The Triangle music community suffered a big hit when Dex Romweber ed away on February 16, 2024. This year, the community is gathering to celebrate the life of Dex with a new festival that stretches over four nights across both Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
Dex Fest is a celebration of both the music and influence of Dex Romweber, the musician who many described as a force of nature and who was an influence on countless artists including Jack White and Neko Case.
"We had a memorial for him last year that was quite moving," said festival founder and producer Em Gee. "But I wanted to create something else that celebrated him and was a little less morose. Something that celebrates everything he did with his life and his art and the impact he and his whole family had on this town."
The festival will take place over four nights at four different venues. Night one kicks off at Cat's Cradle with a tribute to Dex's music by Henri Cash and Seth Carolina of the band Starcrawler. It will also have a performance by Reigning Sound, the legendary garage rock band fronted by Greg Cartwright who has made Asheville his home since the mid-2000s. Cartwright is reuniting the three-piece "Lance and Dave lineup" of the band for a rare and special performance.
"Dexter and the Flat Duo Jets were a revelation to me in 1989. I don't think I'd ever seen anything so visceral or genuine," said Cartwright. "When Dexter walked on tables it didn't feel like theater, it was unscripted and spontaneous. ionate."
Night two moves down the street to Local 506 and features another tribute act billed as The Flat Do-Over Jets which includes of Shark Quest, Zen Frisbee, The Bad Checks, and The New Romans. That night also features music from Chapel Hill's Southern Culture on the Skids and Patti Smith Group guitarist Lenny Kaye and Friends.
Night three takes place at The Cave, a venue that Dex played many times. It's a tight space, but those who make it in will catch sets from Lud and a reunion set from Chapel Hill's The Spinns.
The festival concludes on Sunday with a free day party at Lapin Bleu, located in the space between Carrboro and Chapel Hill known as Midway. The party there will include music but will also feature storytelling from some of Dex's friends and also an art installation featuring some of Romweber's art.
Tickets for the first two nights at Cat's Cradle and Local 506 are available now, while tickets for Saturday night at The Cave will be available at the door. The day party at Lapin Bleu on Sunday is free, so no ticket is required. Check out the full lineup for each night below.
Cat's Cradle, Thursday, June 12
- Reigning Sound
- Henri Cash and Seth Carolina's Tribute to Dex
- Boogie Reverie
Local 506, Friday, June 13
- The Flat Do-Over Jets (ft of Shark Quest, Zen Frisbee, The Bad Checks, The New Romans)
- Drunken Prayer
- Southern Culture on the Skids
- Lenny Kaye & Friends (ft Jon Wurster, Ricky Bacchus)
- Bass Battery
The Cave, Saturday, June 14
- Phatlynx
- Lenny Kaye (solo)
- Bengt And The Walkers
- Lud
- The Spinns
- Skeeter Feeders
- Blood Red River
Lapin Bleu, Sunday, June 15
Free day party including art installations of Dex's paintings, storytelling from friends, and performances from Pete Lucey, Rich McLaughlin, George Terry, and Onyx Club Boys.
