125 Concerts to Rock Your Summer
Summer always brings great concerts to the Triangle, and 2015 may be the best yet. From April to September there are 125 big acts coming to the area’s venues, with more announcements coming! From 1st-tier comedians to one of only 15 North American dates for the Rolling Stones, there is always something to do here this summer. See venue key at the bottom for info links.
Click the “Summer ‘15” tab (at the top) for the updated list.
Big Shindig Releases Set Times
The 95X Big Shindig on Sunday brings the best full day of alternative rock music of the summer to Walnut Creek Amphitheater. Impressively, nearly every Shindig artist has had a song in heavy rotation on Alternative Nation (Sirius/XM) this year (the same cannot be said for the event’s chief sponsor, however).
The day can be divided into 3 chapters. IAMDYNAMITE (“”) opens the new alternative chapter with their driving, jangly sound. However the day really gets going with the performer of one of Alternative’s best, tertiary songs of the year, Sir Sly (), takes the stage. Brit pop Wolf Gang (”) follows, then Big Data takes the stage (“”). “Dangerous” will probably be the big hit song of the afternoon. Bear Hands (“”) and the outrageous Foxy Shazam (“”) round out the first chapter.
The sound takes a more Modern Rock feel at 4:45 when The Pretty Reckless (“) takes the stage with the day’s only female lead singer. They are followed by 90s Modern Rock kings Fuel (“”, “”). Fuel is, ironically, the band that has gotten the most airplay of this event on Raleigh radio through the years.
This decade returns with a gigantic tub of “happy” at 7pm when Fitz & the Tantrums (“”, “”, “”) take the stage. Their April 2003 release, “More Than Just A Dream”, was one of the year’s best CDs.
At 8:10 Foster the People will take the stage and probably mark the entire event’s apex. Best known for “Pumped Up Kicks”, Foster… has snuck in eleven other hits since, and stands as one of the most significant bands of this decade. (“”, “”, “”)
Headliner Weezer takes the stage at 9:25. With their 15+ hits, Weezer is one of the most important Alternative Rock bands in the wake of Nirvana. However the bulk of their excellence came in the 90s, and while I’m sure their show will be as good as it was in the DPAC earlier this year, this is a school night, so forgive us for leaving early. (“”, “”, “”)
* * *
Parking Lots Open: 11:00 AM
Gates Open: 12:30 PM
1:30 PM: IAMDYNAMITE
2:20 PM: Sir Sly
3:00 PM: Wolf Gang
3:35 PM: Big Data
4:10 PM: Bear Hands
4:45 PM: Foxy Shazam
5:20 PM: The Pretty Reckless
6:10 PM: Fuel
7:00 PM: Fitz & The Tantrums
8:10 PM: Foster The People
9:25 PM: Weezer
Raleigh to Host Farm Aid
On Saturday, September 13, Raleigh’s Walnut Creek Amphitheatre will be the host to the . The all-day music and food festival will feature “family farm-identified, local and organic foods with its own HOMEGROWN Concessions®. In Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Village, attendees will have the chance to meet farmers, engage in hands-on food and farm activities, and learn about the ways family farmers are enriching our soil, protecting our water and growing our economy, in addition to bringing us good food for good health.”
However the real draw is the music, featuring a lineup of:
- Willie Nelson & Family
- Neil Young
- John Mellencamp
- Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
- Jack White
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band
- Jamey Johnson
- Delta Rae
- Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
- Carlene Carter
- Pegi Young & The Survivors
- Insects vs Robots
tomorrow (7/25) at Noon. Prices range from $49 to $175.
Curated Stringed Instrument/Wine Event Coming to Downtown
On Saturday, May 24 will present , a unique show featuring fine wine, instruments, and music. Attendees will have the opportunity to see and hear some of the finest stringed instruments in the country, and hear a sampling of of works from artists like Mendelssohn, Schubert, and Brahms. Some anticipated instruments on display are over 200 years old.
The event is presented by Pasewicz String Instrument, a Raleigh-based instrument shop which has earned a reputation for being one of the finest instrument repair and craft shops in the country.
The event takes place from 6 to 11pm in the AIANC Center for Architecture & Design, and are $18.
Walnut Creek Amphitheatre Loses Its Name, Again
It appears the naming rights period for Time Warner Cable has expired at Walnut Creek. The amphitheater, originally called “Walnut Creek Amphitheatre” has carried 3 different naming rights deals in its history; Hardees, Alltel, and Time Warner Cable.
