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  • From: "James Hepler" <hepstyle AT gmail.com>
  • To: "RTP-area local music and culture" <ch-scene AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: Cat's Cradle & Durham?
  • Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:00:06 -0400

No acts come to mind directly, but it does seem as though the Orange Peel
(950 capacity to the cradle's 650) in Asheville is becoming the new
destination for bands that draw in that 1000 people range. Smashing
Pumpkins I guess might be an example, albeit a poor one. Perhaps New
Pornographers, Peter, Bjorn, & John, etc?




On Thu, Sep 18, 2008 at 6:34 PM, Bryon Settle <ployntabs AT embarqmail.com>wrote:

> So what acts would we see if there was a thousand seat space?
>
> grady wrote:
> > It all sounds like a bunch of hooey to me. Specifically, the type of
> > hooey that developers toss around when they're getting frustrated at
> > local opposition to their projects. Sort of like "well, we appreciate
> > your concerns, but if we don't get the green-light to proceed with our
> > project by FRIDAY then circumstances beyond our control might force us
> > to build a Wal-Mart with on-premise strip club instead."
> >
> > Except since it's Carrboro we're talking about, and the developers
> > probably aren't evil, but rather just getting impatient with some
> > late-term naysayers who apparently didn't bother to raise their concerns
> > during any of the opportunities for public input over the past 3 years
> > (remember this thread?
> >
> http://groups.google.com/group/alt.music.chapel-hill/browse_frm/thread/32360402f81bf7bb/400074a8ace20151
> > ), the doomsaying takes the somewhat more passive-aggressive form of
> > Laura Van Sant making vague statements about how she sure hopes the
> > Cradle doesn't up and move to Durham due to the uncertainty surrounding
> > the development.
> >
> > Or, to quote (extensively) from the Schultz & Menconi article in the
> > CHN/N&O:
> > ------- begin quote -----------
> > A developer proposing the renovation of the nightclub's East Main Street
> > shopping center urged the Carrboro Board of Aldermen to approve the
> > project Tuesday night, saying any further delay could send Cradle owner
> > Frank Heath packing.
> >
> > "It's absolutely an integral part of our project," Laura Van Sant said
> > in an interview Wednesday. "It is a fact he has landlords in Durham
> > offering him free space."
> >
> > But it's not clear that delaying the 300 East Main Street project would
> > force the Cradle to leave Carrboro. In an e-mail statement, Heath said
> > he gets regular inquiries about relocating the Cradle to a larger space
> > in one of the Triangle's other cities.
> >
> > "It can get a bit frustrating knowing that our current spot really is
> > where this venue needs to stay, while also knowing that we could benefit
> > from a larger space," Heath wrote.
> >
> > When asked about Van Sant's claim he'd been offered rent-free space in
> > Durham, Heath answered that it was more along the lines of booking shows
> > elsewhere than a space of his own to operate as Cat's Cradle.
> > --------- close quote -----------
> > http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1221382.html
> >
> > I'm not attempting to predict the future, but what I *am* saying is that
> > this project has been in the works for well over three years, and while
> > I'm sure Frank Heath has done a good job of formulating contingency
> > plans, the fact that he hasn't moved before now would indicate that he's
> > unlikely to up & move just because the project is *not* moving ahead.
> >
> > And just to provide background that's missing from the current coverage:
> > the plan, as it was explained to me, was for the Cradle to move into the
> > Performance Bikes space once it came time to bulldoze the stripmall
> > itself, and then eventually move into a custom-built space near the back
> > corner of the project, along with the ArtsCenter.
> >
> > Obviously grandiose plans such as those are exactly the sorts of things
> > to get amended &/or jettisoned once time & money get tight, and it would
> > be nice to see the coverage address some of that.
> >
> > Our friend Dave Menconi is fond of citing the shows that *don't* hit the
> > Triangle due to the lack of a ~1000-seat venue, but unless there's a
> > 1000-capacity building with all the requisites (parking, plumbing, etc)
> > just sitting unused in Durham or elsewhere, I don't think that's going
> > to play into this particular decision.
> >
> > One other bit of missing information: what's the planned capacity of the
> > "new" Cradle that's featured in the plans for the East Main development?
> >
> > Ross
> >
> > Gary Miller wrote:
> >
> >> I was walking down the hallway in my building today and spied a
> >> headline on the front of the Daily Tar Heel that caught my eye:
> >>
> >> "Durham Eyes Cat's Cradle"
> >>
> >> The article is about the proposed development at 300 E. Main St. and
> >> quotes someone from Main Street Properties as saying "He's literrly
> >> getting offered free space by folks in Durham." The "he" in that
> >> sentence is Frank. Frank is quoted as saying he's keeping his options
> >> open. "Given the uncertainty with regards to the timing and future of
> >> the Carrboro project, Cat's Cradle is trying to keep an open mind
> >> about any future locations and configurations for the club." It goes
> >> on to say he's isn't currently planning to move the venue.
> >>
> >> I realize I'm probably way out of the loop. But, although I knew
> >> about the development, this is the first I've heard about the impact
> >> it could potentially have on the Cradle's location, esp. being
> >> recruited by Durham.
> >>
> >> Anyone else?
> >>
> >> Gary
> >> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> >> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
> >>
> >>
> > -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
> >
> >
> >
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
>




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