Cat's Cradle (venue)

Last updated

Cat's Cradle
Brave Combo at the Cat's Cradle (4961829141).jpg
Brave Combo performing at Cat's Cradle
Cat's Cradle (venue)
Address300 E Main St.
Location Carrboro, North Carolina, U.S.
Coordinates 35°54′36″N79°04′08″W / 35.910094813°N 79.068879907°W / 35.910094813; -79.068879907
Capacity 750
Opened1969
Website
catscradle.com
Citizen Cope performing at Cat's Cradle Citizen Cope, Cat's Cradle (8553518573).jpg
Citizen Cope performing at Cat's Cradle

Cat's Cradle is a music venue and nightclub located in Carrboro, North Carolina, less than a mile from the University of North Carolina campus. It has two floors with a capacity of 750 people. [1] [2] In the early 1990s, it contributed to the Chapel Hill region being called the "Next Seattle" by the music press, given that the club hosted upcoming regional and national alternative and grunge acts such as Nirvana (who last performed there just 10 days after the release of Nevermind ), Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth, [2] The Smashing Pumpkins, [3] and Ween (who documented their December 9, 1992, performance with At the Cat's Cradle, 1992 ). [4] In later years, the venue also saw performances by John Mayer, Iggy Pop, Sonic Youth and Joan Baez. [5] [6] In August 2009, The Cosmopolitans played their reunion concert at Cat's Cradle following a 27-year hiatus. [7]

Contents

History

The original Cat's Cradle was opened in 1969 by Marcia Wilson and two partners, Mike Cross and Larry Reynolds. [8] Located in a basement about a half mile from the current location, the original venue was significantly smaller, with a capacity of around two dozen people. The club relocated and changed ownership several times, and went bankrupt in 1983 due to unpaid taxes. [2] In 1987 the club was sold to the current owner, Frank Heath. After a six month hiatus in 1993, Cat's Cradle moved to its current location on Main Street. In recent years, an additional yet smaller club next door called Cat’s Cradle Back Room was opened. [2]

In 2020, the club nearly closed its doors permanently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To cover financial losses, an exclusive album of studio cover songs called Cover Charge was created that featured North Carolina-based artists such as Superchunk, Iron & Wine, The Mountain Goats, Sarah Shook and The Connells. [9] The venue has since reopened.

Live albums

Notable live albums documenting shows at Cat's Cradle include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superchunk</span> American rock band

Superchunk is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, consisting of singer-guitarist Mac McCaughan, guitarist Jim Wilbur, bassist Laura Ballance, and drummer Jon Wurster. Formed in 1989, they were one of the bands that helped define the Chapel Hill music scene of the 1990s. Their energetic, high-velocity style and do-it-yourself ethic is influenced by punk rock, notably such bands as Hüsker Dü, Sonic Youth, Minutemen, and Buzzcocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archers of Loaf</span> American indie rock band

Archers of Loaf is an American indie rock band originally formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 1991. The group toured extensively and released four studio albums, one compilation, numerous singles and EPs, and a live album which was released after the band broke up in 1998. In 2011 the band began a reunion tour that coincided with the reissue of four of its albums by Merge Records. In July 2022, the band announced the release of their first album in nearly 25 years, Reason in Decline, released also via Merge Records in October of the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polvo</span> American indie rock band

Polvo is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band formed in 1990 and is fronted by guitarists/vocalists Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawski, with Steve Popson playing bass guitar and Brian Quast playing drums. Eddie Watkins was the band's original drummer, but did not rejoin the band upon its reunion in 2008, after breaking up in 1998.

<i>GodWeenSatan: The Oneness</i> 1990 album by Ween

GodWeenSatan: The Oneness is the debut studio album by American rock band Ween, released on November 16, 1990, by Twin/Tone Records. The album introduces several key themes for the group, including their eclecticism, gonzo sense of humor, and their demon god/mascot, the Boognish.

<i>The Pod</i> 1991 studio album by Ween

The Pod is the second studio album by American rock band Ween. It was released on September 20, 1991, by Shimmy-Disc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillian Welch</span> American musician

Gillian Howard Welch is an American singer-songwriter. She performs with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. Their sparse and dark musical style, which combines elements of Appalachian music, bluegrass, country and Americana, is described by The New Yorker as "at once innovative and obliquely reminiscent of past rural forms."

Livid was an Australian alternative rock music festival held annually from 1989 to 2003. Created by Peter Walsh and Natalie Jeremijenko, the original idea of showcasing both the arts (Natalie) and music (Peter) in the one event was standardised as late as October/early November from 1991 until 2003. While it has never been officially cancelled, no festivals have been held since 2003 and neither the organisers or promoters have announced any intention to restart Livid in the future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Rawlings</span> American singer-songwriter

David Todd Rawlings is an American guitarist, singer, and record producer. He is known for his partnership with singer and songwriter Gillian Welch. He and Welch were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 91st Academy Awards for "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings" from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. In 2020, Welch and Rawlings released All the Good Times , which won the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ween</span> American rock band

Ween is an American rock band from New Hope, Pennsylvania, formed in 1984 by Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo, better known by their respective stage names, Gene and Dean Ween. Generally categorized as an alternative rock band, the band are known for their irreverent, highly eclectic catalog of songs inspired by funk, soul, country, gospel, prog, psychedelia, R&B, heavy metal, and punk rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cat's in the Cradle</span> 1974 single by Harry Chapin

"Cat's in the Cradle" is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album Verities & Balderdash. The single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1974. As Chapin's only number-one song, it became the best known of his work and a staple for folk rock music. Chapin's recording of the song was nominated for the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011.

