Today's paper has a story about a proposed multi-story building on Raleigh's Hillsborough Street strip, to be anchored by a Kerr Drug and include offices, residential space and perhaps a restaurant. As for what the project might displace, the people pushing it don't seem overly concerned. The story quotes Karen Rindge (identified as "a neighbor and director of the advocacy group WakeUp Wake County") saying this:

"What's there right now is abysmal. That side of Hillsborough Street is desperate for redevelopment."

Well...one person's "abysmal" and "desperate for redevelopment" block is another person's irreplaceable historical landmark. That particular block houses The Brewery, which is one of the most fabled nightclubs in local-music history. It's not just the soon-to-be-famous acts that played the Brewery on their way up (Cranberries and Sheryl Crow among them), but the place's landmark status in local-music history. Whiskeytown played countless shows there back in the day, and local supergroup Tres Chicas formed in the Brewery's bathroom. Countless other local acts played their earliest public performances on its stage, too.

Even after Raleigh's live-music epicenter gravitated downtown, the Brewery kept on. It's the first place I ever saw a show here and if this really is the end, I'll miss knowing it's there.

ADDENDUM (8/3/11): Down it comes.

After displaying his flair with country ballads often this season, Scotty McCreery showed off his rocking country attitude tonight. Contestants had to sing one current song and one from the 1960s. Scotty picked Montgomery Gentry’s “Gone” for his contemporary number, and he had a blast with it.

Scotty started out performing among the audience. He then made his way to the stage before leaping toward the judges’ table. Scotty said it was the most fun he has had onstage in a long time. It showed.

The judges loved it. “That is some ‘American Idol’ stuff right there,” Jennifer Lopez gushed. “Who knew that you could rock the stage like that?” Randy Jackson asked. And Steven Tyler said the usually straight-laced Scotty danced “with the devil” – which Steven termed a good thing.

Sheryl Crow played in Cary on Sunday night, and N&O photographer Scott Sharpe was there to take pictures of her show (plus Colbie Callait's opening-act set). Check out the photo gallery here.

For the record, there were some folks in the audience who objected to Crow's between-song banter. Here is a letter that came in to the N&O's "Forum" address Monday morning:

This night had be planned for a few months. I purchased 3 tickets for myself & my family to see Sheryl Crow perform in Cary with the hopes of having a lovely evening with my family. This is the fourth time I've seen Sheryl Crow perform. I've always enjoyed her performances, up until tonight! During tonights show, on several occasions, she felt the need to politically enlighten the audience with her opinion criticism and bashing of the other political party. I could see other people around my section were also upset with her rant.  Shortly after she made her comments, we left and so did many others.

An expensive mistake, but I now know I will never attend or spend any money with Sheryl Crow's name attached to it!!!!

Fly Girls (9pm, The CW) - A new reality series that chronicles the lives of five flight attendants for Virgin America. In the opener, the women work a company party in Fort Lauderdale and welcome a high-maintenance roomate to their California crash pad.

Modern Family (9pm, ABC) - Mitchell and Jay embark on a father-and-son outing, so Cameron and Gloria spend time together. The previews look look hilarious. 

Cougar Town (9:30pm, ABC) - Sheryl Crow begins a three-episode arc as a wine rep who dates Grayson (Josh Hopkins). I think they make a cute couple. Also, Ellie challenges Jules to give up wine for a month, and Andy is jealous of Bobby's big, slobbery new dog. 

Law & Order: SVU (10pm, NBC) -  Benson and Stabler investigate the assault of a disabled woman who cannot speak, and the two prime suspects are the woman's sister, played by Jill Scott, and her nephew, Quinton Aaron ("Blind Side").