general scene stuff

bands

bars & hang-outs

...und so weiter

Hey--I don't necessarily know which of these establishments have websites--like does Hell have a website?  Anyway, if you see some place missing you think needs to be added, write me!  Send me the street address and phone number in an email--it'll get added alot faster than if you just sit around and wait to see how long it takes me to find the free time to look that shit up!  Websites not necessary for inclusion, but you know, they're nice to have to link to.   
= live music  and  ETOH = alcohol.

bars 
music clubs 

(with an etoh focus)
[NAV]  [TOP]

Hell 
157½ East Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514   919.929.7799
A private club, they got the hard stuff, and a good selection of imports and beer-snob quality domestics.  Excellent jukebox.  Cough up the $5 and get the membership.  4 pool tables, 1 René Pierre foosball table, some pinball machines, and more than half a dozen prime 80's arcade video games--Ms. Pac Man, anyone? Lots of local bands come here and hang out after they've finished their gigs in the beer bars.  Hell has never had any live bands perform that I can remember, but sometimes they have parties with djs.
^^^

Orange County Social Club
108 Ea
st Main Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.933.0669
The west end of town's uptown answer to Hell.  OCSC is also a private club.  I think the average age of the clientèle here is slightly higher than Hell.  Another excellent jukebox.  There's a Centipede™ video game there that I keep forgetting about until I'm on the way out.  They also have a pool table, and lots of little cozy nooks big enough that you can stretch your social butterfly wings, if you're in the mood.  The patio out back is quite nice, too.
^^^

The Library
Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 
Some new private club that's opened up in same place where the old Taco Bell used to be on Franklin Street--they had Saunter play there the other night, but for now, that's all I know about this particular joint.
^^^

Tyler's
102 Ea
st Main Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.929.6881
Someone else should write something for Tyler's.  I've only walked through it, around to the back to find the foosball action in the speak easy  :)
^^^

The Speak Easy
100 Ea
st Main Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.967.1131
I've been here to play foosball a few times.  We went into Tyler's, and around to the back.  There were at least 2 maybe 3 pool tables.  And the René Pierre foosball table.  It's a fairly clean well-kept foosball table.  (<<<  written 12/2002!)
^^^

La Rez
202 West Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.967.2506
I've been to La Residence for dinner, but I haven't been to their kinda new casual bar, yet.  I know they're having some musical entertainment, and some of my friends are hanging there.  Sometimes they go to La Rez instead of Hell.  I'll end up checking it out eventually.  Because it's an off-shoot of the restaurant, you can get things like fries and appetizers to go with your etoh, rather late--you know, 11pm and such. 
^^^

Henry's
403 West Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.967.4720
Since Henry's is a full service restaurant, they also happen to have a full service bar, and as you may have noticed in other links on this website, they have live music several days a week.  They also serve appetizer/burger/fries type food till pretty late.
^^^

The Cave
452½ West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.968.9308
The Cave exists for music and beer.  And pool.  There are 2 pool tables in the back "ball room."  They have some pinball machines, too.  Mouse and Dave keep a healthy variety of beer, ale, and stout on their menu, and the Cave has been the pulse of the local music scene since before I arrived in town, back in 1985.  Often the unsung hero in the Chill community, the Cave is the pre-eminent champion of local music in this town.
^^^

Local 506
506
West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.942.5506
John Dzubak, bar manager, bartender, and kick-ass guitar player for cockrockers Leadfoot proudly described Local 506 as the "rogue" music club of the Chapel Hill/Carrboro scene.  It's the only club in Chapel Hill or Carrboro where you can have a shot of bourbon while you get your maximum daily dB requirement served up in hearty protions of live punk, blues. alt. country, indie, rock'n'roll, even hip-hop and funk 'n' soul.  If you don't already have your Local 506 membership--what's the hold-up? ...liquor...beer...live bands... oh, and did I mention, that annual southern summer rite, Sleazefest?  
^^^

