'Come see a show': Cat's Cradle provides live music performances for community

Cat’s Cradle, founded in 1969, is a cornerstone of Chapel Hill and Carrboro where students and community members can witness musical performances by acts ranging from local student bands to nationally touring legends.

Famous bands such as Nirvana, Radiohead, Pavement and Sonic Youth performed at the Cradle throughout the '90s, and the venue has been a spot for major hip-hop acts such as Public Enemy, Run The Jewels, Waka Flocka Flame and Mac Miller.

“It would be difficult to name a genre where we haven’t had trendsetting, globally famous artists at one point or another,” Derek Powers, assistant to the director of operations at the venue, said.

Watching a show at Cat’s Cradle could lead to encounters with local, or even national, music legends, Dave Hedemen, Cat’s Cradle performer and founder of local record label All Y’all Records, said. 

“There’s literally all these people that were in giant bands kind of wandering around," Hedemen said. "They still play but there's no ego. They're just normal dudes, but they'll, you know, be in a country band.” 

Cat's Cradle's dedication to both lesser known and popular performers is manifested in its structure. Its main room has a 750-person capacity. Right next to it is a 200-capacity backroom, which was added to give an area for smaller artists to perform, Power said.

“Come see a show. If it's a band that you love, great. If it's a band you never heard of, even better," he said.

Both venues provide concert-goers with a more intimate experience than large stadiums, even for major acts.

“I feel like you get up close and personal to the artists that you want to see, and that's why the main stage and the backroom area are both really fun, because nine times out of 10, you can usually meet the artist after the show,” Violet McLamb — a rising sophomore and frequent attendee of Cat’s Cradle concerts — said.

Even during the summer, UNC students go to shows at the Cradle. Ben Tomcho, a rising junior at UNC, attended a concert by Nashville-based band Bird and Byron on July 15. The show’s opener was UNC English professor and Americana musician Florence Dore.

“It’s crazy man. It goes deep. UNC’s a prestigious school for many reasons,” Tomcho said regarding watching a professor perform on stage.

“You know, it’s a part of the UNC culture and has been for so many years," he said. "So, it’s really cool to be a part of that culture that's been going on for so long. Cat’s Cradle is a famous venue, it’s hosted a lot of big names when they were small. And it’s happening still. It’s one of the real authentic college town concert venues." 

The venue is located on 300 E. Main St., a 25-minute walk from campus, with bus and bike routes making it even more accessible for students.

Average concert tickets for North American tours have gone up 34% since 2018, according to Apollo Academy. However, Cat's Cradle has stayed affordable, with shows costing as little as $10, Alison Giudice, Cat’s Cradle supervisor, said.

“It tries to remain accessible to students and lower income eligible individuals who like to enjoy live music,” she said.

Most of the shows are open to all ages, and only require an ID for those wishing to purchase alcohol or pick up tickets at will-call.

Student bands Juggs and Braless have recently performed at the Cradle, and student band Mush, Puppy! is scheduled to perform there on July 7.

“It was just such a full circle moment, because we've all seen some of our favorite artists play there before we took the stage ourselves for this time," Warner Vaughan, Juggs’ rhythm guitarist, said. "And, so it's just been amazing to look on the stage from our own perspective, just knowing who's been up there before us." 

Cat’s Cradle also presents performances at other larger local venues, including upcoming shows by Godspeed You! Black Emperor and the Violent Femmes, which they are able to do because of the positive relationships they have built with these groups over the years, Powers said. For example, the Violent Femmes will be presented by Cat's Cradle at the Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh. 

Future performances are announced on the Cat’s Cradle website and social media sites like Instagram. Posters for performances can be found displayed around Franklin Street and nearby areas. Later this summer there will be a four-day festival to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Durham based indie rock label Merge Records, which was founded by members of Chapel Hill band Superchunk.

McLamb said that she was looking forward to seeing folk singer Odie Leigh in November. Indie rock band Built to Spill is also performing this fall.

Powers said that Cat’s Cradle offers UNC students a special opportunity that they would not be able to get at many other colleges — an affordable and eclectic music venue with a long history of great artists performing there.

"At some point during your time at Carolina, come see some shows, because these kinds of shows aren't happening near other colleges that you could have attended. And you should take advantage of it," he said. 

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