This month is always active for shows and this year is no exception. But this is always a big month for pirates as well. Halloween comes to mind, of course, but so does Blackbeard, who prowled the waters off our coast and had about the most punk flag ever hoisted.
The old pirate gets his annual honor this month when The Cave presents Blackbeard’s Lost Weekend. The three-day festival is always one of the best ways to catch a fleet of locals in one harbor (OK, I’ll stop). This year’s lineup features the scruffy likes (hey, they really are scruffy) of Spider Bags, The Gondoliers, Coffin Bound and Adult Film Makers.
Also performing along the West End will be Concrete Blonde singer Johnette Napolitino on Oct. 26 at Local 506. Other shows there of note are the Sunset Rubdown, Magic Weapon and Johnny & The Moon triple bill on the 12th, and, on the 14th, David Yow of Jesus Lizard and Scratch Acid performs with his band QUI.
So where do the gypsies come in? Well, there’ll be a few around town on Oct. 31, but the real answer to that question is Bynum, where Austin-based Roma revivalist Oliver Rajamani and his Ensemble will make a stop on the front porch on Oct. 21. Another correct answer to the gypsy question would be farther out in Chatham, specifically, Shakori Hills. A few others are joining Rajamani for a fall weekend in Silk Hope.
The Grassroots festival runs Oct. 11-14 and features (among others) Big Fat Gap, Cyril Lance, Donna the Buffalo, John Jorgenson Quintet, Luminescent Orchestrii, Mamadou Diabate, Mosadi Music, Rey Norteno, Rosie Ledet, The Allen Boys, The Never and Turtle Duhks.
Big shows also abound here in Carrboro.
At The ArtsCenter there’s Vic Chestnutt on Oct. 5 and the Issa Trio on Oct. 20. (Remember that haunting song “Calling All Angels†from the movie Until the End of the World?) The center continues its World Arts Festival with Les Nubians and Masadi Music on Oct. 21 and spends an evening in New Standard Tuning with Robert Fripp and The League of Crafty Guitarists.
One of the more well-known names stopping by the Cradle this month is Cat Power playing on the 16th.
Joe Romeo, who opens the show along with the Orange County Volunteers, notes that Chan Marshall’s got a hell of a band with her. Reviews of the tour say she’s also reportedly clean, sober and on her game live. On the heels of the Memphis-soaked The Greatest, she’s fixin’ to release a second covers record.
While you’re planning your Cradle month, also keep in mind Shout Out Louds on the 30th, 9th Wonder’s record release party on the 10th and Chatham County Line on the 25th .