Downtown Coffee

There are so many places to get a nice cup of coffee downtown.
Here's my list of favorites.

Morning Times - Iced Coffee
Port City Java - Caramel Leche
The Busy Bee - Iced Caramelleto
Starbucks - Caramel Macchiato

Annnnnnnnnnnd, rumor has it there is a new coffee shop opening up sometime. I'm looking forward to it. I hope it's going to be good. My favorite downtown coffee is Port City Java but they aren't open late in the evenings. Competition is heating up.

And TONIGHT starts the weekend!

Thursday night:
Berkeley Cafe - The Rockridge Brothers (Swedish bluegrass) - $10
Slims - Thomas Costello, The Cellar Seas, Kid Future
The Pour House Music Hall - Moon Water (Widespread Panic tribute) - $6
Tir Na Nog Irish Pub - The Bronzed Chorus, Nigrdeo - FREE!!

Friday night:
Berkeley Cafe - Water Wood Down, Mesa Nada
Slims - Raw Nerves, Parasytic, Atakke - $5
The Pour House Music Hall - Kennebec, George McConnell - $8 adv/$10 door
Tir Na Nog Irish Pub - Suicide Blonde (coverband) - $5

Saturday night:
The Pour House Music Hall - C-Phlat, Doco - $7
Tir Na Nog Irish Pub - Paddy Gibney - $5


It seems to be a quiet weekend, music-wise, in the downtown grid. Tonight, I'm going to check out The Bronzed Chorus at Tir Na Nog. I know they are from Greensboro and it has been a while since the 2 piece has played a LBLB show at Tir Na Nog. You should go too.

Libraries ~ The Love Language

This fine installment of downtown raleigh involves a local band - The Love Language, whom I have seen on occassion sipping beers in downtown raleigh. No, I'm not stalking you, more like admiring from afar.

If you haven't checked out Merge Records website and streamed The Love Language's latest album, RELEASED TODAY, I suggest you do it. Now.
I went to Schoolkids today and purchased the album, mainly because I couldn't wait until the release party at Cat's Cradle this Saturday. Opening the show are local favorites the Light Pines and Shit Horse.
I've never written a review of an album. I don't know if that's what I'm trying to do here or what. The Love Language's music is not my typical forte, but after the first couple minutes of listening to Libraries, the word that floated above all others was "refreshing." And I mean this next statement as a total compliment. Listening to the album, I get an image of my parents dancing around with their friends when they were in their 20's. It generally just makes me smile. It's fun. It's more than fun. The whole album makes me smile.
Pedals and Brittany's Back are my favorites on the album. Brittany's Back - those sultry guitar riffs do it for me.

We start drinkin' those whiskey and gingers

Have you ever wondered why people leave their office lights on all night long? Or why people driving cars don't yield to pedestrians? Or, what's really in that "HOT DOG HOT DOG STREET MEAT STREET MEAT!!!!" Or why that damn cocktail just cost you $10 plus tip? Well, this isn't the place to get those answers. But, these are questions that have crossed my mind while walking down the sidewalk along Martin St.

I was just thinking back on the last couple outings I've been on downtown. The bar scene. It's cozy. Let's talk about Weesefest! Did you go?
Well, if you didn't go to Weesefest, you missed out on some great bands and some great people.
First off, Mr. Benton Weese, himself. You'll never meet anyone like Benton. He's an all around great guy and knows how to celebrate his birthday. July 2-4, 2010 was Weesefest 31 at the Pour House Music Hall, located at 224 S. Blount St. As far as the music went, after a couple beers, things are fuzzy and the exact lineup is a bit hazy, but I remember watching Skullbuckle and The Trousers for a bit. Left Outlet seemed to be a fixture on the stage each night. I can never find the right words to use to describe Left Outlet. The Indy describes them as "swirling psych-proggers," which is what I might agree a bit on about a year and a half ago. Seriously, Indy music writers, I think it's time you do your homework and go to a couple local rock shows, maybe you should have attended Weesefest and did a recap. I definitely feel the emotion in their songs. They've become a tighter bunch and are growing into their potential. The Bright Young Things are growing on me. I caught them a few weeks ago at another venue. I dig them. A Rooster for the Masses closed out the night. It was good to see them on stage again with new material. There were a couple songs I'd heard before, I was hoping to hear some of my favorites like Postal or Chinese Guitars, but no can do. I am anticipating the release of a new album from them. I wonder when that's going to be? All in all, it was a great show. I was ready for night 2 of drinking and music. Unfortunately, I was late. I arrived while Richard Bacchus and the Luckiest Girls were on stage. This band sounded awesome. I think the T's were next, things get fuzzy yet again, I think I was watching the magic from Magic Mike Casey out front, and then Left Outlet, again. I was glad they didn't play the same set from the night before. Something tells me never to expect that from Left Outlet. Closing out the night was Red Collar. Red Collar never ceases to amaze me with their energy. It was a late show, going right to 2am. It was time to call it a night. Night 3 started off with Ghost of Saturday Nite, Grey Young, Hammer No More the Fingers and Left Outlet closing out Weesefest. It was a tiring night. A great weekend. I hope Benton enjoyed himself.

Oh, and if you are wondering about the title of this blog, it's a line from Katherine Belle by American Aquarium, another local favorite. Catch them live at Malarkey-gras at the Pour House Music Hall, August 21.

It's not your normal downtown.

Downtown Raleigh. The smallest, happiest, craziest home on planet Earf. The land where no one can drive or parallel park, home of Uncle Rico in Moore Square (don't ever try to catch his football), where Chick-fila closes after lunch, where the bums are semi-friendly (especially Jerome and Anita - on a good day) and beer dinners - yum. Downtown Raleigh - where the yuppies are never happy (trains blow their whistles?! Oh NO!), the hipsters drink their PBR(America's Best in 1893? Boy, have we come a loooooooooooooong way!) and the local music scene thrives where the beats are kept by a skinny jeaned dude with a beard and a plaid shirt and Converse. Some call it home, some call it their party pad and some put in their grueling 9-5 job and head out to the 'burbs. Downtown Raleigh - it's what you make of it.

I've been a regular in the Blount/Martin/Hargett/Wilmington/Fayetteville/Salisbury Street grid for years now and have seen many faces come and go. I feel that it's time to document the happenings, the hustle and bustle of this mini metropolis(I still think this word is too big for Raleigh). Let's see what trouble I can stir...