Must-see winter concerts
Plus: The news of the week — Country Day administrator charged with peeping; Belichick named UNC coach; Trump to nominate Bishop to post; Salvation Army has fewer bell ringers this holiday season
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From holiday harmonies to rock legends, Charlotte’s indoor venues are hosting a season of musical magic. Here’s your guide to the shows that will keep you grooving through the cold months.
You’ve got two entertaining New Year’s Eve concerts to choose from: the high-energy Voltage Brothers (pictured) at Middle C Jazz and The Avett Brothers at Ovens Auditorium. (Photo courtesy Middle C Jazz)
by Jay Ahuja
Thanksgiving is behind us and Charlotte concerts have moved indoors. Thankfully, there are plenty of shows at local venues large and small to choose from.
For starters, there are several holiday concerts throughout the month. I am most looking forward to Mark O’Connor’s Appalachian Christmas at the Cain Center, a 401-seat venue in Cornelius. Grammy Award-winning husband and wife fiddlers Mark and Maggie O’Connor perform a mix of Christmas carols, bluegrass and other traditional music on Friday, Dec. 20.
New Year’s Eve offers two exceptional yet very different shows to choose from. At Middle C Jazz, The Voltage Brothers, who locals may remember from high-energy performances at The Double Door Inn, will be playing a pair of shows at 7 and 10 p.m. At Ovens Auditorium, Concord-based band The Avett Brothers will ring in the new year as only they know how.
Progressive bluegrass superstars Yonder Mountain String Band will grace the stage at Neighborhood Theatre on Saturday, Jan. 11. Also in NoDa, on Thursday, Jan. 16, country, bluegrass and Americana music legend Jim Lauderdale will be playing what is sure to be a sold-out show at The Evening Muse.
Country artist Randy Travis with the original Randy Travis Band and guest vocalist James Dupre will perform all 16 of Travis’ #1 hits at Ovens Auditorium on Jan. 23. For something completely different that night, check out classical crossover artists Vitamin String Quartet, who have established themselves as a force in contemporary music. They’ll perform the music of “Taylor Swift, Bridgerton, and Beyond,” at Queens University’s Sandra Levine Theatre. The following evening, genre-defying quintet Donna The Buffalo will be at the Neighborhood Theatre on Jan. 24.
Classical crossover artists the Vitamin String Quartet will perform “Taylor Swift, Bridgerton, and Beyond,” at Queens University’s Sandra Levine Theatre next month. (Photo courtesy of Sandra Levine Theatre at Queens University)
Booth Playhouse, an intimate room at Blumenthal Performing Arts, has a pair of back-to-back shows that are well worth seeing. Hot Tuna, a blues rock band formed by former members of Jefferson Airplane, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Kassady, performs on Jan. 27, while Al Stewart and Livingstone Taylor team up for a show on the 28th. On Feb. 1, bluesy, hard rockers from the 70s and 80s the Pat Travers Band will appear at Neighborhood Theatre.
Often referred to as the Queen of Hip-Hop-Soul and/or Queen of R&B, Mary J. Blige, who was just inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has earned a Grammy and an Emmy, will perform at the Spectrum Center on Feb. 6. Special guests NE-YO and Mario will open the show. On a considerably smaller scale but no less intriguing, G Love and Special Sauce will be at the Visulite that same night.
For Valentine’s Day weekend, local saxophonist Adrian Crutchfield has a pair of shows at the Stage Door Theater Feb. 14 and 15. At just 4 years old, Crutchfield was given a saxophone by Kenny G at a concert his mom brought him to in Roanoke, Va. He learned to play the sax at Community School of the Arts (now called Arts+) here in Charlotte. Since then, he has performed with Prince, Lionel Ritchie, Bette Midler, and a host of other celebrated musicians. These shows feature the music of Grover Washington Jr. These same nights, superstar classical pianist Olga Kern is performing Schumann’s Piano Concerto and Elgar’s Enigma Variations with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.
On Thursday, Feb. 20, Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Chris Botti will perform two shows at Middle C Jazz, 6:30 and 8:45 p.m. This a rare chance to see him perform in such an intimate space. The Friday night shows have already sold out.
I’ve lived in Charlotte long enough to remember that there were often long stretches between major national acts coming to town. These days, we must pick and choose from the wealth of talent heading our way. As problems go, this is a nice one to have.
Jay Ahuja has lived, worked and played in Charlotte since 1986. He has one wife, two stepsons and one dog. He’s had two sports travel guidebooks published and produced a documentary film, “Live From The Double Door Inn.” He serves on the Charlotte advisory Board of North Carolina Outward Bound School and recently retired from WDAV 89.9FM, the region’s classical public radio station.
Today’s supporting sponsor is VIA Health Partners. Through Journeys, our personalized approach to serious illness care, we provide ongoing symptom relief, quality of life enhancement, and 24/7 access to a dedicated team of healthcare professionals wherever you call home. Your journey. Your care. Our priority. Journeys from VIA Health Partners.
