October Charlotte Local Music Concert Guide

By Jonny Golian

October 2, 2022

As we bid adieu to summer outdoor concerts and festivals as we welcome fall, the Charlotte local concert calendar is still on fire with several shows at our favorite Queen City venues. 

Natalie Carr

Thursday, October 6 at Petra’s
Tickets: $7 plus 

Autobiographical scenes mixed with messages of strength and vulnerability make Natalie Carr a particularly relatable artist. Whether rocking high on synths for a more pop-ish feel or hip-hop drums for a chaotic sound, Carr uses her styling of pop and R&B to convey deeply held emotions. In her latest single, “Wasted Potential,” Carr takes a relaxed tone to balancing the stresses of daily life.

Natalie Carr will also open up for Barns Courtney at The Underground on October 3.

Moa

Thursday, October 13 at Petra’s
Tickets: $7 plus

As we head into autumn, Moa is an ideal pick for Halloween’s eeriness and ambiance. Alongside Claudio Ortiz’s on bass, Lindsey Ryan and David Driscoll display a coolness in their vocals, with both pulling double duty on keys and guitar, respectively. Combining the trio’s talents with Chris Walldorf’s engineering, the outcome is a sound fit for the season, playing into starry nights with reverberating instrumentals that resonate long after the performance ends. Their latest single, “Under Your Skin,” can be heard in the Netflix documentary series Night Stalker, with Walldorf also playing a part as editor for the series.

El Lambert + Karen Poole

October 13 at Middle C Jazz
Tickets: $32 plus 

Coming to Middle C Jazz Club’s Uptown stage this October, two visions within Charlotte’s R&B and soul community will come together for a night of tributes to Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack. El Lambert, whether on the road playing solo or while leading his band, meshes his unique vision of neo-soul with R&B to generate an extravagant quality to his music.

Taking an inspired approach to contemporary gospel, Karen Poole blends aspects of jazz, folk, and R&B to form her own sound. Poole’s versatility and execution adds a freshness to her original music within the genre, a talent fully on display in her latest album, Hidden.

Junior Astronomers Birthday Shows

October 14 + 15 at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $10 plus 

After a two-year long break, Junior Astronomers are bringing together friends and artists for a two-night birthday bash celebration. Headlining both nights, Junior Astronomers will be taking over Snug Harbor with their upbeat chaotic energy and fierce indie-rock stylings. Announced to be joining this year’s party will be Columbia’s Stagbriar, with more bands to be revealed closer to the mid-October dates.

Dreamboat + Mightmare 

Wednesday, October 19 at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $12 plus 

Breaking into the local music scene earlier this year, Dreamboat, an indie rock quartet, plays their brand of rock ‘n’ roll loud and furious. Fronted by Sydney Nieboer and joined by the likes of familiar Charlotte musicians Nic Pugh, Caiti Mason (Pullover), and Nicholas Holman (Coughing Dove), the band fuses Nieboer’s lyrics into riotous anthems, connecting on multiple levels with listeners. Dreamboat’s debut self-titled EP dropped in August and includes high-energy standout tracks like “Glitter Eyes” and “Cover To Cover.”

“Sarah Shook is best known for their work fronting the pink-tinged alt-country outfit Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, but Mightmare marks a bold new territory for the songwriter. Their debut full-length record Cruel Liars is a fuzzed-out dark indie pop outing that’s propelled by Shook’s twangy and evocative vocals.” – Grant Golden, CLTure 

Bakalao Stars

Friday, October 21 at The Evening Muse
Tickets: $10 plus 

Stemming from Charlotte’s Rock en Español movement from the early to mid-2000s, Bakalao Stars reigns as one of the city’s most revered Latin bands. Meshing together ska, reggae, and punk rock, the crew (Christian “Mista Reggaeman” Anzola, Jaime “Mr. Popo” Bueno, and Diego Garzon) brings an explosive energy to the stage. Their latest single, “For The Crown,” pays tribute to Charlotte finally having a soccer team of its own. 

Sam Fribush Organ Trio + Braxton Bateman

Saturday, October 22 at Petra’s
Tickets: $10 plus

Sam Fribush has returned to the Carolinas after honing his talents in New Orleans at venues like The Spotted Cat and Preservation Hall. In the time back in his native Greensboro, Fribush, together with mentor Charlie Hunter (guitar) and drummer Nick Falk, have worked to cultivate their own jazz sound through their collaboration. The Organ Trio is taking their work on the road, playing their takes on songs like Allen Toussaint’s “Riverboat” and Bonnie Raitt’s “Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About,” both tracks from their double-album, Riverboat and The Root. 

Finding love in a trumpet at a young age, instrumentalist Braxton Bateman’s own creative lens combines a freestyle horn with hip-hop drums and keys. His 2019 EP, Unfinished, showcases Bateman’s versatility and unique expressive take on music.

Byron Juane + Cyanca + Danielle Apicella

October 22 at The Evening Muse
Tickets: $10 plus 

A night of emotional crooning is set at The Evening Muse as Byron Juane alongside Cyanca and Danielle Apicella, hit the stage. Juane utilizes strong R&B and hip-hop tones through his dynamic vocals, and Cyanca complements his grandiose presentation with her smooth delivery and serene instrumentals. Opening for the two Carolina natives is sultry New York R&B singer Danielle Apicella. 

Wild Trees

Wednesday, October 26 at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $12 plus

Within post-punk, there’s an ability to make music that defies description almost entirely, adding foreign elements and instrumentals not conventionally heard in rock. Wild Trees fits that shape-shifting mold, playing into the rebellion that makes punk rock part of what it is. Israel Haigler, doing double duty on vocals and guitar, rips into each song with unchained ferocity. Haigler is backed by Nick Dejohn (drums) and Cory Cooper (bass) while Daniel Shepard handles the mastering of each completed work. Their latest single, “Tank Controls Camera Talk,” clocks in over seven minutes, gradually building into a full-tilt instrumental music spree of paranoia.

Ivy Sole + Autumn Rainwater 

Wednesday, October 26 at Neighborhood Theatre
Tickets: $20 plus

The multi-talented rapper and producer, Ivy Sole will celebrate her Charlotte homecoming and new album, Candid, the long-awaited follow-up to her lauded 2018 release, Overgrown. Ivy Sole’s rare blend of poetic bars, mood-setting instrumentals and sung choruses are refreshing in today’s musical landscape. Sole will be joined by Charlotte lo-fi R&B songstress, Autumn Rainwater. 

Cosmic Collective

Saturday, October 29 at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $12 plus

Sporadic, experimental, and ever-changing, the group known as Cosmic Collective doesn’t concern themselves with a set way to produce their spacey electronic sound– they just want to have fun doing it. Fronted by husband-and-wife duo Nikki (vocals, synth) and Tyler Enslow (bass, synth, programming) with Trey Tarzia on drums, the trio molds their work around surprise guests, leading to a unique experience each time. The group’s latest EP, exfoliate, continues this trend with a heavier emphasis on layer mixing. In addition to late October’s Snug Harbor show, listeners can see the band perform live every Tuesday at Crown Station, where any musician is welcome to join and be a part of the magic.

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