The first show for the upcoming 2014 season was announced yesterday, and it features “Lady Antebellum at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre”, so it looks like until another naming rights deal is secured, on its original, rightful name.
When corporate naming rights deals first came along, the names stuck with consumers. However after throwing away so many names, it begs two questions: do fluctuating names damage the brand of the facility, and do naming rights deals sway consumer decision making at all? I can certainly say that I am mostly immune to these kinds of efforts (though I whole-heartedly thank RBC/PNC for ponying up half of the money for Raleigh to finally get an arena 
)
Four Legendary Albums, One Stage
On Thursday, August 22, four bands will take the Red Hat stage and play their best albums in their entirety.
- Matthew Sweet -
- The Wailers -
- Soul Asylum -
- Big Head Todd and the Monsters -
(links point to the album on Spotify)
are on sale now.
North Hills Beach Music Season Begins Tonight
This summer’s weekly North Hill Beach Music Series begins tonight with The Embers. The events take place in the North Hills commons area, in front of the movie theaters, and last from 6-9pm.
- 4/18 –
- 4/25 –
- 5/2 –
- 5/9 –
- 5/16 –
- 5/23 –
- 5/30 –
- 6/6 –
- 6/13 –
- 6/20 –
- 6/27 -
- 7/4 -
- 7/11 –
- 7/18 –
- 7/25 –
- 8/1 –
- 8/8 –
- 8/15 –
There are a few rules to follow as well:
- No outside coolers or beverages permitted
- Parents on Site Policy - Please remember that anyone under 18 must be with a parent or guardian after 8pm
Parking is always interesting for these events. The decks in North Hills and the surface lots usually fill up and spill across Lassiter Mill into the neighborhood and into the Lassiter. Another option is North Hills East, where there is some surface parking, but also hundreds of deck spaces. Please be patient and careful crossing Six Forks Rd. at the Dartmouth signal.
Summer Bringing Great Triangle Concerts
Summer is just around the corner, and that means another great concert season in Raleigh. From now until the end of September, there is a slew of music and comedy shows guaranteed to ramp up the fun rate in the area. Once again, there are very few dates between now and mid-June that have no event scheduled, so save up, and get out of the house!
There are 100s of good entertainment options coming this summer. The best 85 of the music options (as of today) are assembled below. All of these events appear individually in the with venue information, so you can easily add any event to your personal calendar.
| Date | Event |
| 4/18 | Alton Brown |
| 4/18 | Bob Mould Band |
| 4/19 | Chris Tucker |
| 4/19 | The Marshall Tucker Band |
| 4/19 | Billy Bragg |
| 4/21 | B.B. King |
| 4/24 | Sarah Silverman |
| 4/25 | Jillian Michaels |
| 4/26 | Barry Manilow |
| 4/27 | Styx/REO Speedwagon/Ted Nuget |
| 4/27 | Bob Seger |
| 5/2 | Bob Dylan/Dawes |
| 5/3 | Rush |
| 5/4 | Lyle Lovett/Delta Rae |
| 5/4 | Tim McGraw |
| 5/6 | Airborne Toxic Event |
| 5/7 | Smashing Pumpkins/AWOLNATION |
| 5/7 | Il Divo |
| 5/8 | Band of Horses |
| 5/8 | Boz Scaggs |
| 5/8 | Imagine Dragons/Paper Route |
| 5/10 | Amy Schumer |
| 5/12 | Josh Ritter |
| 5/12 | Carol Burnett |
| 5/12 | Robert Randolph |
| 5/14 | Alkaline Trio |
| 5/17 | Titus Andronicus |
| 5/17 | Los Lobos |
| 5/18 | Artsplosure |
| 5/23 | Kenny Chesney |
| 5/30 | James McCartney |
| 5/30 | LeAnn Rimes |
| 5/31 | Everclear/Live/Filter/Sponge |
| 6/1 | Best Coast |
| 6/1 | Flobots |
| 6/4 | Dropkick Murphys |
| 6/5 | Japandroids |
| 6/5 | Kevin James |
| 6/7 | The Postal Service/Ra Ra Riot |
| 6/8 | Brad Paisley |
| 6/8 | Widespread Panic |