Go!    
414
East Main Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.969.1400
Ah, does anyone else remember the Turning Point? Man, what a place that was--and for awhile, anyway, there was all kindsa cool musical equipment just sitting there, to use, communally, for free.  Of course that didn't last long.  But apparently the back half of the building that houses Sparkle Car Wash just has music in its soul.  Derek of local bike shops and Cat's Cradle had the opportunity to acquire the space a few short years ago--he had this notion of providing rehearsal studios, given the density of musicians per capita in this part of the world.  Within this space, there was the "main" hall, and hey, ya know, you could schedule some shows for bands to play in there to supplement the income of the rehearsal space!  Voilá!  Go! rehearsal studio was born, and the big main hall with the nice loft got called "Room 4" and the rest is history.
^^^

ArtsCenter
300-G Ea
st Main Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.929.2787
 I honestly don't know exactly why I put ArtsCenter under bars, except that I know I've had a right good many ales with my concerts here.  It's really more of a gallery/community artschool with an auditorium, and they happen to sell etoh during the show.  It's been awhile since I've been to an ArtsCenter show, tho', so I don't know what their policy on alcohol is these days.
^^^

Cat's Cradle
300 Ea
st Main Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.967.9053
The Cradle is here because of music, but you knew that already.  If there's no performance scheduled at the Cradle, they aren't open.  This means they're closed, what... maybe 2 days a month?  They have a pool table, and also a buncha arcade video games from the 80's, so you can find something fun to do while the bands break down and set-up.  I'd go through the four previous locations of Cat's Cradle, but I think that's a trivia question somewhere, and I don't want to give the answer away  :)
^^^

[NAV]  [TOP]

not bars
 (tho' some form of etoh beverage may be available)
Coffee houses, tea houses 
...grocery stores!?!?

[NAV]  [TOP]

Caffé Driade
1215-A 
East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514  919.942.2333
Here's an entry for the east end of town--conveniently located at the midpoint of the big hill on East Franklin--if you have a bike, and live east of Plant Road, you know what hill I mean!  They've been around, locally-owned, almost 7 years as this is being written (January 2003).  They have live music outdoors during the warmer months of the year (May-October), and it's known as a kick-ass Espresso bar, in addition to providing hues from the beer and wine areas of the etoh spectrum.  Sean suggests one might call it an Espresso/Wine Bar Teahouse!  He further volunteers: "There is no other place like it in the Triangle, period.  You instantly feel like you are in Europe...  Beautiful patios and cool interior, not to mention that Margaret White, who played in the Comas, works there."
^^^

Silk Road
456 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.942.1533
I love Silk Road.  It is one of the absolute coolest places not just in Chapel Hill, but on earth.
Known originally as a tea house, recently they added a full-sized grill to their kitchen (see
below).
Silk Road is a perfect place to study, play board games, engage the ontological argument, or simply chill to the truly outstanding tunes.  Whether provided live or via recording, you'll hear a cornucopia of Turkish/Sufi/Middle Eastern tunes, sometimes accompanied by belly dancers, and sometimes, you'll hear some regular old indie rock, too. The indie rock isn't live, however, nor does it come with belly dancers.
Oh, and yes, you can get a gazillion different teas, and tasty baked goodies.
Tuesday night is Go tournament night.  (Othello is kind of a pre-school/toddler's version of Go.)
^^^

Skylight Exchange
405½ West Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.933.5550
Dennis got his start trading used books and LPs in that building that currently houses a pizza delivery and a laundromat in front of Artscenter (incidentally a space that together with Amante's and Cat's Cradle was a grocery store at the time).  I can't remember if Dennis had that whole little building, or just the half that's now that pizza place.  Was it called the Record Exchange?  I can't remember.  Anyway, around 1987, he upgraded, and acquired the space that had been Rhythm Alley (and before that, the original location of Cat's Cradle--pre-Frank Heath, even).  One of his goals was to provide a venue for music in an etoh-free setting, while maintaining his used record/book exchange business.  He installed skylights to let the sunshine in.  In addition to etoh-free beverages, he added a sandwich menu.  You can browse the books and LPs (and now CDs, too!) while listening to music or other performance art.  They could use better promotion for all their shows, but checking the Independent/Spectator gives one some idea of what's going on.
^^^

