Not a fan of big families for any number of reasons. I prefer the way plants reproduce, like by…read moregerminating seeds or even better by grafting. Seriously, or nearly so, think how much better, as compared to standard issue childbearing, grafting would work for humans, like first of all no more Lamaze breathing classes for dads (after all of which are done, many moms go for the drugs anyway). then as one generation runs out of things to do in life, rather than uproot the whole parent just insert the next generation into the trunk, thereby hopefully eliminating adolescence when most of the body develops. Fungi and molds are even better as they mature in hours, are much more resilient and easier to distribute plus they're totally anonymous: parents don't have to see how their best intentions didn't bear fruit, and their offspring have no one else to blame. the spores of these life forms are quite durable, even tolerate the conditions found in outer space. Future myco-human lifeforms could be launched by the billions from earth unceremoniously, hoping a few might land somewhere favorable to germinate rather than being sucked into and incinerated by a star. And no alphabet or arithmetic to learn in grammar school. Being a family mammal on the other hand has major downsides. an example being that if you're known to be ever-ready to venture wherever someone will buy your plane ticket, they call upon you to go see how cousin Luke or uncle Amos or whoever is doing. The boring relatives stay put back home but the black sheep migrate over the years to places you would likely not otherwise go. So it is that I was driving through central Virginia on a moonless night, on just such a family mission and frankly need a roadie, a restorative for my lagging spirits, which is why I turned off the state highway and onto a county road to see where it went, and came to this town which is how I happened onto rocky mount's finest establishment, The Alley Cat Bar. It's great to find places like this and is the reason I prefer to drive in unknown territories using old outdated AAA maps instead of gps. Not every side road exit brings you to an historic and quaintly cool town like Rocky Mount, but it's the occasional one that ends in Rocky Mount that keeps you in the wanderlust game. It' was just what I was looking for at this moment, a break from driving the dark rural Virginia roads, local music and a friendly beer crowd. I was ready. Most small towns, not much to do, so can't be too choosey but lucky here to have this place, among others by the way but none so much my kind, live music potentially a little rough around the edges crowd but, after all, it's central va. Incredible selection of beer. I missed the Tuesday nite trivia contest as well as a visit to the moonshine distillery but I had miles to go before I slept.

They are connected with the Old Town Social House which is upstairs. The Alley Cat is a dark,…read moregrungy, bar with loud music, sometimes live loud music and a very good beer selection. The food is just ok, I haven't been super thrilled by anything I've ordered from either them or the social house (same menu, same kitchen). There is a lot of seating and I can see this is popular with the locals. The chairs and tables are like cafeteria chairs and it feels very open and not like a cozy bar but like someone's basement. It's ok. If you want to listen to music while drinking some good beers it's probably not a bad place to hang out.

Honestly, this is by far the coolest music venue around Roanoke if you want to hear great music up…read moreclose. No bad seats - actually most are sitting at thin tables made from a beautiful piece of leading edge local wood. Others sit in cofortable recliners and some prefer to stand. The 5 Points Sanctary sound system is top notch, staff/volunteers super friendly, the bar is stocked with some higher end offerings and not bottom shelf swill. Quality beer on tap and in cans. They have hi tech headphones which allow older people (like me) or youngsters to dial in their preferred decibel level. DId I mention 5 Points is run by a 501C3 which helps raise support and provide space for other important non-profits to help many in our city?

He Said: 5 Points is the perfect venue. Incredible staff, an amazing selection of music (especially…read morethe dank jam bands), great sound, a bouncy dance floor, and an all around amazing vibe. She Said: He forgot to add that they also have good quality drinks available at reasonable prices. Plus the bar minders are kind and patient and awesome. We go to a LOT of music venues, and the beauty of this aspect of 5 Points cannot be overstated. Potty Points: 4/5 potty points. Do I wish there were more? Yes. Do I have to stand in line sometimes? Also yes. Do I meet some really interesting people in line and appreciate that as well as the cleanliness of the bathrooms once I finally get to use one? Absolutely yes.

