INDY Selects: What To Do This Week

In a moment of profound national crisis, could a topic be more relevant? (Is there a future for American democracy?) In this Duke University event, popular New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie will speak on the “historic nature, impact, and implications of the election and its outcome.”

In a typical column, Bouie—who is based in Charlottesville and also co-hosts the podcast Unclear and Present Danger—fleshes out current events with historical context; a kind of analysis that feels especially urgent right now. For a preview of how Bouie feels about the election, here are some recent column titles: “Trump Doesn’t Get to Decide What the Constitution Means” (Jan. 25), “Don’t Fall For Trump’s DEI Dodge,” (Feb. 1). This event is free and open to the public. —Sarah Edwards 

In a 2024 INDY profile of Durham musician Justin Morris, who plays music as Sluice, Tasso Hartzog wrote that Morris’s songs, “rich with memory and close observation, are rooted in North Carolina’s landscape.” Wry, laid-back, and ponderous, with nature-laden lyrics that wouldn’t feel out of place in Farmers’ Almanac, Morris’s music has been compared to Bill Callahan, a nod that doesn’t feel too far off.

At this Pinhook show, Morris is joined by another Durham musician, Chessa Rich. Her 2023 album Deeper Sleeper, an INDY favorite, is themed around sleeping, creativity, and the dream world—though its lush, pop-inflected music is guaranteed to keep you enthralled and awake. —SE

The Great Cover Up is, by design, difficult to blurb: The event, one of Raleigh’s wonderful annual traditions, features local musicians covering the greats—but all cover acts (fifteen in total this year) are kept a secret until the big concert reveal.

Past “band” appearances have included Weezer, David Bowie, and Joy Division, so rest assured that you’re bound to encounter a favorite in the mix. The buy-in of local musicians, who go all-out with costumes and acting, is big, making this a very fun event. Bonus: You have several opportunities to go (February 7-8 and February 20-22) and all proceeds go to local organizations and beyond that are “working to help people who are struggling.” —SE

Country Song Soulbook, a local organization led by musicians Kamara Thomas, Charli Lowry, and Kym Register, works to amplify the voices of underrepresented voices in country music—a signal boost that’s essential in a genre that’s been forcibly whitewashed. (This weekend at the Grammy’s, Beyoncé did win Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter, her official foray into country music—maybe the genre tides are slowly turning?).

The organization also works to revive and celebrate underrepresented music from the historical canon more broadly, as with this “evening of learning and singing songs” from the Civil Rights Movement. Songs from times of struggle remind us that the fight for justice has been done before and is possible again; at this event, Thomas invites community members to join their voices together. Also, don’t worry: There will be a short vocal warm-up and lesson beforehand. —SE

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Raleigh’s Burning Coal Theater is premiering not one, but two plays this season: The first, comedy Paint Me This House of Love, will see a U.S. stage for the first time when Jules (Ali Goins) shows up at the door of his daughter Cecelia (Monica Hoh), who has been estranged from him for over two decades.

As they embark on a home renovation project, wounds from the past inevitably surface in clever dialogue by playwright Chelsea Woolley that crisscrosses years of hurt and misunderstanding. Valentine’s Day is usually all about romantic relationships, but the process of repairing familial relationships is every bit as raw and important. Keep an eye out for Burning Coal’s regional premiere of Being Chaka, which follows Paint Me This House of Love with a March 13 opening date—and if you buy a bundle with tickets to both plays, Burning Coal is offering a steep discount. —SE

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