Local shows to end your Valentine's woes

So Valentine’s Day is nigh and you have yet to nail down your evening plans? Never fear, Dive has got you covered. Check out our picks for great local shows to take that special someone to.

Those Darlins and Diarrhea Planet
Kings Barcade, Raleigh — 9:30 p.m.
$10/$12

Who needs dinner at an expensive restaurant when you can take your sweetheart to see two pop rock acts for half the price? Nothing says romance like guitar-heavy Diarrhea Planet and fun-loving powerhouse Those Darlins. Both bands have proven to be stellar performers and will mend the hearts of even the most jaded victims of the college dating scene. Fellas will love Diarrhea Planet’s grungy garage band feel and ladies will go crazy for Those Darlins’ girl power dynamic. If you’re looking for an evening of high energy and cool tunes, look no further than Raleigh’s Kings Barcade. — Natalie Carney

Julianna Barwick
The Carrack Modern Art, Durham — 8:00 p.m.
$10

For those looking for something more transcendent this Valentine’s Day, check out Julianna Barwick’s show at the Carrack Modern Art gallery. Barwick, a Brooklyn-based musician, uses layered loops of her own vocals to create expansive, otherworldly landscapes. From time to time, she pulls in some instrumentation, but non-vocal presence remains minimal. By the end of any track, listeners have been swept far away on her ethereal voice, unable to remember how the song even began. Barwick’s atmospheric music has brought her serious recognition. Her latest album, “Nepenthe,” released last August, garnered a “Best New Music” distinction from Pitchfork. Bring a date if you like, but you’ll become lost in your own thoughts as soon as Barwick starts her looping and envelops you in hers. — Drew Goins

The Beast and Boom or Bust Burlesque Present: Beauties and the Beast
The Pinhook, Durham — 9:00 p.m.
$12

The Pinhook in Durham is the place to be this Valentine’s Day, where Durham’s own jazz hip-hop fusion, The Beast, is teaming up with Boom or Bust Burlesque to bring an unforgettably sultry Valentine’s special. The Beast combines classic hip-hop beats and elegant jazz melodies to create incredibly original compositions and have received some serious critical buzz the past few years. Frontman emcee Pierce Freelon, who doubles as a UNC music professor, spoke of the triangles growing burlesque scene, and assures that the Pinhook audience will be in for a treat. Indulge your inner swank and join Freelon and the lovely ladies of Boom or Bust for a hip-hoppin’ night of passion. — Cozy Brents

Weezy Rider
Nightlight, Chapel Hill — 9:30 p.m
$5

Weezy Rider is at it again! This time, playing the Pinkerton album. The Weezer cover band, comprised of members of local hardcore punk veterans, Catharsis, and Des Ark, will be playing Weezer’s sophomore album in its entirety. Joining them will be Durham’s own punk rock old-timers, Chest Pains. Hear your Weezer favorites as the band said they were meant to be: loud and sloppy. Ask your date to the Green Day concert, and sing along to as many El Scorcho lyrics you know. —Marcela Guimaraes

WKNC Double Barrel Benefit Night Two
Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh — 8:00 p.m.
$12/$14

The second night of WKNC’s Double Barrel Benefit is a doozy with some of the Triangle’s best talent. The $12 ticket price would be worth it for any two of the acts, but a stacked bill of four bands makes this show a special steal: guitarist Daniel Bachman, Loamlands, Bombadil and Mount Moriah. The songs themselves could make for an odd date — arguably, Bombadil and Mount Moriah are at their best when they’re singing about how much of a bummer love can be, with songs like “One More Ring,” “Honeymoon” and “Three Saddest Words” by the former and “Lament,” “I Built a Town” and “Only Way Out” by the latter. What’s not to love? — Allison Hussey

One Night in Bamako
Memorial Hall, Chapel Hill — 8:00 p.m.
$10

You won’t actually be spending a night in the capital of Mali to take part in One Night in Bamako — in fact, for this show, you don’t even have to go off campus. Carolina Performing Arts does you the favor of bringing world-class entertainment right to UNC’s very own Memorial Hall.
From One Night in Bamako, you can expect two of Mali’s greatest living songwriters performing songs not just about love, but about empowerment and politics, too, according to the CPA website.
Take advantage of those $10 student tickets and take in a performance you’re not likely to encounter again. After the show, there’s a special reception for students that includes free desserts, so there’s plenty to take advantage of. —Allison Hussey

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