I've been to Flat Iron for a variety of events over the years, live music, dance/rave nights,…read morerandom events on Monday. I've always had a great time. It's a small, intimate venue, which makes every event feel more personal and creates a great connection between the performers and the audience. The owners are musicians themselves, and it really shows. They understand what makes a great venue and consistently bring in a diverse lineup of entertainment. While Flat Iron is a bar, they also allow guests under 21 to attend many of their live music events, making it an accessible spot for music lovers of all ages. Their drink selection is solid too, with sodas, beer, wine, cocktails, hard seltzers, and THC beverages available. As a locally owned and operated business, Flat Iron is one of those places that helps make Greensboro's music and arts scene special. I'll definitely be back the next time I see something on their calendar. If you're interested in checking them out, give them a follow on Instagram for the latest shows and events. you never know what fun you'll discover next, they have up and coming artists and even nostalgic local bands and artists from the past.

Great music venue -- really intimate, which was nice. Appreciate that the performers hung around…read moreand interacted with the crowd. Fast drink service too. One FYI: they charged an extra $5 for my brother at the door because he's under 21, which wasn't disclosed during online purchase or listed anywhere on the site.

I've been to see two recent music shows at this charming roadhouse. Both shows (Onyx Club Boys and…read moreCarolina Cutups) featured great music and a fun crowd. This cool old school roadhouse is far enough outside downtown Chapel Hill to be a non-college kids hangout of welcoming locals. The music is good, the beer is cold and pretty cheap, and the bartenders are warm.

Just a pretty good time. Enjoyed the free music. Parking was tough but everyone was chill. Bar…read moretender was responding!

Great smaller concert venue! I'm sure it depends on the show, but I felt we had plenty of standing…read moreroom during the concert we went to. Thank you to this venue for offering $1 bottled waters - that is truly unheard of these days! Free parking garage and several great restaurants right next door. I only wish that for a Sunday night 20 year reunion show with a middle aged crowd that they would start a show an hour earlier!

Great local music venue! Easy to park and very decent prices on drinks. Can easily see the stage…read morefrom any vantage point. Had a great time seeing Carbon Leaf , a favorite band from college.

Got to visit the Ramkat again recently for Somewhat Petty, a Tom Petty cover band out of Asheville…read more I really enjoy going to shows at the Ramkat. It's small, making for more intimate performances, but not too small, so they get some decent acts coming through. They offer a full bar with beer, mixed drinks and even THC seltzers. They've got some tables and seating, though you have to pay extra for the seating. Ramkat is located in a great part of town with several dining options, and breweries near by. There are paid lots for parking, but also plenty of free street parking if you arrive early enough.

Great small venue! I recently did generally admission for the Morgan Wade show. There were some…read moreissues with the sound equipment that produced some feedback for part of the show (not sure if that was due to the artist or the venue). However, the quality of the performance more than made up for it. There were a lot of specialty drinks available, but I just opted for some sodas. Service at the bar was friendly and they were making their way through the line quickly. The energy in the space was good and it seemed like a true music lover's haven. One challenge I had was that there didn't seem to be any seating options for general admission. Even offering a couple of off-to-the-side seats for a rest would be handy, since staying on your feet for a few hours straight can get a little tiring. Perhaps that was a possiblity and I missed it. There was seating in the VIP sections though and the price differential didn't seem too dramatic. Seriously, no bad view in the place due to the venue being so small. I'd absolutely recommend checking out a show here!

This place is still very good but has some growing frustrations. The parking situation for shows is…read morekind of dire. If you are lucky you can get parking close by but realistically you are walking from the school parking lot nearby which is about a 10 minute walk. The Haw River ballroom crowd is a very particular type of aging scene person crowd where a lot of people like to bring their kids and force them to listen to the music they like. The crowd also loves to be uncomfortably close at times too. A lot of dudes not realizing they are jamming you in the back with their craft beers or women flipping back their hair into your face time and again. This place is really a haul even for people in Durham where it's past Carrboro and in the middle of nowhere. The restrooms are pretty nasty. I do love that they have a coffee bar upstairs that has a decent menu and honestly something I liked having access to at a concert and feeling a little tired as I waited for the headlining performer.

