(left) Electric colors and gleaming bartop await patrons at the new Kings Barcade location.
night can draw a different type of crowd. Primarily a live music venue, averaging three to six shows a week, Kings also honors civic sensibilities, as one of its first events since reopening was ideaSPARK during SPARKcon 2010. For more information on upcoming shows and events, visit www.kingsbarcade.com.
The famed Lincoln Theatre is a favorite stop for bands and fans alike.
Lincoln Theatre Otherwise nondescript, Lincoln Theatre’s exterior is emblazoned on its west-facing side with a shining blue Lincoln – hearkening back to the year the building was first erected in 1939. A movie theatre for decades, Lincoln Theatre has had many incarnations since, including several bars and an internet café. Mark Thompson and his partner, Pat Dickenson, have been in the entertainment business for years, and opened Lincoln Theatre as a live music club ten years ago. It’s hosted some of the music industry’s best-loved performers, including American Idol contestant and North Carolina native Chris Daughtry, in a show that sold out in a record one and a half minutes. A vintage-style marquee displays the venue’s featured acts, and inside, the balcony was added along the back and sides about five years ago, offering more prime spots for viewing one of Lincoln Theatre’s live shows. The venue holds 800, with upcoming bands as wide-ranging as Grace Potter and the Nocturnals (Paris – Ooh-la-la), to Robin Trower, of Procol Harum fame (remember Whiter Shade of Pale?). “We do a little bit of everything,” Thompson says, “so one night, we’ll have a lot of young kids coming out to see a band like the Plain White T’s. The next night, we might have George Clinton, and the crowd is all over 40.” Consistently ranked a favorite for live music entertainment, Lincoln Theatre’s schedule can be found at their website, www.LincolnTheatre.com. The Pour House Music Hall When it opened 13 years ago, The Pour House was Raleigh’s first true tap room. Owner Eric Mullen settled on the Pour House name after considering many others, and says they’re now proud to serve 30 beers on tap. “At first, we were a beer bar that had music in the background; now we’re a music venue that just happens to have a great selection of draught beers,” Mullen says. Featuring local, regional and national bands, The Pour House puts on an avermidtownmag.com| 89
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