Undercover Muslims
I had no idea this project was coming my way. But holy shit I am glad it did. I hadContinue Reading
Latest Posts
PREMIERE LOCAL: “By Your Side” by SunSp·t
Our next installment from Premiere Local features another single from Joe MacPhail‘s solo project SunSp·t. “By Your Side,” the secondContinue Reading
Album Review: Sea Moss, “Bidet Dreaming”
This is an unusual album review for Durham Beat because it is not local. I wrote this piece in anContinue Reading
PREMIERE LOCAL: “Wash Over Me” by SunSp·t
Durham Beat is proud to present our inaugural Premiere Local series: collaborations with local artists to debut original work. OurContinue Reading
Album Review: XOXOK, “Worthy”
Hit play. Listen. Pause. I need to see a visual of the person singing. What a voice! So, I lookContinue Reading
MOOGFEST Staff Picks: Must-See Acts
At last, Moogfest 2019 is upon us. Like with our Freebies & Local Fun staff picks, the Durham Beat staffContinue Reading
MOOGFEST: Freebies & Local Fun 2019
Last year, when Durham Beat was little more than a month old, we got press access to Moogfest. I wasContinue Reading
Album Review–sister,brother, “Suicide Club”
Welcome to “Future Primitive Punk”! I have heard this music before; I haven’t heard this music before! Holy shit! GetContinue Reading
MOOGFEST Instagram Contest!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED AND WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED AND NOTIFIED BY 4/21/19! MOOGFEST Instagram Contest By Durham Beat!Continue Reading
The Post-Show: Men on Boats, The Justice Theater Project
It may not come as a surprise that there’s something about going to see a play called Men on BoatsContinue Reading
Album Review–Tan and Sober Gentlemen, “Veracity”
Veracity (n): conformity to facts; accuracy. Synonyms: truthfulness, truth, accuracy, correctness, faithfulness, fidelity Tan and Sober Gentlemen (TASG) are trueContinue Reading
Album Review–Fresh Cut EP, BANGZZ
I woke up this morning face-down on my rug. You see, last night I discovered the new Taco Bell CantinaContinue Reading
Residency Post-Show: Charles Latham at Arcana
“ONE MORE SONG! ONE MORE SONG!” The enthusiastic bellows of a gleeful audience bounced off the walls of Arcana asContinue Reading
The Post-Show: Party Illegal w/Treee City, DJ Jules, Oliver Long, Sinistarr, 2/16/19
When I arrived at Pinhook for the Party Illegal show this past Saturday, I found a parking spot directly inContinue Reading
Artist Profile: Audrey Ayers
The Mineral Girls guitarist talks about growing up in upstate New York, her new solo project, and being filled withContinue Reading
Artist Profile: Sinclair Palmer
When you go to as many local shows as I do, you start to notice the regulars. The drummer whoContinue Reading
Local Eats: Ajisai
I like raw food. When I was young growing up in Massachusetts, my parents took me to an oyster barContinue Reading
Artist Profile: Asa Coaxum
Asa Coaxum is a dancer and rapper who lives in Durham, North Carolina. I interviewed her recently and we talkedContinue Reading
12 Hours In Boston
It’s 2AM and I’m at Logan Airport in Boston. My flight leaves at 6AM and my 12-hour journey to visitContinue Reading
Album Review–Sunflowers, ZenSoFly
I close my eyes. The sun beams warm rays in diagonal lines across my face as I reach my armContinue Reading
Artist Profile: Kae Diaz
If you’ve been to any of the area’s queer venues, or a local punk show with more than two womenContinue Reading
Artist Profile: Miira Cide
Miira Cide is a death metal musician and producer originally from Wendell, North Carolina. If you’re wondering what the deathContinue Reading
TransMusic X Durham Beat Collaboration: Introduction
Trans Music X The Durham Beat From transmusic.org: Explore the art, work, lives and politics of your favorite transgender musicians.Continue Reading
Bands & Cans #1
Words by Stephen Mullaney Photos by Christine Fantini Durham is a city that has produced amazing art, theater, and music.Continue Reading
The Post-Show: Since Forever, 10 Years of Pinhook Show, November 17, 2018
Self-doubt. The first thing I felt when The Editor asked me to cover a few sets at Pinhook’s 10th birthdayContinue Reading
