This local band has played at The Kraken every Wednesday night since January 2018

Just off Highway 54 lies The Kraken, a small roadhouse bar and music venue that has been bringing people together since 2009. 

In January 2018 The Kraken began hosting Jonathan Byrd and The Pickup Cowboys for their “Shake Sugaree Americana Residency.” The idea for the residency was simple, said Jonathan Byrd, songwriter and leader of the group. 

“The Kraken was about two miles from where I was living at the time, and I checked their schedule, and it didn't look like there was anything going on on a Wednesday night,” Byrd said. “And I said, would it be okay if my band came in here and played every Wednesday night for a while?'”

The rest is history. Byrd and The Pickup Cowboys have played every Wednesday night since, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. They have also had a few guest artists perform alongside them. 

“We've had some really great people,"  Byrd said. "People play the blues, or people play country music, or Americana songwriters, and we're kind of the same way. We're really a theater band — we like to put on a show.”

Johnny Waken, a member of The Pickup Cowboys and multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, harmonica and the mandolin, said the same about the band’s performance style.

“Our show is theatrical and eclectic,” Waken said. “It might be called 'Americana,' which means rooted in music like classic blues, R&B and country — with storytelling, fresh-cut flowers, candlelight and poetry.” 

The audience that the “Shake Sugaree Americana Residency” has attracted is one of the most diverse Byrd has ever played for, he said.  

“There's retired college professors; there's second shift, dead-engine mechanics, landscapers, dog sitters,” Byrd said. “I mean I know half the people by first name at this point.” 

Byrd said the experience of the show is hard to get across with words; it is something people have to experience for themselves in order to understand. Yet, the group has fostered a loyal collection of community members, which Waken said he enjoys entertaining.

“I enjoy helping folks feel and to give them an opportunity to experience community and art,” Waken said. 

James McKelvey, a photographer and fan of Byrd’s, first saw Byrd perform at a showcase concert in 2017. 

“It was in room 304 of the convention center, and after the 50-minute set, I knew I was going to be a fan for life,” McKelvey said. “I got into The Kraken scene early on and have been over a dozen times now.”   

Bob Johnson, a fellow concert attendee, said he loves the atmosphere of the shows. 

“It’s pure magic to experience all the people of varied backgrounds, hanging out in a one-time biker club, singing their hearts out, and laughing and smiling, and having the time of their lives,” Johnson said. 

Ultimately, Byrd said the experience is all about fostering community and having fun. 

“We don't talk about politics or religion, or any of those things that people tend to argue about; we just like to have a good time," Byrd said. “And I think everyone could come out there and feel like they're part of the group and that they belong to the human race.”

arts@dailytarheel.com