By Stephanie Novak

One of my faults as a writer is that I often feel my ability to describe isn’t what I’d like it to be. The vocabulary I need to put my thoughts into words seems to elude me, making it that much more difficult. But when it comes to Carrboro, I can happily describe it in one word.
Original.
The town of Carrboro is full to the edges with creative talent and venues.
When I first transferred to Chapel Hill from the small town of Goldsboro, I dove right into the local music scene. My first concert experience was at Cat’s Cradle.

It was 2004 and Halloween was just around the corner. I had discovered a band called the Dresden Dolls after trying to search for a local band called Sorry About Dresden. I never really found that band, but after seeing the video for the Doll’s “Coin Operated Boy”…it didn’t really matter. I tried to convince the few people I knew at the time to go, but they didn’t…they didn’t know enough about the band, had things to do, and generally just weren’t interested. So I was on my own. I left early, that night and headed for Time After Time to grab a last minute costume. Then I went to Cat’s Cradle for a night I will never forget. And it wasn’t just the Dresden Dolls that got to me (although they were a big part of it). It was the fact that after researching local music and chancing upon Bellafea, I discovered that by some piece of luck they were opening. In addition the crowd at Cat’s Cradle was something else. So many different types of people were represented that night…It was amazing. And in the end all we wanted was to have fun, and no one was disappointed by that night.

Since then I’ve been to Cat’s Cradle several times, mostly for smaller events featuring local artists. It was at there that a local high school hosted a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina and I randomly met the bartender Brian Risk, who I just recently discovered is one of the two guys responsible for the “It’s Carrboro” rap song. (funny how things work out like that.)
In other words: my “destiny” since coming to Chapel Hill has been to discover new music and scout out other entertainment that the vibrant town of Carrboro hosts. Because let’s face it: Chapel Hill is not nearly the entertainment center that Carrboro is.

Chapel Hill doesn’t have a fall music festival every year.

Chapel Hill doesn’t have Cat’s Cradle.

Chapel Hill doesn’t have the Arts Center, Open Eye Café or Weaver Street Market.

Singer/Songwriter Julie Loyd performed for a small but dedicated audience at Open Eye Café. UNC Junior, Jesse Wooten (sitting front, center) was responsible for bringing a majority of the group surrounding Loyd. photo by Stephanie Novak

You don’t go to Chapel Hill to watch the films that Flicker Film Festival presents.
All of that lies in Carrboro.
In music, it’s the place to be. Cat’s Cradle may be the stomping grounds for big national and international acts—sure, Franz Ferdinand has played there—but the venue still places a lot of emphasis on local talent. Two important dates to keep in mind: November 22 there will be a “Pre-Turkey Day Jam” featuring artists from local bands such as Mark Simonson of The Old Ceremony and Tom Maxwell of Maxwell/Mosher and Squirrel Nut Zippers.

And speaking of local holiday cheer, December 18 will be the day you want to celebrate Christmas. Chapel Hill based record label Trekky Records will be holding a Yuletide Celebration at Cat’s Cradle featuring a great number of local artists including The Never, Bellafea, Physics of Meaning and Billy Sugarfix (Sugarfix is guy-number-two behind “It’s Carrboro.”

Another important music venue that should not be overlooked is the Arts Center. The venue is practically next door to Cat’s Cradle but it’s often ignored. The Arts Center is truly a vital part to the local artistic scene, hosting artists of all kinds.

The music hosted by the center provides something quite different from the multitude of Indie-Rock/Pop acts that pervade the Carrboro and Chapel Hill music scene. As the host of the 8th Annual North Carolina Songwriters Competition, the Arts Center places an emphasis on quality–both lyrical and in sound. In the past, the Arts Center has hosted musical acts as diverse as grassroots/folk rock music to Celtic driven music.

And Carrboro fixture Open Eye Cafe isn’t just for coffee and tea. The spacious cafe/art gallery also provides live music that emphasizes singing and songwriting. In addition, every first Tuesday of the month Open Eye Cafe provides an open forum for those in the area with poetic tendencies to share their poetry with the wider public.
Like films? So does Carrboro. November 19 was a special day for film lovers in Carrboro. 22 films of varying length submitted by local filmmakers and chosen from 87 for the first ever Carrboro Film Festival. In a solid showing of proof that local music isn’t the only thing that stands out about Carrboro, 435 people showed up at Century Hall.

In addition to Flicker Film Festival’s frequent visits to Cat’s Cradle.

So,the ending message of this column, my dear Carrboro, is twofold:

FIRST:
If you haven’t taken advantage of the wonderful artistic oportunities in Carrboro, it’s time for you to do so. Whether you’re interested in visual art, dramatic art, musical art…Carrboro has it. And it’s there for you! One of my duties to you, Carrboro, is making sure that you have a calendar of events, and I will strive to let you know what’s going on and when in the wonderfully dynamic area.
SECOND:
For those of you who have known for a long time how great the Carrboro arts and entertainment scene is: don’t forget how amazing it is to be a part of it. That very scene is what gives Carrboro a dynamic energy so different from other places. If it’s become another facet of everyday life…pause for a second. Close your eyes. Imagine being in a place without Cat’s Cradle, without the Arts Center, without the yearly music festival, without the crazy people who decide to start up a local filmmaking festival. Getting panicked yet? You should be. It’s pretty scary.

Acoustic rocker Julie Loyd is known for her expressiveness as well as her musical talent. In addition to seeing the raw emotions in her features, she moves around a great deal, unable to stay in one place for long. Loyd played at Open Eye Café in support of her new live album “All That You Ask For.”