By Jonny Golian
March 2, 2022
As we get back into the groove of more shows at some of our favorite local venues, CLTure will be highlighting upcoming concerts from the very people that make up our music scene, the bands and artists. This monthly concert guide highlights the diverse range of acts coming out of our own hometown city of Charlotte.
Dipstick
Dipstick is a five-piece rock outfit consisting of Christian Spence (vocals), Lenny Muckle (guitar), Grant Foster (keys), Hayden Nease (bass), and Josh Thomas (drums). The band derives much of its sonic sensibility from ‘90s alternative music, giving audiences a nostalgic, feel-good experience with tracks like “Self Love” and “Sweet Like Sugar.” Dipstick has made its way around town, playing at venues The Milestone Club and Snug Harbor, where they will host a month-long residency with Wild Trees (March 2), Wes and the Railroaders (March 23), Family Video (March 30), and more.
March Residency at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $5.00
Nige Hood
In a city that holds many unique artists and styles, Nige Hood’s charted his own journey with a particular brand of Southern hip-hop he coined “folk-rap.” Whether mixing different genres to create an experimental track or rhyming about the most out-of-mind experiences, Hood keeps his music fresh and fun. Capitalizing off of 2021’s 2 Weird 2 Awesome EP, it’s clear that just being out of the box isn’t enough to get Nige Hood where he wants to go.
March 4 at Skylark Social Club
Tickets: $7.00
Yung Citizen
Whether reflecting on success or struggle, Yung Citizen keeps his eyes forward when it comes to his art at the mic or behind the scenes as a producer. The Charlotte native blends hip-hop and R&B stylings into messages of positivity, and Citizen’s way of uplifting his audience is unmistakable. In the artist’s latest two-track EP, Formula III, “Wake Up” provides a motivational mindset without taking away the daily bumps, and “Thirty Two” (featuring MoonLander) puts the subject of age at the forefront while he counts the blessings that still keep him on track.
March 6 at Neighborhood Theatre (opening for Goodie Mob)
Tickets: $40
Moa
Beautifully haunting, Charlotte’s Moa is an atmospheric experience that can take a daytime listening session into an imaginary night. The magic of the band’s sound is the engineering of Chris Walldorf, who laces ambient sounds and drums alongside Lindsey Ryan (vocals/keys), David Driscoll (guitars/vocals), and Claudio Ortiz (bass). Their latest single release, “Under Your Skin,” made it onto the Netflix documentary series Night Stalker, where Walldorf plays double duty as an editor for the show.
March 11 at Neighborhood Theatre (The Queen’s Jam Session)
Tickets: $12.00
Modern Moxie
Dream rock band Modern Moxie will soon celebrate the release of their much-anticipated new EP, Gutter Honey. Madison Lucas (vocals/keys) fronts the indie four-piece band, playing alongside long-time bandmate and husband Harry Kollm (bass), with Phil Pucci (guitar) and Charlie Weeks (drums). Coming off the release of the softly sad but sweet song, “Weeping Willow,” and the atmospheric thought piece “Horizon,” the stage is set for Modern Moxie’s follow-up to their impressive 2019 debut album, Claw Your Way Out.
March 11 at Neighborhood Theatre (The Queen’s Jam Session)
Tickets: $12.00
Patois Counselors
When it comes to crafting imaginative and abstract sounds, the rotating six-piece post-punk collective Patois Counselors has that skill finely tuned. Led by vocalist Bo White, the band provides lyrical scenery and mesmerizing soundscapes with strong emphasis on synth to deliver grandiose messages to their listeners. White keeps a consistent profile in each song, loud and powerful enough to make himself heard, while allowing the band to experiment fluidly through the instrumentals, making for an incredibly engaging experience. Their latest album, The Optimal Seat, was released in November 2020, through New York-based label, Ever/Never Records.
March 14 at Snug Harbor
Tickets: $10.00
Sam Foster
For Winston-Salem’s Sam Foster, rock ‘n’ roll has always been a big part of his life. Using day-to-day experiences and imagery of rural North Carolina, Foster’s hometown of Advance provided insight into his stylings and songwriting inspiration, both as a solo artist and with his former band, Whiskey Foxtrot. His debut release, 2015’s Rough Edges, is gritty and raw with each track recorded from a friend’s living room, while 2018’s Hardened Hearts gives listeners the full breadth of his Americana approach. Foster’s next venture is his third studio album Heatwaves, an outing that seeks to bring a stronger narrative to his Southern rock style.
March 16 at The Evening Muse
Tickets: $12 plus
Yes Chef!
In the perfect storm of symphony sounds and pop-punk, Yes Chef! started as a solo project by Leith K. Ali, who is a former member of It Looks Sad and current member of Ol’ Sport. Ali is joined by bandmates KC Marie Roberge (vocals/bass), Ben Bradford (trumpet/guitar), and Peyton Glendinning (clarinet). Collectively they craft a multi-instrumental experience that sends audiences swaying, while Ali’s lyrics focus on working-class struggles and gives listeners thoughtful pause, even after the music fades away. The band is currently working on their new album, following 2020’s Drive Safe EP.
March 18 at The Milestone
Tickets: $10.00
Featherpocket
Steeped in country, folk, and Americana, the four-piece ensemble carefully creates visions of Appalachia far beyond Charlotte’s cityscape. Frontman Jason Cline and lead guitarist Spencer Bloodworth split duties on vocals, while Lexie Trader (bass) and Colin Ray (drums) round out the band. As apt as they are at turning venues into a dance hall with tracks like 2019’s “Reflection” and “Needle and Thread,” the band also brings out emotion with somber refrains like “Lord Forgive Me.” Pulling from their lives and experiences growing up in the country, Featherpocket has a way of sharing memories of an America less discovered.
March 19 at Petra’s
Tickets: $7.00
Home For The Day
There isn’t a group as dedicated to the state’s music community as Home For The Day. Peter Ippolito heads the pop-punk and rock fusion band on vocals and bass, while Christian Whittington controls the structure of each track on drums, alongside Thomas Taylor and Nick Andruzzi, both on guitar. The band’s self-titled 2019 debut album stirs up the party with tracks like “You Need People Like Me,” but they can occasionally tone it down and grab for the heart in songs like “Sometimes You Can Only See At Night.” The band is known for being just as charitable as they are loud, most notably with The Hope House events, where they stream shows on YouTube with small live audiences to collect donations for charities like Toys For Tots and The Kindness Project.
March 21 at The Milestone
Tickets: $8.00
Ogres
Funky and hypnotic, with multiple genres interlaced in each track, Ogres is a musical mad science project gone right. Equal parts punk rock and hip-hop, and laced with EDM and disco beats, the group consists of Justin Aswell (beats/drums/guitar), Robert Childers (vocals), Cody Bennett (bass), and Scott Blackwood (turntables, procession). Having formed in 2020, Ogres made their live debut on the Snug Harbor stage in 2021, and are looking to release a collection by the end of the year. Their current discography can be found on Soundcloud.
March 26 at Petra’s with Dreamboat, It’s Snakes and Tyler Baum
Tickets: $7.00
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