Arrogance still rocking at 40

It began as a dorm room jam session at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill 40 years ago, and in 2009, Arrogance still seems to have no end in sight.

Original group members guitarist Robert Kirkland and bassist Don Dixon turned their college outfit into one of the state’s most popular rock bands throughout the 70s and 80s, releasing six studio albums. This Saturday, Arrogance will return to their old stomping grounds with a single concert at the Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro to celebrate their fortieth anniversary.

In an era where rock ‘n’ roll dominated the music scene, Arrogance derived its name—and fame—from their reputation for outshining other bands on stage. “Playing live, you’ve got the feedback from the audience, you have the spontaneity of the moment; typically that doesn’t happen in the studio,” drummer and vocalist Scott Davidson explains. “A live performance, you know, it is what it is, it’s for the moment, and it goes away. It’s just always more exciting to play in front of people than to be in the studio with nothing but the walls and the other guys.”

 In October 1983, Arrogance disbanded for seventeen years, regrouping in 2000. Since then, the band has played local shows and special events. This spring, however, marked the beginning of their fortieth anniversary, “Arrogance @ 40,” which kicked off with a March concert at the Carolina Theatre in Durham. This Saturday’s “Birthday Bash” is the celebration’s finale.

Current band members Dixon, Kirkland, Marty Stout on keyboard, Davidson and lead guitarist Rod Abernethy will be joined by original band members. Guitarist Mike Greer and drummer Jim Glasgow played at their concert in March, but percussionist Ogie Shaw hasn’t performed with the group since their disbanding.

After four decades, the members of Arrogance are still able to do what they’ve always loved. “Once [music] becomes something you enjoy, it’s really hard to give it up,” Davidson said wistfully. And then with typical rock ‘n’ roll idealism, he added, “There really aren’t any bad things that can happen to you on a day when you’re playing.”