He looked like God. And Freddy Mercury. The lead singer of the band Black Girls was perched at the edge of the Tir Na Nog stage, eyes closed, head bowed. After about a minute of meditative silence, he suddenly snapped his head up, eyes wide, and began reaching a Mercury-like falsetto. And so started my first Local Band Local Beer.
On Nov. 22, Tir Na Nog, the historic venue of LBLB, will be closing. The owner, Pete Pagano, said in a Facebook post that he wants to spend more time with his two young children and wife. After 18 years in business at Moore Square, the announcement came as a surprise and left a lot of regulars in the lurch. Namely, me. What would happen to LBLB now that the only home it has ever known will be turned into an overly hyphenated bookstore-flower store-brewery-dim sum restaurant? Where will I see my Lord and Savior Freddy Mercury again?
At The Pour House Music Hall is the answer. Starting in December, LBLB is moving just two doors down, still with great tunes and great beer, just a new stage. So, go! Who knows, maybe you’ll see God, too.
-Mirtha Donastorg
Public Affairs Director
I’d been going to Tir Na Nog for LBLB nearly every Thursday since I joined WKNC as a freshman—it became a weekly ritual, a familiar place where I could always count on a familiar face. It has opened my eyes to so many different communities in North Carolina, talented musicians and great friends I never would have known otherwise. From watching Curtis Eller jumping around on tables doing high kicks, my first funky dancing experience with Chit Nasty Band, stomping around to Ellis Dyson and the Shambles, to getting weird with Octopus Jones, Tir Na Nog will always hold a special place with me.
-Phian Tran
Local Band Local Beer Coordinator
My favorite memory of Tir Na Nog was seeing the traditional Scottish band Tannahill Weavers there in October 2012. I have worked with the band a few times before and they always put on a tremendous show. My parents were visiting that week, so we were able to enjoy the show as a family. The best part was when my dad ordered a Pabst and the confused waitress replied, “Blue Ribbon?”
-Jamie Lynn Gilbert
WKNC Adviser
The best show I ever saw at Tir Na Nog was the LBLB show that Lonnie Walker headlined. It was just a couple months before they opened the main stage at Hopscotch 2014. The crowd was the biggest and most excited I’ve ever seen a crowd at Tir Na Nog. People were jumping up and down (or at least I was) yelling all the words that they knew. Someone even crowd surfed. To top it all off, Lonnie Walker debuted new material from an unreleased album. I’m sad to see Tir Na Nog close but glad that LBLB has found a new home at the Pour House only two doors down.
-Matthew Brown
General Manager
My first Tir Na Nog experience was on St. Patrick’s Day and the yearly ode to Tir Na Nog’s roots was a good time and a great first impression but the coolest thing about Tir Na Nog was the variety of events they held in their cozy pub. They never let that Irish theme hold them back from hosting an array of shows. My favorite was the breakdance competition featuring dancers from high school to the collegiate level. Sitting on the rock wall and cheering while people dance battled with insanely sick moves was honestly my coolest experience at Tir Na Nog.
-Saba Khan
Eye On the Triangle Correspondent
One of my favorite Tir Na Nog moments was seeing Mitski play during this year’s Hopscotch Music Festival. She performed a very intimate acoustic session. The disparity between her act and the people in the background is what made this moment so distinctly different for me. Tir Na Nog has a very large bar area so during the previous acts everyone was making noise. However, when Mitski got on stage everyone got noticeably quieter. Her crooning vocals filled up the room and I was completely immersed in her performance. Or perhaps that is just how I want to remember it. Either way, I’ll never forget it.
-Kevin Cossio
Music Director
