Van Alston has been a fixture in the local alt-country scene since before anyone, except maybe a few locals, realized exactly how fertile this area’s alt-country soil is. And his club has been a fixture in downtown Raleigh since before anyone would have considered going bar hopping there. In 1999, Alston opened The Lakeside Lounge, a small, smoky venue in downtown Raleigh with Eric “Roscoe” Ambel and Jim “The Hound” Marshall, who own a club with the same name in New York. Two years later, Alston parted amicably with Ambel and Marshall, and opened Slim’s in the same spot. This weekend, Slim’s celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a two-night party featuring The Vibekillers, the latest band by alt-country legend Chip Robinson, who once called Alston his “Spiritual Advisor,” and the Yayhoos.
1. What’s the best show you’ve ever seen at Slim’s?
The best show I’ve ever seen at Slim’s was Chip Robinson, Kenny Roby, Ryan Adams and Caitlin Cary playing upstairs, acoustic. A shitload of other local luminaries sat in and played. Slim’s was quiet as a whisper and the whole upstairs was packed to the point I thought it might fall in. Second would have to be one of my birthday parties where seemingly everyone in Raleigh put together a one-off band for the night. What little I remember included a punk band called “Battlestar Connecticut” featuring a bunch of the local alt-country folks. Third would be the Buck Jones Band, another one-off fronted by Alejandro Escovedo.
2. When you started out downtown, you were one of the few clubs around. How has downtown development affected your business, and how do you think the opening of the Busy Bee right next door will affect it?
More bars equals more people milling around. The same thing happened when we opened Havana Deluxe, and look at Glenwood South now. I’m happy to have the Busy Bee next door and I’m happy to have the Mecca around the corner.
3. Any plans to keep releasing music on Rice Box Records?
If there is one thing that ever told me I was good at the bar business, it was trying to be in the record business. While I generally don’t rule out anything, it is pretty safe to say that I won’t be releasing anymore records until after I win the lottery.
4. What was it about Raleigh that made alt-country explode here when it did?
I like to think it was benevolent bar owners, but it probably had something to do with the wealth of talent floating around.
5. What “spiritual advice” have you given Chip Robinson lately?
“Don’t drink/eat that.” Chip rode back from Honduras in the truck with me in October. I’m sure I gave him lots of advice, spiritual and otherwise, on that trip. Unlike his tequila, he has enough sense to take me with a grain of salt.
Photo by Chip Robinson
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