large enough audience to support them all.Every time a new place starts having bands it just takes the pool of people that go see live music and takes another slice out of it"" he said. The same people go. Now it's just one more show on any given night that you're competing against. That's where it gets tough.""But Kutchma also sees hope in the situation if people who aren't aware of the music scene get roped in by the myriad of shows.""The crowd is out there"" he said. They just don't know it yet.""Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(01/31/08 5:00am)
Some people in Chapel Hill might not think of Franklin Street's Jack Sprat Cafe as a place to see local music. Dayn Peters is out to change that.
The booking agent and live sound engineer at the restaurant says he has a canned response to correct local bands who think they wouldn't fit in at the venue.
"Some bands think they're way too loud to come and play here," he said. "I just say that's why they sell ear plugs."
Peters, who has been spearheading a recent flurry of live local music at the venue, said he believes his venue has a place among the area's already established music clubs such as Cat's Cradle and Local 506.
"I'd like us to be a mini-Cradle or a mini-506," he said, adding that he wants the cafe to be an outlet for bands that aren't big enough to headline at those venues on weekend nights. "I'd like us to be the venue they can go to."
But in light of the January 19 closing of Raleigh's Hideaway BBQ, some members of the Triangle music scene question the viability of such non-traditional music venues.
Glenn Boothe, owner and bartender at Local 506, said he loved the concept for the combination of country-music bar and southern barbecue that Hideaway employed.
"When Hideaway BBQ opened up, I thought it was a really genius idea," he said.
But Boothe also said that such enterprises combining live music with other businesses can be tough to operate.
"When you try to do live music and something else, one of those businesses has to give," he said, indicating that when you have food and music it's hard to not let one suffer at the cost of the other. "At the end of the day, if you're going to do it, then both ends have to be good."
Boothe admitted that Jack Sprat has had some ideas he has also begun to implement at the 506.
For instance, 506's new Free For Alls, free shows on week nights that give untested acts a chance to play the venue, are modeled on Sprat's ability to cut costs by using a smaller PA system and not having to hire someone to manage the sound.
"The idea is we can buy the same PA that this place has, plus we have the benefit of having a stage," Boothe said, emphasizing the fact the stage at 506 offers a better view of the band than venues like Jack Sprat can.
Boothe also added that the newly installed DJ booth at the venue is a direct reaction to such sets being played at local venues such as Blend.
"Some of these things that we're doing right now are a reaction to the smaller venues in town," he said.
Boothe added that bands and audiences have different expectations about what they want from venues, indicating that these differences sometimes give the smaller, non-traditional venues an edge.
"Bands would much rather play with a stage and a nice PA system, as opposed to having to move some chairs out of the way and use a vocals-only mic and set up on the floor," he said.
Boothe explained that concert-goers' expectations are different.
"If X band is playing here and we have to charge $6 because we have to make enough money to cover our sound-guy cost, and that same band is playing at a restaurant or a bar in town that doesn't have a stage and is able to do it at a cheaper door price, most people don't see the difference."
And some artists in the area do like playing the smaller clubs.
Nathan White, leader of Chapel Hill's Nathan Oliver, said that he enjoyed his performance at Sprat earlier this month.
"I thought it was a pretty good experience," White said, admitting a drop in sound quality from more traditional venues such as the 506. "It's not set up to be a music room."
"It was definitely a lot better than other places we've played before. Even other places we've been that have bands more frequently."
White was also pleased with the different crowd drawn by Sprat.
"I think the best aspect that Jack Sprat has going for it is probably just that it gets really good street draw," he said.
"It's just a different group of people; I think it's younger people too."
White, like others in the area, has also noticed a pattern of places not known for live music beginning to jump into the game and is not sure what to think about it.
"I think more places are becoming more open to different kinds of music, which I think is better on the whole for everyone," he said.
But others, such as Jason Kutchma, lead singer/guitarist of Durham's Red Collar, don't look on the rise in the number of venues in a completely positive light.
"I don't think there is enough of a crowd," Kutchma said, explaining that there aren't enough people willing to go to shows to support the growing number of venues.
"Show attendance is in a bit of a drought.
"If one place is successful, then you open a second one, and if that one is successful then you open a third. But they just keep opening, and I'm not sure if it's for the best."
Boothe said he believed that there is simply not enough room for more venues in the area.
"I think this area's maxed out," he said, proposing that the amount of venues in Chapel Hill could become a problem.
He explained that just because there is a wealth of bands and venues in the Triangle, this doesn't correlate to a large enough audience to support them all.
"Every time a new place starts having bands it just takes the pool of people that go see live music and takes another slice out of it," he said. "The same people go. Now it's just one more show on any given night that you're competing against. That's where it gets tough."
But Kutchma also sees hope in the situation if people who aren't aware of the music scene get roped in by the myriad of shows.
"The crowd is out there," he said. "They just don't know it yet."
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
(01/31/08 5:00am)
Oracular Spectacular, the full-length debut from Brooklyn electro-pop duo MGMT, is a marvelously fun mix of sounds taken from all over the musical map.
Like a well-tuned blender, the group takes electronic and new wave sounds and mixes them with classic pop-rock influences (in the vein of David Bowie, The Beatles and The Beach Boys) to make one exhilarating sonic milkshake.
While The Killers fell flat on their faces when they tried to infuse their music with the spirit of Bruce Springsteen, MGMT's flirtations with classic rock only serve to make the music more accessible.
For instance, the transition from propulsive electronic-rock-band-anthem on opener "Time to Pretend" - the album's standout track - into the Ziggy Stardust-inspired political commentary in "Weekend Wars" serves as a galvanizing introduction to what the album holds in store.
MGMT delivers for the duration of the album, filling Spectacular with incessantly catchy and danceable pop gems.
And though experimentation continues throughout, there are few instances where MGMT's deviations from pop music standards don't lead to success.
The all-out balladry of "Pieces of What" is a charming elegy on the prospect of growing up, and the Beach Boys-psychedelia introduction to the electronic pagan freakout of "Future Reflections" closes the album on a palpably emotional high.
The album's only failure comes with "4th Dimensional Transition" which marches and drones along, completely losing the band's usually infectious energy.
But when MGMT delivers that energy, the album becomes a riveting musical explosion, alive with ambitious excitement and engaging melodies.
At this point in 2008, Oracular Spectacular is likely to be the most entertaining new record listeners will be able to find on store shelves.
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.