Fall concerts heat up Charlotte
Plus: The news of the week
Good morning! Today is Saturday, October 5, 2024. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger’s Weekend Edition.
Need to subscribe — or upgrade your Ledger e-newsletter subscription? Details here.
Today’s Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by Tryon Medical Partners. One in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. A reminder from Tryon Medical Partners: mammograms save lives! Schedule yours today.
From bluegrass to R&B: Check out this can’t-miss, eclectic lineup of 14 Charlotte concerts in October and November
By Jay Ahuja
As cooler weather approaches, so has the fall concert season and its richly diverse slate of artists.
From opera to country and blues to classical, there is no shortage of acts to consider. To help you decide where and when to invest your hard-earned concert dollars, I have narrowed down the list to 14 shows that stand out.
Today (Saturday, Oct. 5) features two outstanding but very different outdoor concerts:
Trampled By Turtles, a bluegrass-influenced folk quintet that will be at The Amp at Ballantyne, one of the region’s newest venues;
Multi-genre, pop act Lake Street Dive is performing at Skyla, still my favorite local amphitheater.
Potentially the biggest music news happening this month is Confluence, a multi-day conference and music festival for fans and musicians in the Southeast. Events run from Wednesday-Friday, Oct. 9-11.
There is a stellar lineup of musicians playing across multiple local venues. Chatham County Line, with opening act Sarah Shook and The Disarmers, is performing at Neighborhood Theatre on Friday, Oct. 11, but don’t sleep on countless other up-and-coming acts involved.
Also at The Amp, on Thursday, Oct. 17, Grammy Award winners Steep Canyon Rangers return to town for an evening of traditional bluegrass. No word on whether Steve Martin will be joining the band on banjo for this show, but Ashes and Arrows is the opening act.
Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials (left) will appear at Middle C Jazz Club, still one of the city’s best-kept secrets. Selwyn Birchwood is slated to perform at longtime venue Amos’ Southend. (Photos courtesy Andy Lyons and Janet Mami Takamaya)
The newly renovated Spectrum Center is bringing renowned R&B artist and 8-time Grammy Award winner Usher, to town on Tuesday/Wednesday, Oct. 22-23 for his Past Present Future tour.
Little Feat will perform at Knight Theater on Tuesday, Oct. 29 with a focus on songs from their legendary live album “Waiting For Columbus.” Duane Betts and Palmetto Motel are the opening act.
The very next night, Andrea Bocelli is performing at Belk Theater as part of Opera Carolina’s 75th Anniversary festivities. California rockers Cold War Kids will host a Halloween concert at The Fillmore.
Young, indie pop sensation Clairo will be touring in support of her third album, “Charm,” which was released in July, at Ovens Auditorium on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lo is the opening act.
Middle C Jazz Club, still one of the city’s best-kept secrets despite coming up on its 5th anniversary, is hosting Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials on Thursday, Nov. 7. Guitarist Chris Cain opens, and at least one other act is expected to be added to the bill. Longtime Charlotte residents may remember Lil’ Ed for their rollicking shows at The Double Door Inn.
Speaking of old-school local music venues, Amos’ Southend has a stellar blues lineup on Friday, Nov. 8 with Selwyn Birchwood, Popa Chubby Sam Morrow, The Three Kings, Fatman on a Friday Night, Carolyn Wonderland, and Jimmy Carpenter with a tribute jam to Little Feat.
Neighborhood Theatre gets in on the act the following night with The Cold Stares, D.K. Harrell, Bywater Call and Blood Brothers. A special guest is expected to sit in with Blood Brothers. While I am not at liberty to reveal the name, I will say I have already bought tickets to this show and ended up in the back row of the balcony, so you may want to act fast. All three of these shows (Middle C, Amos’ and Neighborhood Theatre) are part of Intrepid Artists International 30th Anniversary Celebration.