Temple Ball
307 East Main Street, Carrboro, NC 27510   919-929-1208
 Look, it's a brand new place!  Just opened up Fall 2002.  A labor of love by Rick Ramirez, he describes his new space thusly:
"Temple Ball Gallery features a diverse collection of international folk art, unique glass creations and other forms of thought provoking independent art."
"The gallery's permanent collection features works from Nepal, Tibet, India, Indonesia & Mesoamerica.  Also part of the permanent collection are works by Nemo."  In addition to visual art, Temple Ball stimulates the auditory senses, bringing musicians and other performance artists in to their "middle" gallery, the De La Luz performance space.  Temple Ball is also linked
below in "other busineses." 
^^^

Weaver Street Market
101 East Weaver Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.929.0010
Birkenstocks amuck!  A roommate-past once called the Weaver Street Market regulars "crunchy," and it's a description I'll never shake.  "You know, crunchy, as in granola," he explained.  It's quite the relaxed, casual atmosphere.  People into rolfing, yoga, and adjectives like "holistic," and "organic." that kinda thing.  When it's warm, they are forever having all sorts of fun community events on their expansive lawn, and they cater to a diverse array of acoustic and jazz acts.  The fountain in the middle of it all helps keep a good balance of negative ions in the atmosphere.  Sit close to it if you're feeling stressed. 
^^^

Open Eye Café
100 East Main Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.968.9410
I haven't spent much time here.  I suspect my complete disinterest in coffee is why.  I watch my very cool coffee-drinking friends mill in and around the place, and I'm always seeing the people who work there out at the best shows in town, so if you have a need for coffee, I think this is probably one of the best places to get your fix.  In addition to booking the best known local acoustic performers, they also bring in nationally-touring acts from across the country to provide entertainment with your latte, several days a week, in the early evening.
^^^

[NAV] [TOP]

 

eating establishments 
that lend themselves to socializing beyond mere food consumption
 [NAV]  [TOP]

Pepper's 
127
East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514  919.967.7766
Pepper's used to be Schoolkids Records.  I can't remember which side came first now, but once upon a time, one half of Pepper's was all there was to Schoolkids.  Then Schoolkids expanded and opened shop in the other half, too, so all of Pepper's was once all of Schoolkids.  Then my memory gets fuzzy, but for awhile, I swear Pepper's was half the size it is now--I think that back side room was closed off, or maybe they were still selling records there or something.  I remember buying a pristine new copy of Bruce Cockburn's Sun and Sand LP for something ridiculous like $3 when Schoolkids was clearing out to the other side of the street.  Anyway, in Pepper's, that back side room, man, for a long time, there was the coolest fucking graffiti back there.  You could go in there and get your pizza (or calzone--I always get the calzone) and expand your mind all at the same time, and if you remembered your sharpie, you could contribute to the art work/philosophy.  Then suddenly, for some reason, they painted over all the graffiti.  Why?  Why, Pepper's, why?   That was a sad day.  Pepper's is still very cool, and lots of scenesters from every era of the Chapel Hill music legacy still congregate there to eat and swap tales.  Naturally, Pepper's plays the best music of any sit-down pizza joint in town.  I just wish they still had the "graffiti room."
^^^

     Silk Road
456 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.942.1533
I love Silk Road.  I mentioned above that they now have a full-sized grill in their kitchen, so you can get complete meals--vegetarian and/or carnivorous--with chicken entrees, etc.  They always have catered to the vegetarian crowd--the grill allows them to easily add menu items to appeal to the meat-eaters, as well.
^^^

