Carrboro
Thao Nguyen, Ingrid Michaelson
Cat’s CradleRolling through town as a sort of Lilith Fair for the indie set, the Hotel Café tour brings together five female artists and swipes them of their touring bands. You may recognized Ingrid Michaelson from “The Way I Am,” which is inescapable on network television and in supermarkets, or Meiko from her MySpace Records deal. The sure bet here is Thao Nguyen, who blew the roof off Local 506 with her band in June, and whose songs’ deep structures warrant a close listen. Come for the laidback coffeehouse vibe; stay for the “surprise” collaborations. Also, Erin McCarley and Ramseur Records’ Samantha Crain. The 8:30 p.m. show costs $15-$17. Ian Miller
Raleigh
The Obama Girls of Comedy
Lincoln TheatreThe Obama Girls of Comedy is the brainchild of one Susannah Perlman, a New York comedienne who staunchly refuses to be seduced by Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s inclusion on the ticketand who doesn’t think you should be either. She and the three other self-styled “hotties of hilarity” have set out to the nation’s swing states to spread the Obama gospel and raise awareness among women voters. The funny arrives tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Vernal Coleman