Eric Lamb Music

I had the amazing privilege of meeting legendary bassist Bakithi Kumalo on Friday night in Durham prior to his show with Paul Simon in Raleigh on Saturday. Many thanks to the fine folks at SoundPure for putting on a terrific event!

This is absolutely a thing, I've made some significant changes in my concert buying practices. It's also a timely reminder to support local music!

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They’re calling it “Blue Dot Fever.”

We’re gonna call it Pocketbook Fatigue.

Because here in the South, we keep our fun money tucked down in our pocketbooks or squirreled back in out billfolds.

And honestly most of the country, concerts have gotten so expensive folks are just staying home and turning the speakers up louder on the back deck.

Back in 2019 we went to well over a hundred shows a year.
Now? We could probably count them on two hands.

These days we might catch a handful of major concerts at the big venues each year. The rest of the time, we’ve found ourselves falling back in love with the smaller places.

Places like Sunrise Theater in Southern Pines. Historic walls. Free First Friday music on the outdoor stage. Affordable ticketed shows inside where you still feel connected to the music.

Or little listening rooms like Bird's Nest Listening Room in Dunn, of Wake Forest Listening Room, where the songs matter more than the flash stage productions.

And then there’s medium spaces like Weldon Mills Theatre in Roanoke Rapids that still remember regular folks have to park the car, buy supper and pay bills too. Free parking. Fair ticket prices. A night out that doesn’t feel like financing a bass solo.

Then you’ve got the old school independent rooms bands play on the way up.

Places like Lincoln Theatre, The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop, Cat's Cradle and The Evening Muse.

All of these places have something in common.

Most are local.
Independent.
Mom & Pop ventures built by people who simply loved music enough to take the risk.

Support these places.

Because there’s no Blue Dot Fever there.

Just good songs, cold drinks, and the kind of nights you remember years later riding home with the windows down.