10 YEARS…of …PINHOOK!
5:50am pedaling past a glowing building tattooed with corporate lettering “WE WORK”! If only the occupants of that building knew…Continue Reading
Preview: Jo Gore & Azul Zapata at Motorco, November 10, 2018
Earlier this week I met up with Jo Gore and Azul Zapata at one of my pseudo-office spaces, Sam’s QuikContinue Reading
The Post-Fest: Manifest III, October 19, 2018
Manifest, a two-day and three-venue showcase of queer, trans, and gender non-conforming artists from around the Triangle (with a fewContinue Reading
The Post-Show: Titus Andronicus & Ted Leo at Motorco, October 27, 2018
Dear Reader, I cannot remember the last time I have felt so liberated and so joyful at the same time.Continue Reading
Local Beer: Whip-Poor-Will Wit, Fonta Flora Brewery
Beer: Whip-Poor-Will (Witbier, brewed with organic oranges, coriander and Earl Gray tea) Brewery: Fonta Flora (Morganton, NC) ABV: 4.5% I oftenContinue Reading
Artist Profile: Cool Boy 36
Editor’s Note: This piece was written for print and is the feature writing in the limited edition REUPCYCLE LOOK BOOKContinue Reading
The Post-Show: The Muslims at The Fruit, August 30, 2018
The Muslims Do TOUR, which began on the “laborious” Labor Day weekend opened on August 30th at the Durham Fruit.Continue Reading
Local Beer: Birdsong Brewing, Jalapeno Pale Ale
Beer: Jalapeno Pale Ale Brewery: Birdsong Brewing Company (Charlotte, NC) ABV: 5.5% I will readily admit that I’m a punkContinue Reading
The Post-Show: Real Dad, Case Sensitive, Moon Ruin at The Pinhook, August 3, 2018
I composed this post-show writeup in my head several weeks ago. The demands on The Editor during those same weeksContinue Reading
The Post-Show: Free Things Festival 2018
Our tale begins at Hunky Dory. I was shopping for records when I ran into one of the organizers forContinue Reading
Album Review–The Muslims, Self-Titled
August 2017 was my inaugural experience of free, public events hosted in Durham’s Central Park as a fresh-faced resident ofContinue Reading
Local Beer: Southern Range Brewing, Now That’s What I Call Juice
Beer: Now That’s What I Call Juice (New England Juicy IPA with Guava Added) Brewery: Southern Range Brewing Company (Monroe,Continue Reading
The Post-Show: “Local Band Local Beer,” August 2, 2018
It’s 9:10pm. If I was going to be on time for the show, I should have left half an hourContinue Reading
The Post-Show: Waking April, Dane Page, LAIRS, at The Pinhook, July 9, 2018
I went to The Pinhook on Sunday, July 8th by invitation of Raleigh-based synth duo, Waking April. They had writtenContinue Reading
Album Review: Al Riggs, “We’re Safe But For How Long”
We’re Safe But for How Long presents itself with the opening track as a folk album with a wounded edge.Continue Reading
Album Review: Flash Car, “Wardrobe”
Wardrobe, the new album from Carrboro band Flash Car, is a true soundtrack to a reckless summer of fun. The openingContinue Reading
FESTIVAL FOR THE ENO: Staff Picks (Part Two) for July 7th
The Festival for the Eno is a well of potential–from aspiring local musicians and craftmakers, to inspired food truck chefs,Continue Reading
FESTIVAL FOR THE ENO: Staff Picks (Part One) for July 4th
We are very excited to be participating in the Festival for the Eno this year. Spanning two days, July 4thContinue Reading
The Post-Show: MAKE/BELIEVE by Culture Mill
On a recent Friday, I attended a performance of MAKE/BELIEVE by Saxapahaw-based nonprofit, Culture Mill. Eager to be on time,Continue Reading
The Post-Show: Brassious Monk, “Working…” Album Release, June 23, 2018
I’m one of those pieces of shit that you never see at shows, one of the ones who “has toContinue Reading
The Post-Show: Emily Musolino, Ace Henderson, NiiTO at King’s, June 8, 2018
I underestimated the weekend crowd yet again and found myself with no place to park. Weaving around every Trolley PubContinue Reading
#livefooding: The Breakfast Shoppe, Swannanoa, June 19, 2018
This past week, we spent some quiet time out in the mountains of western North Carolina in and around Asheville.Continue Reading
Preview: The Bipeds, “54 Stange Words” at The Fruit, June 21-24
The Bipeds is a new project from Curtis Eller and Stacy Wolfson. A combination of musicians, stage performers, and dancers,Continue Reading
The Post-Show: “Local Band Local Beer,” May 31, 2018
I began the night by meeting up with The Editor for pre-show dinner. It took a solid 20 minutes forContinue Reading
Residency Post-Show: M is We, BANGZZ, Sad Fish, at The Station, May 30, 2018
Moments after I got in my car to drive to Carrboro, the rain came. It fell hard and the airContinue Reading
A Few Words About Live Writing
