- Johnny Biddy
- Happier times: Monoslang’s EP release at Kings, Jan 14
Monoslang hadn’t planned for tonight’s Pour House show to be its last. If anything, the bill at the 350-capacity room sounds like a natural followup to the band’s January 14 self-titled EP release show, which bassist Will Crockett says 185 people attended. Yet on Monday, Matt Morford and Lesley Pond — the band’s married guitarist and vocalist — decided they were leaving the band, rendering tonight’s gig a farewell engagement.
The band had only brought Pond in as vocalist in December, with the EP featuring her vocals released less than a month later. That period of time was an exciting whirlwind, says Crockett, which culminated in the well-attended King’s show.
“I hate it’s this soon because I think we were just getting started, creatively speaking,” says Crockett. Morford and Pond had moved to Bahama, a small, rural spot north of Durham with a long “a” in the second syllable, and didn’t think they could afford to practice in Chapel Hill twice a week, he says. The couple’s goal of traveling the country debt-free came first. “We’ve been friends for a long time, and this has certainly been something they’ve wanted to do,” says Crockett. “But it’s unfortunate as it relates to Monoslang.”
Tonight Monoslang plays with headliners No Eyes, with which it shares drummer Reid Watson, and new Wilson band Bel Esprit. The 9pm show is $5.
