7 buzzworthy concerts coming to Charlotte in the next week | Feb. 21-27
Such
7 p.m and 9 p.m. Friday. Middle C Jazz, 300 S. Brevard St. $24.
In 2019, the independent R&B singer released her latest album “Wide Nose, Full Lips,” which is full of velvety, sultry grooves and messages of empowerment after finding comfort in your own skin. (The music video for her single “Before Dark” has been featured on BET.) Also last year, she opened for Michael McDonald and Gerald Albright at the fifth annual Queen City Jazz Fest. Such’s live performances are soul-stirring in their warm intimacy, with captivating storytelling and genuine thoughtfulness to her genre-bending art.
Wallows
8 p.m. Friday. The Fillmore, 820 Hamilton St. $27.
Since releasing its dynamic debut “Nothing Happens” last year, the Los Angeles band has been on a global tour in support of the album, and has performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” Now the Atlantic trio brings its bright, feel-good indie-rock to to Charlotte, for one of many sold-out shows on a tour that highlights its magnetic energy and playful interactions with audiences. With English lo-fi alt-rocker Penelope Isles.
HI LITES 2
2 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday. Goodyear Arts, 301 Camp Road, Suite 200. Admission is free, but there is a suggested $15 donation at the door that will go to the performers.
The second installment of the all-day festival created by electronic musician Angela Saylor features local and regional musicians of the avant-garde, experimental and otherwise-fringe mediums. This year hosts trip-hop act Dirty Art Club, La Brava (a solo project from Chocala’s Liza Ortiz), marimba aficionado To Be Sure, post-punk Lofidels and more areas acts, as well as the orchestral arrangements of Okapi and Greensboro’s clarinet ensemble Splinter Tongue. There will also be a Sinetology showcase — a collection of innovative synth and noise pieces.
Queensryche
8 p.m. Saturday. The Underground, 820 Hamilton St. $29.50.
The Seattle-based heavy-metal outfit — whose 1988 album “Operation: Mindcrime” is often hailed as one of the most comprehensive heavy-metal concept albums of all time — is currently on tour in support of 2019 release “The Verdict,” which gained traction on worldwide music charts and is its 15th studio album. The band’s fiery current live set is a gracious mix of new songs and favorite heavy hitters from their 30-plus-year career, often accompanied by large-screen visuals.
Erick Lottary
10 p.m. Saturday. Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St. $5.
Titled “Summer’s Waiting,” this show marks the first and only time the local artist has ever performed his 2019 Charlotte-specific EP “Summer On Central” in its entirety. To help celebrate, he has brought along some highly talented N.C. pals — including The Harvey Cummings Project and Gauxstman — to round out the night. The fludily verbose and casually mesmerizing Cheeno Ghee opens, followed by Chapel Hill rapper Well$ supporting his 2020 release “FORZA 6.”
Ruston Kelly
8 p.m. Sunday. Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $15.
Most famously known as pop-country star Kacey Musgrave’s husband, the South Carolina native in 2018 released “Dying Star,” which featured effortless Americana timelessness, remarkable storytelling, and raw confessions centered around the grips of addiction. His debut album’s natural easiness and dignified narratives garnered comparisons to work by paramount songwriters like Bruce Springsteen and Lucinda Williams, making this show a notable catch for parties interested in Kelly’s rising trajectory.
Allen Stone
8 p.m. Monday. The Underground, 820 Hamilton St. $100 and up.
In support of his newest album, the artist is embarking on his largest North American tour to date to introduce it the way it was meant to be heard: with a live band, for a live audience. His signature astounding soulful vocals were influenced by his church-spun childhood and legendary pop-R&B voices like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, with “Building Balance” continuing to draw from these lush guides while adding in ’70s funk and a fresh sentimentality to his friendly songwriting. Samm Henshaw is a can’t-miss opener.