Hector's
201
East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514  919.942.9420
If you're needing burgers and fries after your night of Chiller carousing, allow me to strongly suggest Hector's.  I can't advise on vegetarian options, carnivore that I am, but that double cheeseburger on pita will surely hit the spot, especially when coupled with those delicious Hector's fries.  Some people like the cheese fries.  Some people like the chili fries.  Some people like the chili-cheese fries.  I just like 'em plain.  The single cheeseburger on pita will do if you think you're not up to the double, but no matter what, get it on pita, not on the bun.  Trust me on this one.  Hector's is always my first choice for late night food on the fried side of town.
^^^

Cosmic Cantina
128
East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514  919.960.3955
Are you vegetarian?  Then Cosmic Cantina can set you right at 2:35am.  Actually Cosmic Cantina can set you right whether you're vegetarian or carnivore, and pretty much anytime they're open serving food.  You'll be hard pressed,  regardless your eating habits, to find larger portions for less than the totally delicious fare they serve up at Cosmic Cantina.  They could maybe bus their tables better, but for the price, man, Cosmic Cantina is great.  Maybe it's the economics but it's been my experience that l usually run into at least one of my friends while I'm there, if not a whole table full. 
^^^

Time-Out Biscuits
133 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.929.2425
Back in the day, when Billy was working the counter, I swore by Time Out biscuits, due to the raucous carnival atmosphere that transpired at 2:35am.  Several of my friends still swear by the grease, but personally, I prefer Hector's.  The main thing for me is, when I go in Hector's, despite the wonderful world of fried foods they offer, I never come out smelling like I was immersed in a vat of chicken lard.  Conversely, I have walked into Time Out to use the restroom and walked back out, and my hair and clothes reaked of rancid grease.  Could be my sense of smell is sharper since I don't smoke cigarettes.  Anyway, these days, IMO the selling point of TIme Out is 24 Hours a Day, no cover charge, ever.  It is presently the only 24 hour eating establishment in Chapel Hill.  If I'm that desperate for someone else to cook my food, I'll just convince a friend to go in Time Out for me and get it to go, ya know.  Anyway, the big thing is, many people I know and love swear by Time Out--you might, too.  That's why I put it here.  And it is open 24/7.
^^^

Breadmen's
324
West Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.967.7110
Suddenly it occurs to me that of all the "ancient" hip places in town, that is, the places that were here when I got here in 1985, only the Cave and Time-Out Biscuits (and Kinko's--see below) are still in business, and in their original buildings.  (Sorry--He's Not Here and Spanky's draw a different crowd, and are therefore disqualified.) Wow.  So yeah, that means Breadmen's has moved, too.  I think the building they're in now used to be a Western Sizzlin' steak house.  It was some brand of steak house.  I'm pretty sure it was Western Sizzlin'.  The building Breadmen's used to be in is the one that's kinda catty-cornered across the street, and it's some kinda home health agency or something.  So, I didn't really say anything about it while I was writing up Pepper's, but one of the reason's Pepper's is so cool is because it employ/s so many people who were/are musically active.  The same can be said of Breadmen's, although obviously, Breadmen's has a more conservative dress code for its staff than Pepper's.  The obvious factor aside--that being anytime I go to Breadmen's I always see someone I know musically--my first reason for including Breadmen's here is that they serve breakfast the entire time they're open.  The second would be for the sweet tea--ya know, Breadmen's is the only restaurant where I often (almost always) chosen sweet tea over diet Coke.  
^^^

[NAV] [TOP]

 

other businesses 
that are fun to hang out in
[NAV] [TOP]

Internationalist Books
405 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.942.1740
As I begin to write this, I'm aware that this might be not so easy.  Bob Sheldon was my friend, as he was to just about everybody who ever met him.  Internationalist was Bob's baby.  When Bob's life was so cruelly, abruptly, and unexpectedly halted in 1991, the future of the bookstore was tentative indeed.  Aside from having created a wonderful, social atmosphere in his bookstore, virtually all the information about how to go about stocking and running the book store was exclusively known by Bob alone, despite the volunteers and friends who were involved in the Internationalist at the time.  People pulled together, though, and 11 years later, the Internationalist thrives once more.  If you care about things like justice, peace, and positive, healthy social change, the Internationalist is a good place to volunteer and just generally hang out.
^^^  

