December Raleigh-area Local Music Concert Guide

By Grant Golden

December 2, 2022

Travers Brothership with Kendall Street Company

Friday, December 2 at The Pour House
Tickets: $12 plus 

Kyle Travers has become one of the hottest commodities of the North Carolina rock scene. With several key lineup changes in recent years, Travers Brothership has developed their gritty blend of blues and Southern rock– garnering attention from outlets like Rolling Stone along the way. The Brotherships’ last Raleigh show of the year will surely be a barn burner with the equally energetic psychedelic jam-rock tunes of Kendall Street Company.

Chatham Rabbits

Sunday, December 4 at Lincoln Theatre
Tickets: $19.50 

A night full of Chatham Rabbits’ rustic tunes is surely one of the best ways you can spend a Sunday evening. Partners Sarah and Austin McCombie come together for a brand of roots music that pays homage to old-time traditions. Not quite bluegrass, not quite Americana, the band has consistently crafted captivating music that’s propelled them to national acclaim– including a limited series on PBS. Their performances are undeniable and usually compel crowds to forego chit-chat, a refreshing live music experience. 

Wordplaydame & Friends

Wednesday, December 7 at The Pour House
Tickets: $15 plus 

A night full of hip-hop, soul, and R&B is a fantastic reason to get out of the house on a Wednesday night for a mid-week pick-me-up. Headlined by Wordplaydame, a versatile lyricist equally capable of swift verses and melodic hooks, the lineup is filled with fantastic local talents. With heavy hitting acts like Shame Gang, J. Rashad, and Soullooper alongside Northside Rocky and KMojica, there’s plenty of top-notch music on display. 

MJ Lenderman with Advance Base

Wednesday, December 7 at The Pinhook
Tickets: $12 plus 

Asheville’s MJ Lenderman has had one of the best year’s of any North Carolina artists with constant praise coming for both his solo endeavor, Boat Songs, and his work as the guitarist of breakout indie-rock act Wednesday. Lenderman will be setting those stellar alt-country adjacent tunes aside for a special run of shows with Advance Base (Owen Ashworth of Casiotone for the Painfully Alone). The two songwriters will be bringing what’s sure to be a diverse array of holiday tunes to The Pinhook for a stripped-down night of music that feels fresh and fun.

Delta Rae with Emily Scott Robinson

December 7 + 8 at Lincoln Theatre
Tickets: $25 plus 

Fans of Durham’s folk-rock outfit Delta Rae are in for a treat this December, with their only headlining shows of 2022. Billing one night around acoustic interpretations of their catchy gothic-folk tunes, and another around their recently released holiday album, Hours Before Morning, each night brings a unique vibe for fans of their long-running career. Colorado songwriter Emily Scott Robinson joins the band with her rootsy folk tunes to kick off each evening of music.

jAndr

Friday, December 9 at House of Art
Tickets: $10 plus

Matt Grady has been a staple in the soul scene of Raleigh for years now, and his most recent endeavor jAndr is his finest output to date. An amalgamation of funk, soul, hip-hop and jazz, jAndr is a group full of esteemed players paired with silky vocals. The band’s songs are steeped in jazz foundations with rich chords and compelling rhythms, but the veneer shines with funky R&B vibes. A night full of jAndr tunes at one of Raleigh’s most vibey new venues, House of Art.

Jump, Little Children with Francis Cone

Thursday, December 22 at Lincoln Theatre
Tickets: $35 plus

30-plus years after their origins in Winston-Salem, Jump, Little Children will be calling it quits after a triumphant run of records. Known for high-energy live shows that made them a staple of the regional scene, longtime fans of the band won’t want to miss this career spanning set. While founding members Matt Bivins and his brother Evan won’t be joining the band, they’ve promised some special guests to sit-in. Nashville indie-pop outfit Frances Cone will open up the show. 

The Ton3s

Friday, December 23 at Transfer Co. Ballroom
Tickets: $40 plus 

The Ton3s (formerly The Hamiltones) are an impeccable Grammy-nominated vocal trio whose live presence is nothing short of delightful. The trio’s rich melodic exploration is rooted in harmony, but each vocalist boasts a powerful set of chops. Their 2022 album We Are The Ton3s marked the debut of their new name and featured an impressive cast of features like Snoop Dogg, Tank & The Bangas, and PJ Morton, but the majority of the evening’s attention will likely be on their Christmas album A Hamiltone Christmas. 

Al Riggs with Joe Westerlund

Thusday, December 29 at The Pinhook
Tickets: $10 plus

Alex Riggs has been crafting affectionate tunes for over ten years now as Al Riggs, but as this year comes to an end, so does Riggs’ beloved long-running musical project. Billed as “Cry Because It Happened,” Riggs will be performing songs from across their discography for a special goodbye to the songs of Al Riggs. With albums ranging from soft-spoken folk to explorative ambient, there’s no telling what songs will be on display alongside the opening performance from musical mastermind Joe Westerlund. The only certainty is that we’ll see a remarkable, emotional affair that serves as a swan song for one of the most prolific projects the Triangle has seen in recent years.

Charlie Smarts and DJ Ill Digitz (Kooley High) with SK The Novelist and Lucky Uno

Friday, December 30 at Transfer Co. Ballroom
Tickets: $15 plus 

Celebrate the New Year in style with an evening full of stellar live performances from some of Raleigh’s most beloved hip-hop artists. Charlie Smarts is one of the state’s most charismatic MC’s with a decade-plus worth of content from North Carolina hip-hop stalwarts, Kooley High. With Sk The Novelist’s dazzling wordplay and Lucky Uno’s attention-grabbing punchlines, the lyricists alone are enough to make this a great night of music. Capping it off with a DJ set from Ill Digitz, this will be a poppin’ kick-off for a New Year’s weekend.

Big Something with Cris Jacobs Band, Into The Fog and Red Panda

December 29-31 at Lincoln Theatre
Tickets: $24.50 plus 

Big Something’s annual New Year’s Eve run has become a Raleigh tradition with three jam-packed nights of high energy and eclectic tunes to ring in the new year. Big Something leans heavy into improvisation while merging elements of rock, funk and pop with their electric live energy. This year the band brings blues-rock sensation Cris Jacobs Band, Raleigh-based newgrass outfit Into the Fog, and Big Something side-project, Red Panda along for a run full of unforgettable shows to close out the year.

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