NC

I often hear attitudes about Chapel Hill's music scene that I used to have: that the early- and mid-90s were a "golden age" of which we've since been in the shadow. Or, that this golden age occurred in the early 80s. I don't think there's as good a band as Polvo here right now, but who cares. The bounty of good music here is proven several nights a week at reasonable and often nonexistent prices. As a music fan, this is an awesome place to live.

My main gripe with the music scene is the lack of ambition. I see musicians practicing hard and playing great shows, but so often there's something missing: they don't care about getting a half-decent recording of their songs, or they do care about recording but don't care about getting their stuff released on any scale. Or they don't promote their shows. Or they don't ever tour.

Obviously, people can do whatever they want. Speaking as the producer of a local music show, however, who is in the (non-commercial) business of helping musicians and the local audience, I wish bands would help themselves more. I want to bang my head against the wall when I go to see a good band play a free show and five people are there, or when people meticulously compose and record an album, and then self-release it.

Right on the money, dog costumes.
This has driven me nuts for almost two decades.

The funny thing is that people often *do* come out if the bands do the work. We've only played 7 shows, and our audience at 506 ranges from "really well attended" to "packed."

Why? We tell everyone. We email, put up fliers, tell friends, ask then to tell friends. Then, when we play, we try hard.
It's pretty simple.

I can't tell you how many times I've run into a good friend who told me that his band had played the night before. Why didn't I know about it, I ask. It was in the paper (barely mentioned on page 112, in between advertisements). This happens all the time. I had just been at home reading, answering email or something.

I'm pushing 40, so I don't always know when good things are happening, but if word gets to me, I show up.
The problem is word doesn't get to people, and when it does, a lot of times they don't show up anyway.
As I've said, Asheville is on our ass.

-A

[double post]

I also love Asheville. My second-favorite place in North Carolina. And one area in which Asheville is kicking the shit out of Chapel Hill musically (to my knowledge) and that's the heavy. For a bunch of hippies, they love heavy rock up in the mountains.

Please point me in the direction of some heavy in NC.

I see no heavy. I live in the East Tennessee.

Asheville have the Kakistocracy. They are good band.

I had a really good meal at a place called Lantern the last time I was there.

I've really enjoyed this town the few times I've been there.

FuzzBob wrote:Stubb's

You need to get out more if you're claiming Stubb's.

amos wrote:I had a really good meal at a place called Lantern the last time I was there.

I've really enjoyed this town the few times I've been there.

Latern was written up as one of the Top 50 places to eat in the US by (I think) Gourmet Magazine.

Rocker connection: it's also owned by Mac McCaughan's wife.
Andrea can make delicious food out of nearly any part of an animal.
Mac is a vegetarian, I'm pretty sure.
I wonder how long until he caves?

-A

vockins wrote:

FuzzBob wrote:Stubb's

You need to get out more if you're claiming Stubb's.

Touche! Stubbs isn't exactly my favorite, but it's OK. Harmon's is the real deal, about 45 minutes out of Austin down a little past New Braunfels on I-35, left on FM 1103, driving a few miles into the middle of nowhere until you hit a stop sign. You turn left into "downtown Cibolo" which resembles an old spaghetti western set, and it's across the "street" from the podunk police station. The guy's a super Jesus freak but he sure does crank out some amazing brisket.

i'm bummed on it in ways. i love the liv-ability and the fact that you can walk everywhere... but ultimately the culture is sheltered and homogenous and i have a hard time stomaching the self-congrajulatory vibe people have for no apparent reason. reminds me of the cliche 'i was born in the 60s so i'm part of real thing' pat-on-the-back-isms... where because your from that generation you are somehow involved with or associated with it's flashes of genius. no place really offers you the arrival point that people will tout... and unfortunately, no, chapel hill has not offered any good bands in over a decade... who?