Live writing is an experiment in writing as a performance art. A natural evolution of Gonzo Journalism, live writing forcesContinue Reading
The Post-Show: Zoocrü, Sidewalk Chalk at The Pinhook, May 23, 2018
Tonight I saw Zoocrü and Sidewalk Chalk at The Pinhook. I had bumped into Alan Thompson, sax and keys playerContinue Reading
MOOGFEST: Freebies & Local Fun
Moogfest is here! The entire Durham Beat staff spent some time putting together some of the free options around town,Continue Reading
MOOGFEST Exclusive Local Preview: sister,brother–Part Two
For Part Two of our Moogfest Exclusive Local Preview of Durham noisepunk duo sister,brother we created an original short documentingContinue Reading
MOOGFEST Exclusive Local Preview: sister,brother
For my part, I prefer my heart to be broken. It is so lovely, dawn-kaleidoscopic within the crack.₁ –D.H. LawrenceContinue Reading
MOOGFEST: The Staff Picks, Must-See Acts
Yes, we’re going to be at Moogfest this year! We will be covering as many of the local participants asContinue Reading
Residency Post-Show: Violet Bell at Arcana, April 29, 2018
This Post-Show is the first of many which will be dedicated to exploring the local residencies at many of theContinue Reading
The Post-Show: Curtis Eller’s American Circus, The Wigg Report, Ctrl Alt Del, at The Station, April 27, 2018
I arrived at The Station shortly after 9PM. As I crossed the parking lot I could hear the brass noiseContinue Reading
Just Another Dead Venue: Endtimes at The Cave
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preservedContinue Reading
Local Eats: Mmmmateo
I came to Mateo on a Thursday night. I spent 24 minutes circling the street & garage parking prospects beforeContinue Reading
#livefooding: Shojin Ryori Omakase at Dashi Izakaya, April 25, 2018
This week’s #livefooding was a bit different than usual. We had tickets to the very special all vegetable omakase dinnerContinue Reading
Album Review–The Birdhorse, Fool’s Adventure
The Birdhorse is a Carrboro-based folk act by “singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist” Toni Hartley. In March of this year sheContinue Reading
The Post-Show: Karol Peril, Azulz, Leanna Eden & The Garden Of, at The Station, April 14, 2018
I rolled up in my car at 9:00 sharp. I pulled into an parking empty space near the front entranceContinue Reading
#livefooding: Burger Bach on 9th Street, April 16, 2018
As part of our ongoing mission to recreate the experience of being there, as is the mandate of participatory journalism,Continue Reading
#700wordslive: Jooselord Magnus, 3AM, Brassious Monk, SNYP Luciano, Konvo the Mutant, Brill Cosby at Motorco, April 13, 2018
Friday, April 13, 2018 was a special day. Motorco played host to an epic night of extraordinary local hip-hop talent.Continue Reading
Budget Beer: Genesee Cream Ale
Brewery: Genesee Brewing Company Beer: Genesee Cream Ale ABV: 5.1% I stopped by Sam’s Quik Shop to wish a happyContinue Reading
#livefooding: Watts Grocery Brunch, April 8, 2018
Introducing #livefooding, a live food review column from #durhambeat on Twitter. As part of our participatory journalism philosophy and our goalContinue Reading
#700wordslive: Boulevards, Zensofly, N’KOGNiiTO at Motorco, April 6, 2018
Introducing #700wordslive, a live show review column from #durhambeat on Twitter. As part of our participatory journalism philosophy and ourContinue Reading
Local Beer: Green Man Brewery, ESB
Brewery: Green Man Brewery Beer: ESB ABV: 5.5% I sat down at my kitchen table on Easter Sunday listening toContinue Reading
The Post-Show: “The Muslims Album Release Show,” April 1, 2018
Sometimes I’ve just got to be the last asshole. I was the last person to leave The Pinhook on EasterContinue Reading
The Post-Show: “Local Band Local Beer,” March 29, 2018
Local Band Local Beer: March 29, 2018 at The Pour House, Raleigh Featured Bands: JooseLord Magnus & Brassious Monk Tre’Continue Reading
Album Review: Single Release—Cosmic Punk, “Too Much”
Cosmic Punk appeared on my radar while I was attending a show at The Station in February. The 3-piece female-frontedContinue Reading
Saxapahaw Synergy: A Beer & Cheese Pairing
Brewery: Haw River Farmhouse Ales Beer: Mille Fleur Rustic Saison ABV: 5.8% Farm: Prodigal Farm Cheese: Saxapahaw Blues Style: milledContinue Reading
Local Beer: Southern Pines Brewing Company, Grapefruit Hefe
Brewery: Southern Pines Brewing Company Beer: Grapefruit Hefe Hefeweizen ABV: 4.8% Brewed and canned about an hour’s drive south ofContinue Reading
Album Review: Case Sensitive, “Count Your Blessings”
#TLDRreviews Album Review: Case Sensitive, Count Your Blessings (Debut) I first encountered Case Sensitive at their release party at TheContinue Reading