Haz Mat
405 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.967.7540
OK, OK, I don't really hang out in Haz Mat, but I know it's a nifty place, because I've wandered in there with my dog a couple of times, and I've wandered in when I didn't have my dog, to pet other dogs that were hangin' there.  It was a very friendly vibe.  So I suppose I have hung out there--I guess I'm just not a regular.  They've got clothes and buttons and incense and smoking paraphernalia, and I think comics?  I guess I should wander back in there so I can give a better description  :)
^^^

CD Alley
405-C West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.960.9272
Yep, we're all in the same block here on this one.  Kinda convenient, don't ya think?  (And nobody make any cracks about getting a massage!).  
^^^

Kinko's
114 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516  919.967.0790
Maybe it's 'cuz I worked for Kinko's when I was a teenager, and again a couple of years ago, but yeah, I have been known to hang out in Kinko's.  Here in the southeast, anyway, it's a fairly well-established fact of life that if you're a musician, at some point in your life you will probably work at Kinko's, or at the very least, someone in your band will--or some band member's girlfriend or boyfriend will.  Kinko's in Chapel Hill was at it's ultimate cool when Chuck was working nights--Chuck of the 10,000 tattoos and body piercings, who was totally into the Butthole Surfers, at least before they sold out...  He eventually moved to Atlanta to work in a tattoo shop, shortly after he got that rather substantial rod through his septum. It was at least a ¼" in diameter.  Anyway, you may have noticed that Kinko's has become more corporate of late: gone are the days of walking into Kinko's and seeing someone with a chain connected from their ear to their nostril and a chinese dragon tattooed along the jawline on the other side of their face, but the musicians are still in there--even if they are in-semi-corporate-cognito.  Ya know, it's a damned shame Paul Orfella sold the company.
^^^

Schoolkids Records
144 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514  919.929.7766
Originally, Schoolkid's was located across the street where Pepper's is now.  Once upon a time, Schoolkid's had a store open down in Columbia, SC in Five Points, and I swear I think they had another one near Columbia Mall, maybe.  There was at least the one in Five Points.
^^^

Temple Ball
307 East Main Street, Carrboro, NC 27510   919-929-1208
Temple Ball is also linked above in the "not bars" section, due to their De La Luz performance space and art gallery.  I put 'em down here 'cause they also sell CDs, and a variety of other items.  Check 'em out. 
^^^

Glenn's Tattoo
110
West Main Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.933.8288
I know some of you hang out here.  Me, I got an extremely low tolerance (i.e., no tolerance) for pain, and further, there's no inked image I can think of that I'd like to have on my body for the rest of my life, so I got no personal need for a tattoo/piercing shop.  But that's just me.  So if you have a need for this kinda thing, zip over this way.
^^^

[NAV] [TOP]

 



^^^

Hell
157½ East Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514   929-7799
1 René Pierre
Hell is underground.  Enter in the rear.
^^^

Bub's
157 East Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
2 René Pierre
Bub's is upstairs, the top floor, of the building possessed by Hell down in the basement
Not a scenester bar.  But they do have the foosball tables.
^^^

Sportsbar
It looks like a René Pierre,
but I think it's really the RP clone that used to be in Local 506.
^^^

Speakeasy
100 East Main Street, Carrboro, NC, 27510  919.967.1131
1 René Pierre
^^^

bw3
West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 
1 Tornado
^^^

Sitterson Hall
UNC Campus
1 Tornado table in the Computer Science grad student lounge.
So make friends with a Computer Science grad student and you'll gain access 
to one of the the absolute best maintained Tornado foosball tables in the country.
Plus, if you're like me, and you don't smoke, the added bonus of a smoke-free environment.
^^^

[NAV] [TOP]

 

Yep, that's all there is right now 
If you would like a link to your site added here, zip off an email , with the url, and a brief sentence describing your website.
I can't make any promises, but if your site is directly related to the local music scene, I'll get around to adding it.
TheBackyardBBQyahoocom