This place is ok. I've been twice in the past ten years, most recently this week. It feels very far…read moreaway, and the parking is sprawled out and really annoying. Their website threatens that you'll be towed if you park on the side of the road yet tons of people do it anyway. The front door is a bottleneck because they have a paper list that they're checking for your name on. Also the bar only takes cash so they have an ATM on site. What year is it? The staff were friendly, but since I want about to use an ATM I didn't really interact with many of them. I'll go there if there's an artist I really want to see, but I don't think the venue alone would draw me.

When we walked in, I witnessed a beautiful sight. A group of people playing some bluegrass music…read morewhile others were dancing and the rest of the people in the room listened, ate their lunch, visited with family at tables that filled the space. This looks like a place that locals gather every weekend with their families and hang out maybe all afternoon. I felt like I had stepped back in time and was maybe in an episode of Andy Griffith. The store itself sold sandwiches and other lunch items. They sold CDs from what appeared to be local artists as well as guitar strings, canned goods and other things you'd expect in a general store. Next door was an ice cream shop that we also visited and partook of some delicious ice cream. This place is worth a visit!

Service was meh. Ice cream was yummy! The shop itself is too cute! The cashier on the store side…read morewas very sweet. Definitely will visit again!

I had the opportunity to check out The Lincoln theater for the Pancakes and Booze Art Show, one of…read morethe largest pop-up art exhibition events. There were 100+ local artists showing over 500 pieces of art. They had free pancakes. There was alcohol for purchase at Lincoln theater bar. The staff here were pleasant, attentive and welcoming. The Lincoln theater was not the best venue for this event but they did the best with would they had. The space seems most ideal for the concerts and for standing but was very difficult maneuvering around freely. Needed more physical space to consume and fully appreciate the art. I enjoyed engaging with all of the artist. One of my favorites that was an extreme stand out was Ankit Nagar. Many of Ankit's pieces were so calming and the colors spoke to me. I do recommend the Art Show. Overall, I enjoyed the experience. I enjoy Art. I purchase prints whenever I feel moved but I have yet to be able to obtain original Art. That's a goal of mine.

I came to see a tribute band and I was certainly among the younger people in attendance. By no…read moremeans is this is a plush, swanky venue. It's a little gritty, but hey, that's ok. The acoustics were solid, lights worked fine. The venue offers a reasonable variety of beverages for fair prices. And I'll just say you can park for free if you know where to go and get there early enough

Had my first visit here last night all thanks to Yelp events!…read more I love how they have remodeled from previous tenants. Industrial/rustic type atmosphere. The auditorium can be customized for any even from cocktail tables to standing room only. They have balcony/pew seating on second level. And they have a lounge to order drinks. Parking available is street parking or nearby parking deck. Security was good but not overbearing. Sound quality to my taste was good, not extremely loud but very clear. Look forward to my next event here.

Attended a Morgan Wallen concert on a Thursday night at Cone Denim. Had to wait a while to get in…read moreafter doors opened. It was a 35 degree evening so that was unpleasant. It did seem like efforts were being made to get people in as quickly as possible while still checking IDs and completing a security check. As others have mentioned, the venue is pretty narrow. In light of recent events, I had some concerns about how to respond in case of an emergency. Those quelled eventually but it was my first thought coming in. Sound and lighting were good. The floor has just enough of a slope that I didn't feel bad about blocking someone else's view. As with most places, if you're in the front and you need to get a drink or go to the bathroom, getting back to your group is going to be next to impossible. There definitely aren't designated aisles or pathways to allow for crowd movement. Beer prices were reasonable given the venue/event. Tallboys help prevent having to return to the bar frequently. Best to go to the bathrooms upstairs as they are much larger. I'd go back to an even at Cone Denim.