April Charlotte Local Music Concert Guide

By Shirley Griffith

April 1, 2023

MOA, The Mystery Plan and That Guy Smitty 

Saturday, April 1 at Petra’s at 9 p.m.

Tickets: $7 plus

Moody and expansive, MOA creates atmospheric music with drifting, ethereal vocals in the vein of the enchanting ‘90s alt-rock band Mazzy Star. Their single “Under Your Skin,” with its dark, faraway compositions, garnered attention recently when it was featured on Netflix docuseries, Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer. The dream-pop night is headlined by The Mystery Plan who release their new album, Haunted Organic Machines, with That Guy Smitty DJing throughout the evening. Haunted Organic Machines will be the eighth full-length released by The Mystery Plan and features draping synth textures and swirls of guitars  reminiscent of aughts-era Blonde Redhead.

Lil Skritt, Patois Counselors, Noir Noir 

Saturday, April 1 at Snug Harbor at 10 p.m.

Tickets: $10 plus

Conceptual comedy-rapper Lil Skritt headlines a heavyweight locals-only lineup featuring post punk Patois Counselors and Charlotte newcomers, Noir Noir. Skritt and longtime collaborator Enyophase celebrate ten years of releasing “shock-rap,” a blend of perfectly crass yet infectious hip-hop. 

Boy A/C

Wednesday, April 5 at The Milestone at 9 p.m.

Tickets: $10 plus

Experimental multi-instrumentalist Alex Lippert is the Boy A/C mastermind, which he describes as “minimal maxilism.” Boy A/C’s live sets feature a range of experimental soundscapes where surrealist loops of layered guitar and basement beats crash into each other on some songs. Others feature more ambient influences that coalesce into deceptively buoyant stretches, a la the meditative garage trance of English musician Joy Orbison.

Autumn Rainwater, ReeCee Raps 

Friday, April 7 at The Evening Muse at 10 p.m. 

Tickets: $12 plus

Raleigh’s Shame Gang is releasing his much-awaited album, Better Late Than Never, with a stacked Charlotte-heavy lineup that includes two of the city’s best female performers, Autumn Rainwater and ReeCee Raps. The neo-soul/R&B singer Rainwater released her debut album lowkey highkey. in 2021. The album is a celebration of self care and also serves as an ode to summers spent in east Charlotte. ReeCee Raps merges her old school rap flow with modern beats and funk which blend into an effortless retro vibe. The night also includes Cuzo Key, Devn, Jah-Monte Ogbon, and Damar The Emcee. 

Donnie DooLittle, Spirit System

Friday, April 7 at Snug Harbor at 9 p.m.

Tickets: $15 plus

The towering, cinematic Donnie DooLittle releases his album with a fitting gothic-noir lineup at Snug, featuring One of Nine and Winston-Salem shoegaze darlings, Spirit System. DooLittle has been teasing the self-titled, upcoming debut album with evocative retro-horror music video releases for singles, “Resurrect Me” and “This Wonderful World,” the latter of which debuted at Independent Picture House last week. The full-length is dedicated to DooLittle’s dear friend Noah Warner who tragically passed away in 2019 from cancer. DooLittle’s commanding, baritone vocals glide over lush, gloomy electronics and orchestral synth giving his music an easy likeness to Nick Cave or Australia’s Jack Ladder.  

Ol’ Sport 

Saturday, April 8 at Bart’s Mart at 8 p.m.

Tickets: $10 plus

Bottle shop by day, impressive DIY venue by night, Bart’s Mart brings us a one-time reunion show for Ol’ Sport who hasn’t played a live show since 2019. Philly’s Twin Beds, who Ol’ Sport released a split with in 2021, and recent Boone-transplant Peach Rings round out the indie-bathed pop punk night. Ol’ Sport’s lineup for the night features Ben Bradford (vocals/guitar), KC Roberge (bass), Nathan Riddle (drums) and Twin Beds’ frontperson John Clark (guitar). 

Groove 8

Saturday, April 8 at Petra’s at 9 p.m.

Tickets: $12 plus

NC-based jazz funk musical collective Groove 8 plays its first show in a while with support from Fuzz Jaxx and DJHaych4Now. Groove8 blends acid jazz with soul in a masterful display of production and insatiable rhythms. Years of technical skill give the band adaptive live qualities; they know how to embrace the crowd as part of the experience, keeping everyone moving to the beat. 

Menastree 

Wednesday, April 12 at Snug Harbor at 9 p.m.

Tickets: $10 plus

Menastree was born in late 2014 from musicians/producers Jesse Lemar Williams, DJ Lil Tone, and vocalist Jeremy Mayher but has since evolved into a cast of adept local musicians including Braxton Bateman, Zach Wheeler, Malcolm Charles, Curt Keyz, Wenisha Massey, Stefan Kallander, and Marcus Jones. Menastree weaves elements of hip-hop, trip, house, jazz, and R&B to create a completely new and eclectic “feel good” sound. Heads up to get there on time! Starting this month, Snug weekday shows (Mon-Thurs) will open at 8 p.m. with the show beginning at 9 p.m. instead of the usual 10 p.m. set time.

La Brava

Thursday, April 13 at Petra’s at 9 p.m.

Tickets: $10 plus

La Brava is the solo project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Liza Ortiz from Bravo Pueblo and Chocala. La Brava’s psychedelic live sets are a transportive experience made even more fun by Ortiz’s powerful, reverberated vocals that ring out over Latin-inspired beats. Although La Brava’s sound is crafted on an electronic synth and drum machine, the compositions and Ortiz’s amiable energy bring an unexpected affection and warmth to the computerized tones.    

Sometime in February

Saturday, April 15 at Petra’s at 9 p.m.

Tickets: $12 plus

Instrumental progressive-rockers Sometime In February gather to celebrate the release of their debut album There Goes with support from Mindvac and Zephyranthes. The band, led by composer Tristan Auman, released its debut EP, Here Goes, in 2021 which was primarily a solo effort by Auman. The band has now solidified into a live trio that blends math rock with exuberant percussion and bass. The night will be packed with tints of progressive post-punk ranging from psychedelic to metal influences. 

The Vibe Sessions: Vol. 1; FLLS

Friday, April 21 at Petra’s at 8 p.m.

Tickets: $10 plus

The Royal City Collective presents the inaugural night of Vibe Sessions– a new concert series highlighting the immense talent in Charlotte’s hip-hop, R&B, soul, and beatmaking circles. The standout night features Chocolate Kndy, Beloved Zawati, Tony Wavy, Walt, and FLLS. Honing his more recent foray into rapping, FLLS released his debut full-length Lavonte Is My Real Name last year which cathartically celebrated his storytelling abilities over his lauded mellowed beats.        

Courtney Lynn & Quinn

Friday, April 28 at The Evening Muse at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $10 plus 

Married songwriting folk duo Courtney Lynn & Quinn are known for their lively performances, soulful grit and soul-churning songwriting. They are currently finishing up work on their highly anticipated new EP following their 2020 release, Remiss. This night’s show will be stripped down and acoustic as part of their listening room tour with Wilmington’s Striking Copper. 

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