World Music in Carrboro

This report was written by Angel Romero.

Carrboro is one of the most progressive towns in North Carolina. It is located right next to Chapel Hill and it is the home of some of the best venues for world music in the area.

Live music

The Cat's Cradle in Carrboro programs rock, world music, folk, blues, reggae, etc.

The Arts Center, also in Carrboro, has an eclectic array of concerts, including blues, country, world music, Zydeco, bluegrass, and folk music.

Friends of World Music, Pine Cone and the Triangle Folk Music Society sponsor or co-sponsor world music and traditional American music concerts at various venues, ranging from the North Carolina Museums of Art and History in Raleigh to several of the local universities and the Skylight Exchange book store in Chapel Hill.

Festivals

The annual Carrboro Music Festival is usually held in September, featuring a wide range of musical styles at over twenty indoor and outdoor stages all over Carrboro.

The Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival is held annually in October in Silk Hope, North Carolina (Chatham County, south of Carrboro). The event includes American roots music and world music.

Record stores

For used CDs, LPs and books, Nice Price Books is a great place. They carry world, reggae and other genres. Gateway to Carrboro, Carrboro, Phone: (919) 929-6222.

For music in Spanish you can go to the nearby Buckhorn Flea Market (farmer's market and flea market), in Orange County, near the Alamance County border. It is also known by the local Hispanic population as La Pulga. Many booths are owned by Hispanics and some sell Mexican grupero music, as well as norteño, corridos, and reggaeton. Follow Interstates 40 West/85 South and get off at exit 157. The entrance is 200 meters south of the stop sign. Open Saturdays and Sundays, 6 am - 6 pm. Address: Buckhorn Market 508 Buckhorn Rd., Mebane.

Radio

WNCU 90.7 FM, in Durham, is primarily a jazz station. It has a blues show on Mondays. On weekends you can listen to Gospel, reggae and Latin music.

WXYC, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student-run radio, doesn't have a format. World music can be heard at times, combined with anything else.

WUNC 91.5 FM public radio station in Chapel Hill can be heard in nearly half of the state. It broadcasts the syndicated Celtic music show The Thistle and Shamrock and has a locally  produced show called Back Porch Music during Friday evenings and weekends. It used to include world music, but later it removed it and now it only plays American and English folk, bluegrass, Celtic music and Nordic (European) music.

Mailing list

There is an e-mail list available for people in the Triangle area, which includes Carrboro, and nearby areas that are interested in upcoming world and Latin music shows. To Subscribe send an email to skorch@skorch.com with the following information:
-- subject "subscribe"
-- your name and email address
-- how you heard of the World Music Email List (in this case: World Music Central)
-- to which list you wish to subscribe (any world music, or Latin American only, or Celtic/English Only).

Publications

Independent Weekly is the local alternative newspaper and entertainment guide. It merged with the Spectator, which was the rival publication.

Last Updated 12/18/2005 11:48AM; 4,180 Hits