Over 130 bands performed in Carrboro today.
The 14th annual Carrboro Music Festival spread through 25 indoor and outdoor venues downtown.
The music – mostly rock and blues – lasted throughout the evening. There was never a moment where a band was not playing.
“We’re going to keep on rolling!” exclaimed a graying, long-haired musician on the Weaver Street Market lawn, one of the day’s more popular venues. He kept his promise. His band launched into a new groove quickly, as if to make sure the audience’s ears had no time to relax.
Crowds rolled from one venue to the next, many starting at one of the few indoor venues, Cat’s Cradle, and venturing lazily down Weaver Street. It was a largely nomadic audience — most people were unable to stay put for more than a song or two.
“There are a lot of bands, and we only have a limited amount of time,” said Ed Holm, who traveled with his wife from Pittsboro to attend the event. “We are trying to check out different bands — it is a really great selection of eclectic music.”
Despite occasionally threatening gray skies and forecasts that necessitated a bad-weather plan, the afternoon was mostly warm and sunny.
The guitarist of Something For Now, a rock band that played in the parking lot of Tyler’s Restaurant and Taproom later in the afternoon, said that his band was responsible for warding off the rain.
“We are bringing out the sun right now, guys,” he assured the dozens of people dancing to his band’s music.
In a musical age often dominated by showmanship and theatrics, it was notable that many seemed to appreciate the low-key nature of the music festival. The fact that the headlining bands are local, playing on make-shift wooden stages, was seen as an incentive to attend rather than a deterrent.
“I like how they didn’t go out and spend a bunch of money on out-of-town acts,” said Eric Chen, who has attended the event twice before. “It is very homegrown. Very organic.”
Meg McGurk, the festival’s volunteer coordinator, said she believes the event benefits Carrboro greatly.
“Not only is it just a feel-good festival for the people — it is great for every local business around here,” she said.
“It is just a great day.”
With music blaring, business booming, and children running wild with smiles, it would be hard to call it anything less.
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