CityView Magazine

30 September 2021 Monte Allen was the headliner July 22 on an intimate stage punctuated by a velvety red curtain. "There are a million Irish pubs in the world. And every single one worth anything has some version of fish and chips," Gibney said. "What I wanted was a small menu with everything done very well." Fish N Chips Bacon Infused Sliders Grilled Cheese Dustin Capps, an Army staff sergeant who helps with the bar's security, is brushing up on his lines. Gibney has given him the opportunity to open for the evening's two headline comedians, and he's relishing the chance. "I just enjoy being on stage," said Capps, a native of Oregon who made his acting debut in eighth grade as the Cowardly Lion in his school's production of the "Wizard of Oz." "But, hey, I need to tell you. My routine is a little off-color." Welcome to Paddy's, where the food and drinks keep coming, the owner is apt to greet you at the door and the laughs are plentiful. Albeit a little naughty. "We love it here," said Faith Slocum, sitting with a group of friends with her husband, retired Army Gen. Steve Slocum. "It feels upscale and fun." Paddy's is tucked off Raeford Road in a cozy location at the end of a line of establishments collectively known as Highland Village. Gibney, an introspective Irish-born musician who once considered applying to medical school, bought the place in 2006. His was the latest incarnation of a spot that had been the Redwood Club, Nashville Station and Wheelers. "I performed Irish drinking songs, so naturally you think to yourself it would make sense to own your own bar," he said. "I looked at several places before this place came along, and it felt right. "It's a form of expression for me. I'm not on stage much anymore, but at my heart I'm an artist. is is my art." e art is visible in just about every nook and cranny from jewel-toned neon signs, twinkling light fixtures and flags from around the world to rows of framed photos of notable people who have enjoyed a pint here. But art, Gibney said, must "continually evolve and continually grow." ose words became more than just a mantra in March

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