11 standout moments from Charlotte’s music scene in the past month
Charlotte’s music scene thrived this past month with diverse moments and vibrant performances.
Josh King and Bryson Battle both wrapped up impressive runs on national TV shows, showcasing local talent from "American Idol" and "The Voice."
The Lovin’ Life Music Fest sparked conversations about its multi-genre approach, lineup diversity, and standout sets from artists like Dave Matthews Band and Teddy Swims.
Rain didn’t dampen the energy at Kendrick Lamar’s tour stop, where spectacle and weather combined for a memorable night.
NO. 1: I LOVE LOVIN’ LIFE, BUT LET’S FACE IT: THE FESTIVAL LIKELY NEEDS A NEW IDENTITY
A year after the fest’s smashing debut, as I regarded the alarmingly diminished crowd of fans on hand for Dave Matthews Band Sunday night, I wondered: How exactly could this have happened? | Published May 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Théoden Janes
NO. 2: MUSTARD FITS AND RAIN PONCHOS: RAIN DELAYS CHARLOTTE FANS BUT NOT KENDRICK FUN
Storm briefly evacuated Bank of America Stadium as the gates opened, but the show went on for Kendrick Lamar and SZA. | Published May 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Desiree Mathurin
NO. 3: AFTER A STORMY START TO KENDRICK’S CONCERT, DID HE SAY ‘ATLANTA’ OR ‘CAROLINA’??
Stormy weather caused Kendrick Lamar’s big co-headlining show with SZA at Bank of America Stadium to get off to an inauspicious start. | Published May 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Théoden Janes
NO. 4: HERE’S MY HOT TAKE ON WHAT WENT RIGHT AND WRONG AT LOVIN’ LIFE MUSIC FEST
In its sophomore year, here’s everything I thought was a success at the second annual three-day music festival in uptown Charlotte. | Published May 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Chyna Blackmon
NO. 5: REVIEW: SHAKIRA’S CHARLOTTE SHOW WAS A LONG TIME COMING. WAS IT WORTH THE WAIT?
The superstar Latin singer (now 48!) launched her North American tour at Bank of America Stadium with special guests, stunning outfits, and the seductive dance moves that made her famous. | Published May 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Théoden Janes
NO. 6: CHARLOTTE’S JOSH KING SHARES WHAT’S NEXT AFTER COMPETING ON ‘AMERICAN IDOL’
Here’s what the local singer and musician had to say about his time on the show and what’s next for his music career. | Published May 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Chyna Blackmon
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NO. 7: BLUMEY AWARDS IN CHARLOTTE NAMED THE REGION’S BEST IN HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATER
The sold-out, 12th annual Blumeys was held at Belk Theater in uptown Sunday. | Published May 19, 2025 | Read Full Story by Adam Bell
NO. 8: REVIEW: BILLY IDOL TURNS BACK CLOCK — AND TAKES OFF SHIRT — FOR CHARLOTTE FANS
The “White Wedding” singer was joined by special guest (and fellow sixtysomething rocker) Joan Jett for his PNC Music Pavilion concert on Friday night. | Published May 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Courtney Devores
NO. 9: REVIEW: CAROLINA THEATRE IS OFF TO A BEAUTIFUL START, WITH PERHAPS ONE EXCEPTION
On Tuesday night, I made my first visit to the newly restored historic venue at Belk Place in uptown Charlotte. I have mostly good news to share about it. | Published May 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Théoden Janes
NO. 10: CHARLOTTE’S BRYSON BATTLE REFLECTS ON UNFORGETTABLE RUN ON ‘THE VOICE’
Here’s what’s next for the 22-year-old singer who made it to the semi-finals of “The Voice” on NBC. | Published May 27, 2025 | Read Full Story by Chyna Blackmon
NO. 11: BILLY JOEL CANCELS ALL UPCOMING CONCERTS, INCLUDING POSTPONED SHOW IN CHARLOTTE
“I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,” the legendary musician said. | Published May 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Chyna Blackmon
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.