Allison Springer Hoppin’ John square dance regulars The Five Points Rounders in 2011 On Thursday morning, things are hectic in the Shakori Hills office. The sprawling farmstead and festival site, just north of Pittsboro in rural Silk Hope, is preparing for the 8th Hoppin’ John Old Time and Bluegrass Fiddler’s Convention, which starts this evening. […]
Corbie Hill
Bio: Corbie Hill lives on three wooded acres in Pittsboro, where he is a writer, musician, dad of two and community college English instructor. He is a regular contributor to INDY Week's music section.Twitter: http://twitter.com/afraidofthebear
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Watch Skylar Gudasz’ “Car Song,” plus an update on her debut LP
Skylar Gudasz‘ “Car Song” video has garnered the Durham singer-songwriter some deserved national attention. It was featured yesterday on Boxx Magazine, and Gudasz was interviewed about the song and video earlier this month by Huffington Post. “We might always be on the road,” Gudasz laments as the song gradually builds. “Ain’t it sad that I […]
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Bear in Heaven, Young Magic, and the trickiness of good dark synth-pop
Bear in Heaven, Young Magic, Weeknight Cat’s Cradle Back Room, Carrboro Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014 Shawn Brackbill Bear in Heaven: synthetic blues Dark synth-pop is a tricky aesthetic. When done right, it’s an immersive, fascinating experience blurring electronic and traditional instruments, and it can provide the same mind-altering experience as goodsci-fi. When done poorly, though […]
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Art Menius retires, Brad Porter takes over The ArtsCenter’s music booking
Adam Graetz Brad Porter: busy man. Last week, Carrboro’s The ArtsCenter announced that operations director Brad Porter would move into a music booking role, taking over for lifelong roots-and-folk devotee Art Menius. Considering Porter’s involvement with local bands—he drums for Some Army and Wild Fur and sometimes sits in with Wichita Falls and other projects—it […]
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A Pittsboro neighborhood band turns a suspicious eye toward the town’s future
The Outboards With Lakes and Woods, Violent Mae Friday, Aug. 15, 9 p.m. $7–$9 nightlightclub.com Adam Brinson is trying to stay awake long enough to get his kids to sleep. And then, finally, he can go to band practice. It’s 8:30 p.m. on a Monday night, and Brinson sits upstairs with his two sonsBuck, 6, […]
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Local music mainstays Billy Sugarfix and Wendy Spitzer head to Prague
Farewell Billy Sugarfix— Songs, Stories and a Silent Film with Roberto Cofressi and Andrea Connolly, Felix Obelix, Catherine Edgerton Saturday, June 21, 8:30 p.m., $8 Cat’s Cradle Back Room catscradle.com When Carrboro musician Wendy Spitzer’s parents left Czechoslovakia in 1968, they didn’t envision returning. It was a bleak time: The brief Prague Spring, an experiment […]
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Two former bandleaders learn to risk embarrassment by writing together
Wild Fur With Joshua Carpenter Friday, June 13, $7, 9 p.m. The Cave There is no bandleader in Wild Fur. There are only equal partners Nick Jaeger and Wylie Hunter, two veteran songwriters and sidemen hoping to explore ideas they might have missed in previous groupsa move that can often feel like an act of […]
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Billy Sugarfix and Wendy Spitzer: Musical Carrboro couple moving to Prague
On June 21, Billy Sugarfix—the stage name of veteran local musician Bill McCormick—plays his first and last show with his latest band at the Cat’s Cradle Back Room. Less than a week later, he and girlfriend Wendy Spitzer—another local musician with a long history of fascinating projects—are moving to Prague. McCormick, who has been active […]
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Freeform collective Polyorchard celebrates Sun Ra’s centennial by not playing his music
On Thursday at Neptune’s in Raleigh, Polyorchard offers a celebration of Sun Ra’s 100th birthday. The 8:30 p.m. show costs $5. For more on Sun Ra, Polyorchard and the concert itself, see page 28. Menestres also joins guitarist Jimmy Gilmore at Open Eye Cafe in Carrboro Saturday, May 24, at 8 p.m. There will be […]