In a distant land far, far away, the sky pours sheets upon the unforgiving grind of pavement, the shimmering skyscraper walls reflect only the apathetic shadows of the masses, and the garden daffodils bend their brows beneath the dark cloud known as Clear Channel. However, here in this cushy homeland of tailgates and angry dwarves, indie music is thriving like mildew on a shower curtain, mutating into all so many species they can't classify them fast enough. With each coming year the stable of bands making their rounds in the area has become stronger, broader, and in many cases more bizarre.
So without further ado, brush off your blitzkrieg bop, give your elephants tambourines and suspend your short pants romance for the fall lineup of concerts is out. For the next four months, many notable acts will perform at Chapel Hill’s Cat’s Cradle as well as other venues in the Triangle area. “I think we have some really exciting shows this fall,” mentions Local 506 club manager Glen Booth, who notes that more advance tickets have been sold this year than in any previous year.
Commenting on the recent success of his venue in luring bands with more widespread notoriety, he said, “I think it reflects on a couple things. First, I think that it’s due in part to the closure of the Go! Room 4 last year. They used to be the second tier venue of choice, and when they left, we sort of assumed that role. Even though Go! closed last fall, I also feel like the reason we’re doing better now is that, now that we’ve been open for a year we’ve been able to establish a better relationship with the booking agencies.”
It is impossible to cover every significant act, and recess apologizes in advance for undeserved omissions; nevertheless, here are our picks for bands worth seeing.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.