Kings (Raleigh, NC)

In 1999 some friends and I drove from Greenville, NC to Raleigh to see The Fucking Champs. The Champs were a big deal. I was surprised they were playing in Raleigh rather than at the Cat’s Cradle (in Chapel Hill) and I didn’t know anything about the venue (Kings Barcade) where the show was happening. This was Kings’ first official show. A year later, I decided to move to Raleigh. That’s how much I enjoyed this venue and the vibe presented by that night’s events.

Kings and it’s owners (Paul, Cheetie, and Steve) were very cool to Bifocal Media throughout the 2000s; letting our bands play, hosting Bifocal film premieres, album and book release parties, and just being generally supportive of our endeavors. They also hosted some overwhelmingly memorable performances for bands like Shellac, Melt Banana, The Shins, Mastodon, etc. In short… they put raleigh back on the indie tour circuit and that alone raised Raleigh’s weird rock stock considerably.

In 2023 Kings was purchased by my long time friend Herbie Abernethy (Valient Thorr) and a couple of his business buddies (Alan Novicki, Josh Novicki). I approached Herbie and Raleigh based friend (and badass artist) David Eichenberger about doing a Kings/ Bifocal t-shirt shortly thereafter and everyone was into the idea. So… here you have it: Kings/ Raleigh, NC/ Bifocal Media… Get it! -Charles Cardello/ Bifocal Media

I grew up in Raleigh, but always had to go to Chapel Hill (Cats Cradle) or Durham (Duke Coffee House) (both were great venues) to see bands play. Raleigh had the 5.0 and the Fallout Shelter, but after a stabbing in 93 or 94 my mom forbade me to go there. We also had various punk house shows, and that’s the way it was. I went to collage in 97 and right when I graduated in ’99 Kings opened up. As soon as I moved back to Raleigh,  I got a job there.

Paul, Steve, and Cheetie were open to anything and everything. Kings hosted Roller derby fundraisers, Goth industrial nights… I saw the inaugural “Great Cover Up” which has been a huge part of my life for the last decade. I still make the posters for that event every year. Lots of good friends were made during my time working at Kings, and I went to so many great shows at both locations…  Wesley Willis, the Fucking Champs, The Shins, Sharon Jones (there was not a dry body in that room that night), Trans Am, and The War On Drugs to name a few.

I met Charles (Bifocal Media) in the early 2000 as we ran in the same circles. I probably went to every one of Charles’ Bifocal Media releases. He introduced me to Herbie around that time. Valient Thorr had played a show at the old Kings and it melted my brain. Herbie and I got closer later when we both worked next door to each other him at Capital 16 and me at Kings. By the time Herbie took over Kings, I had moved on but was still a huge fan of that place, So when Charles asked me to make a new shirt for acKings/Bifocal Media collaboration, there was no hesitation in my answer. Yes it.s always “YES”. -David Eichenberger

LIMITED TO 300 PRINTS. Unisex sizes printed on American Apparel 1301 Heavy Cotton Tees.  Ladies’ sizes printed on BellaCanvas slim cut apparel. LADIES’ SIZES RUN VERY SMALL.