The state of Merge Records, after a Grammy win and a mini label
festival | Music Feature | Indy Week Pin It "A lot of bands that
would have been kicked off of most any other label for not
selling enough records, bands like ours that wouldn't be able to
exist past one album on a major label, have been developed on
Merge."   Wild Flag, a new Merge band featuring members of
Sleater-Kinney and Helium, played Local 506 Friday during Merge
Madness.  Photo by D.L. Anderson   In March, it's a risky wager
to attach your name to college hoops, especially around here: We
shut down blocks for bonfire parties. We've got rivalries that
run so deep they annually ruffle relationships with co-workers,
friends, even spouses. And on the first weekend of March, when
the ACC Tournament is nagging at the boosters of our three
biggest schools, it's hard for a lot of people to think about
much else. Around here, March Madness lives up to its name.  For
many in the Triangle, an event sporting the inveterate insignia
of Durham's Merge