Village Subway - Raleigh

The Village Subway opened in 1971 as a series of underground shops, modeled after the Atlanta Underground, which included Soundhaus, Solomon Grundy’s, Wagon Popcorn, Battlestations Arcade, Happiness Boutique, Intimate Bookshop, Tinpennynail, Bee Ties, The Garden of Eden, Sam Bass Camera and more. Peter Ingram moved his fine dining and music establishment, the Frog & Nightgown, into the Subway. Tiny Tim made headlines in the News & Observer as the first act to ever play in the Village Subway. The Frog & Nightgown brought headliners like Bette Midler, Thelonious Monk, Stanley Clark and Return to Forever, Robert Starling, and Carol Sloane, who filled the room with their larger than life vocal and musical talent and personalities. Young comedic talents like Steve Martin, George Carlin, and Lily Tomlin also graced the stage.

Many Frog patrons remember a famous mannequin named Samantha who sat at the bar. The crowds considered her “pretty good looking."

In 1973, another music club called The Pier opened in the underground scene, bringing a rock and punk element to the Subway. Banks Kerr of the Kerr Drugs empire was the original owner, and he brought Lloyd Skidmore, Jim Skinner, Mike Woody, Steve Lloyd, and Reinhardt on board to help create his vision. Bands like The Ramones, Joan Jett, Iggy Pop, R.E.M., and the Go-Go's played alongside local up-and-comers like Arrogance, Glass Moon, Th'Cigaretz, and The Fabulous Knobs.

Despite it's popularity in the Triangle, the Village Subway closed in 1984, citing fire code issues. However, its memory was revived by a well-known Goodnight, Raleigh! article in 2008, and again in 2012 on Candid Slice. The resurrected interest caused Cameron Village to host an above-ground concert featuring The Love Language in 2014, then finally open the Subway again for one night only in May 2015.

Many interviews and fond memories have been preserved in a short film created by the iconic red train mural, as well as in articles and an upcoming book and exhibit at the COR Museum. Many of the local musicians have pulled together to protect the stories and history of the underground music scene.

Debra DeMilo and Keith Taylor of The Fabulous KnobsAlan Hicks of Supergrit Cowboy Band and Keith Taylor of The Fabulous Knobs