Spring brings warmer weather, April showers and new life to the world, but it also marks the beginning of concert season in North Carolina. The state is home to several large concert venues from Wilmington all the way to Charlotte. Some of these arenas and music halls have hosted some of the largest names in music, and this spring, many artists are making stops in the Tar Heel state.
Qnotes has created a guide for the events happening at large venues across the state from Wilmington to Charlotte. Here’s what’s happening this spring.
“Peter Pan” ● March 5-10 | The Belk Theater at the Blumenthal, Charlotte
Charlotte’s premier live theatrical venue brings this high-flying musical to the stage. Thrilling audiences of all ages for close to 70 years, it’s now being brought back to life in a new adaptation by celebrated playwright Larissa FastHorse and directed by Emmy Award-winner Lonny Price, this latest interpretation follows Peter Pan and his mischievous fairy sidekick, Tinker Bell, as they visit the bedroom of the Darling children late one night. With a sprinkle of pixie dust and a few happy thoughts, the children are taken on a magical journey they will never forget. This extraordinary musical features iconic and timeless songs including “I’m Flying,” “I Gotta Crow,” “I Won’t Grow Up” and “Neverland.” “Peter Pan” takes the audience on a moving journey all ages will enjoy. Visit http://www.blumenthalarts.org for more info.
”The Little Mermaid” ● March 7-24 | Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh
The Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts is located in the heart of the Triangle at 2 East South St. in Raleigh. This spring, Carolina Ballet will be taking an adventure under the sea as they perform The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. The ballet will follow the classic fairy tale by Anderson and will feature new costumes and dance numbers from the company’s usual performance. The show will be performed on weekends only from March 7 through March 24. Visit https://www.martinmariettacenter.com for more details.
Nicki Minaj ● March 26 | Spectrum Center, Charlotte
The Spectrum Center is home to the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets and also doubles as a concert venue for some of music’s largest names. Some of the artists who’ve performed at the Spectrum Center previously include Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen and more. This March, the Spectrum Center will become a part of “Gag City” as Nicki Minaj makes a stop there on March 26 for her Pink Friday 2 World Tour. Minaj has been recognized as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community on multiple occasions, including when she pulled out of her appearance at Jeddah World Fest in Saudi Arabia in 2019 to to show her support for LGBTQ+ rights.
“After careful reflection I have decided to no longer move forward with my scheduled concert at Jeddah World Fest,” Minaj stated in 2019 to the Associated Press.“While I want nothing more than to bring my show to fans in Saudi Arabia, after better educating myself on the issues, I believe it is important for me to make clear my support for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community and freedom of expression.”
For details on her concert go to https://www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com.
T-Pain ● April 4 | NC Azalea Festival, Live Oak Bank Pavilion, Wilmington
Wilmington is home to the Live Oak Bank Pavilion, a large, outdoor concert venue located at 10-A Cowan St. Music acts that have performed at the pavilion include Maggie Rogers, boygenius, Darius Rucker and more.
This year’s Azalea Festival will open up with a concert at the Pavillion by early 2000s music icon T-Pain. Known for his use of electronic autotune, creating unique vocals and smudging the lines between rapper and singer, his signature style of over-the-top success led to over a decade of chart topping singles, numerous awards and international fame.
For tickets and other details go to https://ncazaleafestival.org
Dreamville Music Festival ● April 6-7 | Dorothea Dix Park, Raleigh
Dorothea Dix Park is located in the heart of Raleigh, and while it’s famous for its sunflower fields and spacious green spaces, it’s also known as the location of the annual Dreamville Music Festival.
Dreamville — which was started by North Carolina-native and famous rapper J. Cole — is the largest hip hop and rap music festival in the United States, and it brings hundreds of thousands of people to Raleigh every year. Some artists who’ve performed at the festival in the past include Kehlani (an out lesbian artist), SZA, Usher, Drake and more.
According to the festival’s website:
“As a proud Black-owned music festival, Dreamville continues to emphasize community, diversity, and inclusivity throughout the onsite fan experience each spring. If you’ve never been, imagine a large-scale multi-stage festival featuring performances from some of the biggest names in music, merged with a family-style cookout where everyone feels welcome and has a seat at the table. ALL are welcome at Dreamville Festival!” Although the lineup has yet to be announced, tickets can be purchased at https://dreamvillefest.com.
Women’s Empowerment Expo ● April 13 | PNC Arena, Raleigh
PNC Arena serves as one of the largest concert venues in the state, as well as the home basketball stadium for the NC State Wolfpack. This spring, the venue will also be home to the Women’s Empowerment Expo — an event sponsored by Radio One Raleigh filled with seminars, curated shopping experiences, inspirational speakers and live music.
The lineup for this year’s conference includes six-time Grammy-nominated R&B sensation Tamia, Le’Andria Johnson and Bobbi Storm, among others. The event will kick off at 2 p.m. Go here for more information: https://www.pncarena.com
The Harlem Globetrotters ● April 21
Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte
Originally known as the Charlotte Coliseum, Bojangles Coliseum has served as a venue for many infamous events, including the ACC tournament, Elvis’ final live performance in 1977 and currently it’s the home base for the Charlotte Checkers Hockey team.
The Harlem Globetrotters will take to the court on the Charlotte stop of their world tour. The team was founded in 1926 by Abe Saperstein, and since then, The Globetrotters have entertained more than 148 million fans in over 120 countries and territories across the world. The Globetrotters are known for combining the athleticism needed to play basketball with theater and comedy, coming up with unique story-lines for each game/performance. More info is available online at https://www.harlemglobetrotters.com
Hozier ● April 23
PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte
An outdoor music venue located in University City in Charlotte the PNC Music Pavilion has served as the host for such LGBTQ+ music icons as Janet Jackson, Shania Twain, Stevie Nicks and more. Now LGBTQ+ ally and musical artist Hozier will be making a stop in Charlotte for his Unreal Unearth tour. While he has become known for his fanbase of predominantly queer women, his involvement in advocating equality for all combined with his singing and songwriting abilities have led to success. His music often touches on social justice issues, with one of his greatest hits from 2013 — “Take Me To Church” — serving as a narrative about Russia and the Catholic Church’s history of discriminating against queer folks.
Hozier talks constantly about the worries he had regarding marginalization and the rise of fascist policies across the globe, specifically since a lot of his fans are LGBTQ+ identifying. He’s continued to advocate for LGBTQ+ equality and in recent months, has spoken out in support of his trans fans.
“You know, drag has existed for a long, long time and trans people have existed for centuries, but it’s incredible in the last 10 years just how much they have been scapegoated,” he explained in an interview with Pink News. “You’re talking about a tiny percentage of the population, so little gestures of support and solidarity like that, if they can go a long way, for me it is just important to show up for them.”
Information about Hozier’s upcoming concert can be found online at https://hozier.com
Maggie Rogers ● June 19
Coastal Credit Union Music Park, Raleigh
Formally known as the Walnut Creek Amphitheater, the Coastal Credit Union Music is an outdoor concert venue located just outside of Raleigh. Most of the concerts at this music venue happen in the summer months, and to kick off this summer, singer and songwriter Maggie Rogers is making a stop at the outdoor music park as a part of her “The Don’t Forget Me Tour.”
Although Rogers does not publicly identify as queer, she is often viewed as a queer music icon by many in the LGBTQ+ community. Her music frequently contains lyrics or messages queer folks can relate to, ranging from talking about working through spiritual crises to discovering one’s true self. Find out more about Maggie Rogers and her concert in Raleigh at https://www.maggierogers.com/
