Sep
18
"Durham Eyes Cat’s Cradle"
The Daily Tar Heel has an interesting article that will make you go “hmm?” If the right opportunity in Raleigh existed, could we even remotely get into the mix? Doubtful, but worth a dream.
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September 18th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
i wish…. reality is that raleigh would never offer free rent or any incentive.
its very difficult to keep a club running and reducing rent costs can make it a very attractive deal.
we should applaud (and learn from) durham for being aggressive in going after things they want to improve their city. they realize that downtown nightlife needs to grow and getting the major club in the area would be a big coup.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
^ EG- well, the article didn’t say the City of Durham was offering them the free space, it just said some “folks” in Durham. (Wouldn’t surprise me if it were Greenfire.)
September 18th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
I’d hate to see it leave Carrboro, I sort of enjoy driving out there from Raleigh for good shows. If it has to go though it would be great to see it land in Raleigh. Considering Kings is still homeless from what I can tell, I’m not sure we will ever see Raleigh leaders step up and subsidize anything. Also, who knows what type of deal we’ve made with LiveNation for future shows at the downtown ampitheatre which is on tap. I mean, I like Lincoln for tribute shows etc, but I’d love to see a venue that will bring in bands like Of Montreal, Nada Surf, Black Kids, Pete Yorn, etc and mid-level up and coming indie, alt country bands,etc. Either way, Frank Heath runs a great club, and bands like playing for him. I’m sure it will thrive wherever it may land.
September 19th, 2008 at 12:18 am
this is what makes me want to live in durham! they are getting it right nowadays.
September 19th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
It has always seemed to me that some space in the warehouse district would be perfect for a music venue. The prospects of anything like that happening are pretty slim, but it is definitely something downtown Raleigh lacks.
September 19th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
One of the things I love about the current Cat’s Cradle is seeing bands in a place that’s big enough to be comfortable but small enough to feel intimate. I used to go at least once a week, seeing Ben Folds Five, The Magnetic Fields, Cibo Matto, and Jump, Little Children. It’s more of a pain to get over there from Raleigh, but more recently we’ve gone to see Stellastarr, The Donnas, and MC Chris. I was there when Hurricane Fran hit, and after the power started flickering everyone sat down on the floor and Frente played an acoustic set. I remember going to a They Might Be Giants show with my boyfriend that seemed like a last minute thing, and seeing them in such a relatively small place was a thrill.
While I can understand that they need more space, I can’t help but be a little sad at the idea of losing the current incarnation. I guess a new location means new memories. I guess if it has to change, then I’ll root for Durham. That would be more convenient now that I’m living in Raleigh.
September 19th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Part of the appeal to me in going to a small indie music place is the freedom they have to book a big variety of acts. Aside from the fact that I think it would be an unneeded expansion of government into our lives, I would not want the strings that would come with public funding…real or perceived. I would like Raleigh to focus on the basic services like safety, mass transit, and clean streets. If the market does not give King’s a new home, perhaps it is because King’s should not have a home? It was a cool place, but worthy of our tax dollars?