The Cave's 50th Anniversary Party
The Cave Tavern 452 1/2 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516

Earlier this year, The Cave, a beloved Chapel Hill dive and rock club, was teetering on the brink of oblivion. Its owners had decided to sell the business, but had found no takers by the end of April; the club’s “final” night of business felt like a party for the end of the world. But with the help of a few friends, Melissa Swingle and Autumn Spencer swooped in to save the day, taking over the business for The Cave to remain in its subterranean spot on Franklin Street. This week marks the bar’s golden anniversary, and given how narrowly the bar escaped its springtime fate, there’s plenty to celebrate (including, but not limited to, some long-overdue sprucing-up that Swingle and Spencer administered). The Cave’s Saturday night bill features two longtime Cave-dwelling acts—heavy-hitters LUD and the easygoing North Elementary—as well as Harrison Ford Mustang and Honey Radar. —Allison Hussey