| 6/9 | Widespread Panic |
| 6/10 | The National/Dirty Projectors |
| 6/11 | Passion Pit/Cults |
| 6/13 | Lumineers/Cold War Kids |
| 6/15 | Glen Hansard |
| 6/20 | Warren Haynes/NC Symphony |
| 6/21 | Zac Brown Band |
| 6/22 | Heart/Jason Bonham |
| 6/22 | One Direction |
| 6/23 | Kendrick Lamar |
| 6/29 | Indigo Girls |
| 6/30 | Gladys Knight/The O’Jays |
| 7/6 | Rachael Yamagata |
| 7/6 | Valient Thorr |
| 7/7 | Big Time Rush/Victoria Justice |
| 7/9 | Harry Connick, Jr. |
| 7/10 | Quidam Opens |
| 7/11 | Black Keys/Flaming Lips |
| 7/13 | Luke Bryan |
| 7/21 | OAR |
| 7/23 | Black Crowes/Tedeschi Trucks |
| 7/26 | Keith Urban |
| 7/27 | Lil Wayne/TI |
| 7/28 | Barenaked Ladies/Ben Folds Five/Guster |
| 7/31 | Jonas Brothers |
| 8/3 | Sheryl Crow |
| 8/3 | Bruce Hornsby |
| 8/7 | Goo Goo Dolls/Matchbox Twenty |
| 8/9 | Blake Shelton |
| 8/16 | Slightly Stoopid |
| 8/17 | Tift Merritt |
| 8/24 | Miranda Lambert/Dierks Bentley |
| 9/3 | Iron Maiden/Megadeath |
| 9/5 | Hopscotch Music Festival |
| 9/5 | John Mayer/Phillip Phillips |
| 9/6 | Pink Martini |
| 9/6 | Hopscotch Music Festival |
| 9/7 | Hopscotch Music Festival |
| 9/8 | Hopscotch Music Festival |
| 9/10 | Maroon 5/Kelly Clarkson |
| 9/13 | Jason Aldean |
| 9/13 | Taylor Swift |
| 9/18 | Steely Dan |
| 9/20 | Mary Wilson of the Supremes |
| 9/24 | City and Colour |
| 9/25 | Fun/Tegan & Sara |
| 9/27 | IBMA Wide Open Bluegrass Festival |
| 9/27 | Rascal Flatts/The Band Perry |
| 9/28 | IBMA Wide Open Bluegrass Festival |
Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson Coming to TWC Pavilion
On Tuesday, September 10, Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson will play Raleigh’s Time Warner Pavilion. Tony Lucca opens. Presale tickets will continue through the end of this week, while the public sale begins at 10am Saturday.
Ben Folds Five, Guster Joining BNL at Red Hat Amphitheater
Ben Fold Five announced today that they will tour this summer with Barenaked Ladies and Guster. The “Last Summer On Earth Tour 2013”. The 29 date tour’s apocalypse comes in Brooklyn, but not before the tour’s penultimate show at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater on Sunday, July 28.
will be available tomorrow (Tue, 3/19) at 10am. Citi Cardmember presale is Wed at 10. LiveNation’s presale is Thu at 10.
The National / Dirty Projectors Coming to Raleigh
On Monday, June 10, comes to Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater. The band announced today that they will be supporting their first CD in three years, to be released on May 4. will open the show, a full 15 months after the release of their brilliant Swing Lo Magellan CD.
, the presale begins Wednesday (2/27) morning at 10am (pw: dazzle), while the General Public sale comes Friday morning at 10.
Black Keys Coming to Raleigh
Fresh off their big 3-win Grammy night, the commercial for date this summer aired during the 11 o’clock news last night. On Thursday, July 11, the Black Keys will return to Walnut Creek with the Flaming Lips opening. , but I recommend becoming a fan club member to get presale tickets on Thursday (2/14) at 10am.
Barry Manilow Returning to Raleigh
Way back in Raleigh, Bette Midler played the Frog and Nightgown in Raleigh with some piano player named . Barry went on to be one of the most prolific jingle writers in history, with hits like “I am Stuck on Band Aid” and “Like a Good Neighbor State Farm is There” to name a few. He changed his last name and continued onward as one of the most successful artists of all-time, in fact, and he returns to Raleigh’s PNC Arena on Friday, April 26. are on sale now.
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