The Carrboro Board of Alderman will meet tonight to review the plans for 300 E Main Street, a large development project that happens to share the same address as the Cat’s Cradle and the Artcenter. If a similar situation was occurring in Raleigh, we’d be wringing our hands and planning a funeral for two beloved cultural institutions that made the mistake of creating a more desirable place to live and work. Ahhh, but Carrboro has long appreciated the halo effect of the Cat’s Cradle as it spreads its coolness all over that small mill town and places it on the international map of music lovers worldwide. Kirk Ross, of the Carrboro Citizen reports:
The ArtsCenter and Cat’s Cradle, longtime venues and a major draw for visitors and residents to downtown, are in a unique situation, with both the developer and the town keenly interested in seeing them prosper in the new surroundings.
Mayor Mark Chilton said Wednesday that, all along, the developer has tried to find a way to develop the site without losing the current tenants. When it comes to the two cultural institutions at the location, he said, there’s also an understanding that they’re not just economically important, but a key to the town’s “vibe.”
I’m a big fan of Raleigh’s Mayor Meeker but I don’t think he appreciates Raleigh’s “vibe” enough. I’m so happy to see the Cradle getting the appreciation it deserves, while simultaneously feeling embarrassment that Raleigh’s musical scene is currently represented by the Lincoln Theater and Deep South Entertainment. I realize that you can’t legislate good taste but it sure is nice to see city officials that apply some pressure to accommodate it.
The Cats Cradle is the only thing worth a damn in that hell hole of Carrboro/Chapel Hill.
Raleigh’s music scene is crap now. The Brewery’s owner is the biggest asshole in the world, and is running that place into the ground… Big South is just horrible music… Volume 11 is too new, but I dig the atmosphere just not all the bands… Lincoln Theater dosnt get enough big shows, but its a cool place.
I enjoy the shows at Lincoln Theatre, especially some of the 80s music and cover bands…but yeah, it’s nothing like the Cradle.
It’s musically impossible for there to be more than one “Cat’s Cradle” in the triangle and for that matter the eastern part of NC. It just can’t happen. Touring acts of any size will only play 1-3 shows in our fair state. Odds are those plays will be Chapel Hill, and either/or Charlotte or Asheville. The Cradle has been the Cradle for 20+ years. Would the Lincoln Theatre love to do a Kings of Leon show or OK Go show? Absolutely! But Frank’s relationship with these acts and agents over the past 2 decades is why they decide to play Carrboro. …and Deep South, they fill a great void that no other city in the Carolina’s gets – we are lucky to have them here. Why would you complain about free concerts in Downtown Raleigh like Old 97’s, The Wailers, and the Connells? Hell, I even went and saw Puddle Of Mudd last weekend. Not my favorite band, but a $4 beer on a cool Saturday afternoon with free music? I’ll take that over $40 tickets and $8 beers at any other amphitheatre or arena show any day!!
I agree that it would be folly to compete with the Cradle but I think there is room for another club like Kings. A club that supports Raleigh bands, has a regular roster of touring bands (that play original music) and is more on par with Local 506, than the Cradle. We don’t have that now and it’s amazing to think that kids will go through 4 years of college without having that resource available unless they drive to Chapel Hill. This at a time when indie rock is more popular than ever and WKNC is doing a great job promoting the local scene(s). It’s fine that Deep South books bands whose hits happened 20 years ago and sells boatloads of cheap beer but that’s not an investment in local culture; it’s just Deep South tits-and-beer http://www.raleighdowntownlive.com/index.php. Nothing against tits and/or beer.
Well I can tell I like a different type of music then most of you… but I agree that NO ONE can compete with CC. I also really like 506 for some of the local bands(Boxbomb anyone?!).
If your a fan of metal music, then NC has a TON of places for bands to play. Unfortunatly not many of them make it to the Triangle. Fayetteville, Jacksonville, Wilmington and Charlotte get ALL of the major metal shows. Volume 11, Lincoln Theater and SOMETIMES The Brewery can pull one away from time to time…
Sometimes Fayetteville, Jacksonville and Charlotte will all be stops on the same tour.
Dont get me wrong, I like my indie music also… for that I go to Cats Cradle!
Both this developer and the City of Carrboro deserve applause for their strong attempts to revitalize that site while still trying so hard to keep the current tenants, especially the ArtsCenter and the Cat’s Cradle, in the new digs. It is very forward-thinking of them to do it in such a way. I’ve heard some complain that this has taken too long to happen, but they’re trying to renovate an area this size while keeping the current business still open. No small task, for sure!
I agree that Raleigh doesn’t have any venues that can compete with Cat’s Cradle, but I frequent shows at many of the local establishments. This list does include Lincoln Theatre and The Brewery, as well as The Pour House, Slim’s, and the Deep South bar. It’s difficult to find, but I feel you can find some good shows if you search for them.
Nothing competes with Cat’s Cradle… but I’m hopeful that we can bring in a few good bands for Downtown Live next year. I’m trying to get everyone I know to vote there website: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=DdqsqD2mDmPEd6tN1yKgIA_3d_3d
Maybe if we show support by voting for some the indie bands, they will try to book them.