CARRBORO
BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB,
ELEFANT
CAT’S CRADLE–From the get-go, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club seemed prime to burn out in a bright blaze or collapse under the weight of their own sneers. Besides being a damn fine rock band on a major (always a curse), the L.A. three piece was a pack of cigarette smoking’, leather jacket wearin’, reverb drunks. But even after getting the axe from long-time record label Virgin in 2004, and losing founding member Nick Jago to the grind of full-time-banding-it, B.R.M.C. soldiered on. Johnny Cashing their effects pedals in for steel-string acoustic guitars and a few drops of that sweet, sweet whiskey-stomp, the skinny boys who couldn’t bring themselves to chop off their Jesus and Mary Chain fros inked a deal with RCA and delivered Howl, a delightful collection of strangely cocksure, and weirdly desolate, Americana. New York’s grimey Elefant didn’t cash a thing in, and still sort of sound like the Strokes. The 9:30 p.m. show costs $13. –Robbie Mackey