Dillon Fence was an American rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They were initially active from the mid-1980s until 1995. The band released three full-length albums on Mammoth Records.

<i>Time (The Revelator)</i> 2001 studio album by Gillian Welch

Time (The Revelator) is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Gillian Welch. All songs were written by Welch together with David Rawlings and were recorded at RCA Studio B, Nashville, Tennessee, with the exception of "I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll", which was recorded live at the Ryman Auditorium as part of the sessions for the concert film Down from the Mountain.

<i>The Revelator Collection</i> 2002 American film

The Revelator Collection DVD is a mix of music videos and concert footage of singer-songwriter Gillian Welch and her musical partner David Rawlings. All of the video was filmed in black and white by still photographer Mark Seliger.

The Cosmopolitans was a United States new wave band that was based in New York from 1979 until 1982. The band was best known for songs "(How to Keep Your) Husband Happy" and "Wild Moose Party" released on Alan Betrock's Shake Records in 1980 (US), and Albion Records in 1981 (UK). Characterized by its quirky choreography and lyrics, songs were often based on tabloid news stories. Shows often included 1960s go-go dance lessons, Wild Moose-call contests, baton routines, and chartreuse fake furs worn over blue mini-skirts.

Snatches of Pink was a rock band based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They also recorded under the name Clarissa. MTV called them "a raunchy rock 'n' roll band and the real thing. Cool as hell. Loud as hell," as well as "the most exciting unknown band in America."

Casey Burns is an American-born graphic illustrator, screen printer, rock poster artist, musician, and advertising art director. He was a founding member of The Nein, a member of LD Beghtol's LD&CO and was at one time a member of The Rosebuds.

Cat's cradle is a well-known series of string figures.

Bricks were an indie rock band founded in New York City in the late 1980s. The group was formed by Merge Records co-founder Mac McCaughan while he was studying at Columbia University, along with Nashville-born singer-songwriter Laura Cantrell, plus classmates Andrew Webster and Josh Phillips. The foursome recorded at least 18 lo-fi songs between 1988 and 1990, which they released on a cassette and two 7-inch singles before disbanding. Their first single, "Girl With The Carrot Skin", enjoyed college radio airplay and was also made into a music video. Shot on super-8 film, the video featured the band eating and playing with copious amounts of carrots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ween discography</span>

The following is the discography of Ween, a Pennsylvania-based experimental alternative band formed by childhood friends Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo, better known by their respective stage names, Gene Ween and Dean Ween. Starting out with a few locally released demo tapes, including The Crucial Squeegie Lip, AXIS: Bold as Boognish, and The Live Brain Wedgie / WAD Excerpts, the band was picked up by independent label Twin/Tone Records in 1990 and released their debut GodWeenSatan: The Oneness. In 1991 they signed with another independent label, Shimmy-Disc, and released The Pod. Later, Ween signed with Elektra Records and released their major label debut Pure Guava in 1992. It features their highest-charting single to date, "Push th' Little Daisies". While touring for this album, they played at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, which would later be released as a CD/DVD live album in 2008 titled At the Cat's Cradle, 1992.

<i>Greenfields</i> (album) 2021 studio album by Barry Gibb

Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1 is the third solo album by British singer-songwriter Barry Gibb, which was released on 8 January 2021 by Capitol Records in America and EMI Records internationally. The album features re-imaginings of songs written by the Bee Gees with country music singers. The album's title is taken from a lyric in the song "Butterfly".

References

  1. ↑ Bernstein, Jonathan (February 12, 2020). "How Raleigh, North Carolina Became a Hotbed of Independent Music". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Hip History: Cat's Cradle Is Still Rocking After 50 Years". www.ncarts.org. January 24, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  3. ↑ "spfc.org : tour history - dates : 1991-08-06". www.spfc.org. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  4. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ween - At the Cat's Cradle, 1992". AllMusic . Archived from the original on May 30, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  5. ↑ WTVD (December 26, 2019). "Cats Cradle celebrating 50th anniversary with six nights of shows". ABC 11 . Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  6. ↑ Lukpat, Alyssa (July 31, 2020). "A who's who of North Carolina musicians record new music to help save the Cat's Cradle". The News & Observer . Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  7. ↑ "The Cosmopolitans to play first show since 1982!". Dionysus Records. July 6, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  8. ↑ Gerard, Philip (July 27, 2021). "The 1970s: Cradle of Music". Our State. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  9. ↑ "NC Artists Cover Favorite Songs to Save Local Venue". Spin . July 1, 2020. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  10. ↑ Mason, Stewart "Dillon Fence Biography", AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2018
  11. ↑ LeVasseur, Andrea. "Gillian Welch: The Revelator Collection (2002)". AllMovie . Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Clambakes Vol. 3: When We Were 10 - Live at Cat's Cradle 1999, by Superchunk". Superchunk. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  13. ↑ Danzig, Ian. "Ween At The Cat's Cradle, 1992". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.