This week in Charlotte: New flight paths to cut noise; Helene’s missing still sought; record month for hotels
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Education
Police found inappropriate photos on Country Day administrator’s electronics: Police found “hundreds of photos of women’s legs and butt[s]” on the phone and laptop of Charlotte Country Day School’s assistant head of school after school officials alerted authorities, according to court documents. Police have charged 58-year-old Scott Waybright with felony charges of secret peeping. Country Day said it fired Waybright after learning of the images. (Read the full police affidavit here)
Comprehensive review delay: (WFAE) The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board postponed setting priorities for its comprehensive student assignment review, citing the need for more time to process extensive data, and will continue the review through at least March.
Politics
Democrats sue to block law: (WRAL) Gov. Roy Cooper and Governor-elect Josh Stein filed a lawsuit seeking to declare a new law passed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly as unconstitutional. The law, which shifts some powers from executive branch departments to the legislature, was vetoed by Cooper, but the General Assembly overrode the veto this week.
Trump to nominate Bishop for budget post: (WRAL) President-elect Donald Trump said he will nominate U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop of Charlotte to become deputy director for budget at the Office of Management and Budget. Bishop, a former state representative and Mecklenburg County commissioner, is a Republican who lost in last month’s race for N.C. attorney general.
Local news
Fewer Salvation Army bell ringers this year: (Ledger) The Salvation Army's red kettle campaign in Charlotte is seeing fewer bell ringers this year, with the number of kettles down from over 50 to around 15, due to a shift in partnerships, fewer available volunteers and competition from other seasonal jobs.
City Council approves new flight paths to reduce airport noise: (WFAE) The Charlotte City Council voted 8-2 to approve a plan to expand departure flight paths from Charlotte Douglas International Airport, increasing from 8 to 27 routes to distribute noise more evenly.
Business
New Charlotte Regional Business Alliance official: (Charlotte Regional Business Alliance) The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance announced Tracy Dodson as its new chief operating officer and head of economic development, beginning in February. Dodson is Charlotte's assistant city manager and economic development director. Read a Q&A with Dodson in this week’s Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers column (🔒).
Duke Health buys Lake Norman Regional: (WCNC) Duke Health announced plans to acquire Lake Norman Regional Medical Center (LNRMC) in Mooresville, expanding into a new community. The purchase comes after Novant Health abandoned its acquisition attempt due to regulatory challenges.
Sports
Belichick named UNC football coach: (ESPN) Bill Belichick, the NFL's most successful coach with six Super Bowls, was hired as North Carolina's new head coach. Belichick, 72, was hired following a failed season under Mack Brown.
New football coach for UNC Charlotte: (UNC Charlotte) UNC Charlotte announced it is hiring Ohio head football coach Tim Albin to lead the Charlotte 49ers as head coach.
Good reads
The costs of professional fundraisers: (Observer) A new report from the N.C. Secretary of State’s office reveals that North Carolina charities received only 61 cents of every dollar raised by professional fundraisers in the last fiscal year, with some nonprofits receiving less than 30%.
Searching for the missing in N.C. mountains: (Assembly) Lenny Widawski, a talented musician and beloved figure in his community, tragically vanished during the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Helene. Widawski is one of fewer than a dozen people whose bodies have not been found.
From the Ledger family of newsletters
Can pro tennis thrive in Charlotte?: Last weekend’s pro tennis exhibition at the Spectrum Center featured top players and drew more than 16,000 fans, sparking hopes for future professional tournaments and events despite past setbacks in securing major tennis opportunities.
Plus: Cruises from Charleston coming to an end; Reader question on I-485 bridge status; City makes progress on meeting minutes; More detailed airport noise map
Wednesday (🔒)
As apartments rise, luxury hits new heights: Charlotte’s luxury apartments are setting new standards with high-end amenities like speakeasies, concierge services and coworking spaces, reflecting the city’s growth and rising expectations from affluent renters.
Plus: Is Hallmark making a Charlotte rebound?; Plaza Midwood sells $25,000 in social district cups; Uptown hotel renderings
Friday (🔒)
A record-breaking month for Charlotte hotels: Charlotte’s hospitality scene had a banner October, with concerts, conventions and Tropical Storm Helene evacuations filling hotels to record levels.
Plus: Q&A with newly named CRBA official Tracy Dodson
🎧 Podcast with José Alvarez of Prospera North Carolina on immigrant entrepreneurs
After losing her husband last year, Ann Bostic received his ashes the day before their 34th wedding anniversary.
Putting the ‘SouthPark Skipper’ to the test: Colleen Brannan reviews SouthPark's new free ride service, the SouthPark Skipper, which impresses with its eco-friendly Teslas, cheerful drivers and convenience.
Temporary housing needs remain urgent: Western North Carolina is rallying to provide housing for Tropical Storm Helene survivors, with FEMA trailers, streamlined regulations and community donations helping families rebuild and stay warm as winter sets in. Plus: Asheville hospital reconnects to city water supply; A Yancey County road will cost $500M to repair; Chimney Rock to reopen for 1 day
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