This week’s Local Band-Local Beer show at Tir Na Nog in Raleigh comprises a trio of regional bands who belong to the Cardinal Collective: the Triangle’s Wylie Hunter & the Cazadores, Greensboro’s House of Fools and Wilmington’s Mike Blair & the Stonewalls (10 p.m. Thursday, June 6, free). They’re just just a few of a growing number of Americana-minded acts working together to promote releases, shows and each others’ careers across North Carolina.
The brainstorm of local promoter and music scene stalwart Chris Tamplin, the Cardinal Collective represents a cache of like-minded acts including Jack The Radio, the Debonzo Brothers, Old Quarter, Caleb Caudle, The Temperance League, Some Army, Homer Sparks and Onward, Soldiers. The network of bands stretches from Charlotte through the Triad and Triangle to the coast at Wilmington.
Tamplin, who works as a sort of point man for the group, sees obvious advantages the association. “Instead of having to scrounge around and look over the Internet and see if you can find bands in the area, you already have one—you already have contacts and people you can work with,” he explains.
Thus far, the Collective’s activity has mainly been promoting shows, working out tour dates and recommending each other to their respective fan bases. “Everybody just really wants to work together and is happy to see each other do well,” Tamplin says. He notes that there’s potential for co-releases and special events, and teases the possibility of a future compilation.
Hunter, who joined after talking with Tamplin about eight months ago, has a similar take. “I think we all love the same music and we want the same things for each other,” he says. “We want to bring the rock ‘n’ roll and the Americana together in this community. We want people to know where to find that scene, and that’s what the Cardinal Collective, I think, represents: You know this is going to be this style of music, and you know it’s going to be awesome.”