Another show I already purchased tickets for is Tedeschi Trucks Band. Their Deuces Wild Tour of Grammy Award-winning blues rock music is coming to Ovens Auditorium on Tuesday/Wednesday, Nov. 12-13.
Finally, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is welcoming a new music director, Kwame Ryan, who will be conducting Brahms’ “A German Requiem” on Friday/Saturday, Nov. 22-23 at Belk Theater. Soprano, Janai Brugger, baritone, Alexander Birch Elliott and Charlotte Master Chorale will share the stage with Ryan and CSO.
Jay Ahuja has lived, worked and played in Charlotte since 1986. He has one wife, two stepsons and two dogs. He’s had two sports travel guidebooks published and produced a documentary film, “Live From The Double Door Inn.” He works for WDAV 89.9FM, the region’s classical public radio station.
Today’s supporting sponsor is Arts+, a community organization dedicated to connecting children, adults, and families to visual art and music education in an accessible way. Bring your kids for a fun night of play and creation while you take a break with a night off! Upcoming dates Oct. 19 and Nov. 15.
This week in Charlotte: Heartbreak and devastation in our backyard
The major story this week, of course, is the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in the North Carolina mountains. Rescue teams raced to aid mountain residents stranded by washed-out roads, as new heartbreaking images emerged of destroyed homes and shattered lives.
As of Friday, authorities had linked more than 100 North Carolina deaths to the disaster — a number certain to rise.
The rebuilding and recovery will last years. This week, though, the focus was rightly on the people whose lives were quickly upended a week ago — the heroes who helped, the loved ones lost, the survivors still suffering.
Let’s keep them in the front of our minds in the weeks ahead. —Tony Mecia
—
From the Ledger family of newsletters
Monday
As floods subside, uncertainty rises: In Black Mountain, east of Asheville, residents encounter blocked roads, short supplies and unimaginable damage; ‘I have never been more scared in my life’
Wednesday (🔒)
Inside The Pearl medical innovation district: 12 must-know features and quirky details about The Pearl, Charlotte’s new medical innovation district
Plus: Hotels and gas stations top the list of Helene-related price-gouging complaints; Former Charlotte Chamber CEO Bob Morgan arrested in South Carolina
Friday (🔒)
As foster care needs rise, a charity aims to offer support: Mecklenburg County has more kids in foster care and fewer foster families than it did 5 years ago. This charity is helping meet the needs of foster parents.
Plus: Podcast with Hugh McColl on leadership; Nonprofit links band and orchestra students with instruments; Toppman reviews “Girl from North Country”
Charlotte FC secures its first home playoff game; team continues to shore up its defense
Transit Time
Ways of Life (🔒)
A university librarian who grew Charlotte’s archive: Robin Brabham documented Mecklenburg County’s history with his collection of rare books and documents; 'He was like a walking and living encyclopedia'
From our new “pop-up” Mountain Updates newsletter:
➡️ Sign up: Ledger readers can sign up for Mountain Updates, and add and drop our other newsletters, by going to their account settings (it might require setting a password or requesting login information be sent to your email)
Charlotte Starter Kit: New to Charlotte? Want to help us improve the info for new residents? Check out our Charlotte Starter Kit, a free 7-day email course. Let us know what you think and how we can improve it.
Need to sign up for this e-newsletter? We offer a free version, as well as paid memberships for full access to all 4 of our local newsletters:
➡️ Opt in or out of different newsletters on your “My Account” page.
➡️ Learn more about The Charlotte Ledger
The Charlotte Ledger is a locally owned media company that delivers smart and essential news through e-newsletters and on a website. We strive for fairness and accuracy and will correct all known errors. The content reflects the independent editorial judgment of The Charlotte Ledger. Any advertising, paid marketing, or sponsored content will be clearly labeled.
Like what we are doing? Feel free to forward this along and to tell a friend.
Social media: On Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Sponsorship information/customer service: email support@cltledger.com.
Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman