It should come as little surprise that Durham’s Pinhook leans pro-choice. The rock club is owned by members of Midtown Dickens, who willingly serve as ambassadors for the area’s gay community. Last May, the venue hosted a large rally in opposition to Amendment One. This month, the bar is keeping up its socially conscious ways, hosting a pro-choice benefit on the 40th anniversary of Roe V. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that established the precedent that a woman’s right to privacy extends to the ability to have an abortion.
Organized by NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, a group that works to protect access to the full range of reproductive choices in the state, Rock for Roe will be headlined by The Mountain Goats. In a press release for the event, Mountain Goat John Darnielle said his performance will be “one of the rare-these-days old-school just-John hesher-neck-snap take-requests style sets.” If the promise of one of his intimate acoustic sets weren’t enough, he also hopes to wrangle members of Midtown Dickens into playing with him as well.
Also on tap is a new collaboration built from two of the Triangle’s best folk-rock acts: Mount Moriah and Hiss Golden Messenger. Under the name Blooz Travellerzz, HGM leader M.C. Taylor will join the full Mount Moriah ensemble to play “a number of classic rock covers in their own signature roots-y style.” Adding to the special vibe is an opening set from Creedence Queerwater Revival, a cover outfit cobbled together from members of Midtown Dickens and Trip Knight to play CCR songs. DJ sets from on-air personalities at Duke University’s WXDU will play between the bands.
Tickets cost $20 and will be available starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday at thepinhook.com. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m., and music starts at 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by WXDU. All proceeds benefit NARAL NC.
