Raleigh Underground

Once a year, there's a charity event that features local area bands performing as tribute bands. The event used to be called the Great Raleigh Coverup or something like that, and was held at King's, a nightclub that closed sometime in the last year or so.

The event is now called Raleigh Underground (I think), and this year it's being held this weekend at Tir Na Nog, an Irish Pub downtown that has to be one of the worst places in town to see and hear a live band.

In spite of that, I found myself standing at the soundboard at 10pm, hanging out with my buddy Robbie, the house sound engineer. First band was on, covering My Bloody Valentine, a band I didn't like then and don't like now. Things got better right after that when the next band played a set of songs by the great British glam band Slade. THAT was pretty rocking.

Next up were my buddies Santa Monica '72 with a set consisting of all Thin Lizzy covers. Well done, too.

The next band covered Bryan Adams and weren't bad, either. But when I heard that the last band was gonna be doing the Beastie Boys, that was my cue to exit.

Went next door to the Pour House to hang out with Jac Cain, that club's sound engineer. He had a hip-hop show going on, and the place was packed to the walls. I only stayed for one beer, then headed home.