Four Ways to Enjoy Live Music This Summer in Chatham County

In the heat of summer (pun intended), you can often find families and friends enjoying one another’s company outdoors. One of the best ways to have a good time this summer is to listen to live music, and Chatham County has many options!

Local restaurants usually feature live music on the weekends, and you’ll find styles ranging from bluegrass to jazz to folk. No matter what you’re craving to hear, an option exists for you. Whether it’s Bluegrass at Sharpe Store Music or Big Band Swing at Pittsboro Roadhouse, you’ll always be a short drive away from a good time in Chatham County!

So grab a group of friends and family and head outside in Chatham! Here are four places that offer live music to help you enjoy the summer:

1. Sharpe Store Music (Gospel & Bluegrass):

Located between Goldston and Pittsboro, Reno Sharpe’s store has been at its current location since the 1920s. While the store closed down in April 2003, the Sharpe family still opens twice a month for live music, on the first and third Saturdays of the month, all year round.

The music began at the store at the request of one of the former senior patron’s, the late Wilson Poe Sr. He had regularly attended the music on Friday nights at Charlie’s Music Barn and asked some of the musicians there if they might come out to Reno’s some Saturday morning and play. Shortly after then, the music began.

This tradition fits perfectly with the mission of the store, which is “to honor the memory of Reno Sharpe and his love of traditional old time string music and to educate and to share this experience with visitors, listeners and participants of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels.”

First Saturdays feature gospel music, and Third Saturdays feature bluegrass tunes. On Bluegrass Saturdays, the Sharpe family tries to feature food as well for anyone who shows up. Plan to come out and bring your instrument to play or just come to listen.

For a complete schedule, click here.

Sharpe Store Music
5889 Pittsboro Goldston Rd
Bear Creek, NC 27207
(919) 548-1229
[email protected]

2. The City Tap (Folk & Open Mic):

This Pittsboro icon is home to a truly diverse music experience, with different artists performing each week. From guitarist Daniel Stanislawek to bluegrass artists The Reckless Brothers, you’ll get a new experience every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night when you attend.

Want a little more of a local, unpolished, performance? Head to City Tap Wednesday night at 8 p.m. for Open Mic night. Bring your instruments, your talent, or just your listening ears.

While you’re enjoying the music, grab a savory hoagie sandwich or a delicious helping of loaded nachos. Come in on Mondays for $1.00 off bottled beer, Tuesday is $1.00 off glasses of wine, save a buck on drafts every Wednesday, and head over on Sunday for $4.00 Bloody Marys. On top of all that, the chalkboard will have more specials every day.

For a complete schedule, click here.

The City Tap
89 Hillsboro St.
Pittsboro, NC 27312
(919) 545-0562
[email protected]

3. Pittsboro Roadhouse (Variety):

Just down the road from the City Tap, Pittsboro Roadhouse also features a wide selection of styles, ranging from Jazz/Big Band (check out the NC Revelers Orchestra on August 3) to Blues/New Orleans Funk (check out Rhonda Robichaux on August 8). The restaurant’s blog does a great job of detailing the performances and guest lists each night, so be sure to check that out when planning your outing.

The Roadhouse features food and drink specials Monday through Thursday, as well as weekly local and seasonal specials (This week, it’s a mouthwatering coffee float, made with fresh coffee, coffee ice cream, whipped cream, and mocha powder. The Roadhouse also has the option to make it a little more exciting by adding Kahlua or Bailey’s.) No matter your preference, there is a dish for you, including southern foods, European-influenced dishes, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. Everything is made from scratch and sourced from local and seasonal ingredients.

Looking to dance along? You’re in luck! Monday nights at the Roadhouse feature dancing. First Mondays at 7:00 p.m. the NC Revelers, a big band orchestra, will lead the crowd with swing music. Other Mondays during the week feature line dancing (also at 7:00 p.m.), and the Chatham Area Shag Association hosts Shag dancing most First Sundays at 4:00 p.m. for a small fee.

For a complete schedule, click here.

Pittsboro Roadhouse
39 West Street
Downtown Pittsboro
(919) 542-2432
[email protected]

4. unWined (North Carolina Folk):

Often featuring small duos, the music at unWined is guaranteed to make you fall in love with North Carolina’s heritage. On August 22, Tommy Edwards will perform bluegrass songs that cover “Tar Heel stories involving everything from famous murders to legendary barbecue.” Brenda Linton and Tony Sullivan will lead the crowd in folk songs on August 1, and unWined guarantees that “listeners [will be] mesmerized by the purity of voice and musical spirit.” These are just a few of the upcoming performances.

If you attend a show, be sure to enjoy unWined’s specialty: NC wine! After three years since opening in Pittsboro, unWined continues to successfully sell the best of the North Carolina wine industry. “Why have your wine travel across the country in a truck for days being jiggled about in different climates when you can savor the fresh taste of North Carolina wines?” the restaurant asks.

In fact, everything at unWined supports the North Carolina economy, including the food. Enjoy marinated goat cheese from Ashe County Cheeses or homemade chicken salad and jala-pimento cheese from Wine Nuts in Raleigh. As unWined says on its website, “We provide you the tools. You provide the appetite for locally made products.”

Sounds like a deal to me.

For a complete schedule of events, click here.

unWined
237 Center Grove Church Road
Moncure, NC 27559
(919) 548-9384
[email protected]