By Jonny Golian
February 2, 2022
As we get back into the groove of more shows at some of our favorite local venues, starting this month, CLTure will be highlighting upcoming concerts from the very people that make up our music scene, the bands and artists.
As a local writer and owner of my own platform, Reporting From 20XX, which intersects the music and gaming scenes of the Queen City, I’m excited to work with CLTure to compile this monthly preview of some of the best local bands/acts in the city.
The Menders
February Residency at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $10
Hailing from Gastonia, The Menders are veterans in the Charlotte music scene. The band, made up of Jesse Watson (vocals/guitar), Jonny Boswell (vocals/keyboard), Wes Forbus (vocals/guitar), Phil Anderson (drums), and Robbie Thornton (bass), can just as easily reel you in for an acoustic set as they can blow out a venue with their high-energy sound. As The Menders head into Snug Harbor for their month-long residency in February, they’ll be playing songs off their 2021 album, The Devil’s Reel. The project is a rambunctious outing with Boswell carrying grittier vocals with each track and the band showing a much more polished approach when it comes to crafting their unique brand of rock.
ReeCee Raps
February Residency at Crown Station
Tickets: $10
When destiny calls for action, there’s no alternative than to answer in kind, and ReeCee Raps is a prime example as she slowly crafts a chapter in Charlotte music for herself. The “Pro Vibe” songstress, hot off her 2021 1DOAP Concert at Crown Station, is creating a platform for others through DOAP Crown Residency, a showcase of local and regional artists. When she’s not maximizing her business expertise, ReeCee pushes the boundaries with her own creativity, evidenced in both 2019’s Diary of a Pothead and last year’s singles “Elevator” and “Ice Cream.” Pulling from positive experiences and deeply personal places, ReeCee’s music is made in a way that reflects on her past and shares her wishes for a bright future.
Southside Gauxst
February 3 at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $20 (sold-out)
Coming off his latest release, Still Hiding In Plain Sight, Southside Gauxst solidifies himself as one of Charlotte’s fastest-rising rap artists. His rugged collection of hard-hitting bass-heavy tracks trade in the traditional verse-chorus-verse layout, as he swerves in and out of spacious beats and builds anticipation for his resonant hooks. Joining Southside Gausxt will be Maryland rapper Premo Rice, Charlotte’s Cuzo Key and Cozy FBN.
Pluto Gang
February 4 at Visulite Theatre
Tickets: $10
Pluto Gang is back and starting off 2022 at The Visulite, one of Charlotte’s treasured venues. Formed in the summer of 2019, the Charlotte-based six-piece jam band combines the talents of Brennan Beck (vocals), Dillon Crawford (guitar, vocals), Wood Britton (guitar), Joe May (keys, vocals), Pat Rogers (bass), and Wilson Smith (drums). Ever restless, Pluto Gang has been on a constant move through the Carolinas since then, making their mantra “live and out loud” a reality. The band’s lively grooves keep audiences dancing, and they effortlessly string together tracks for a smooth atmospheric experience, much of which can be heard on their 2020 album, Better Out Here.
Scowl Brow
February 11 at Neighborhood Theatre
Tickets: $10
The Charlotte music scene has changed substantially over the last decade, with both the rise and fall of venues and bands, so when Scowl Brow celebrates a decade at one of the city’s storied venues, it’s a big deal. Last seen on the Neighborhood Theatre stage in 2019, Scowl Brow’s “four dudes drinking beer, playing rock ‘n roll” carry the soul of Charlotte punk while being as wild and raw as possible onstage. Their latest release, 2019’s EP Short Fuse, is a hard-hitting and nostalgic offering.
The Hamiltones
February 12 at Neighborhood Theatre
Tickets: $35
R&B/soul trio The Hamiltones announced their first Charlotte show of 2022, taking over the Neighborhood Theatre on February 12. Coming off of 1964— a passionate answer to 2020’s racial protests– the Grammy-nominated group, made up of North Carolina natives Tony Lelo, 2E and J. Vito, spares no effort when it comes to reaching audiences with their insight. In addition, as evidenced in their 2019 EP Watch The Ton3s, the trio isn’t afraid to bare their emotions, whether the subject is on new love gained or of heartbreak.
Autumn Rainwater
February 17 at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $10
Life can be heavy at times, and Autumn Rainwater expresses both the good moments and the bad through her relatable tracks. A Charlotte native, Rainwater is also a constant collaborator with producers and artists like FLLS, Simon SMTHNG, and Cuzo Key. Her latest release, 2021’s lowkey highkey., turns the volume down and the subject matter up with her low-fi and neo-soul sensibilities, invoking ‘90s era R&B/soul artists.
Elonzo Wesley
February 18 at Petra’s
Tickets: $7
When it comes to painting a portrait with lyrics and sound, Elonzo Wesley does so with ease. The band’s most recent albums, Spec (2017) and Songs To No One (2019), show how their calm demeanor can inspire a relaxed night of staring at the stars while contemplating life and its many mysteries. Audiences should expect a bit of storytelling interlaced with musical atmosphere miles away from the daily noise of life as vocalist Jeremy Davis navigates songs on the cusp of subjects both sweet and somber.
The Business People
February 19 at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $10
After going their separate ways from a finale concert in November of 2019, the self-described post-funk/pocket rock band, The Business People will reunite after three years, hitting the stage once more at Snug Harbor. Influential in their decade in local music, the band lights up over tales of romance and heartache laced into mellow tones guaranteed to capture both the head and the heart. Word from their social media is they’re “back for good this time,” so something new is bound to come from these Charlotte rockers as they take on old stomping grounds.
Pet Bug
February 26 at Petra’s
Tickets: $7
One of Charlotte’s emerging rock quartets, Pet Bug, will close out the month at Petra’s. Coming off a month-long Residency last October at Snug Harbor, the band is ready to light up the room with their garage-rock aesthetic, playing alongside fellow local acts Boy A/C and Wild Trees. Not only will they be headlining the show, but they will be previewing their upcoming EP (slated for a spring release), in addition to playing favorites off their 2020 album, Everything Is Happening All At Once.
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