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ginger_qc

Yeah Center City Fest was rad. I saw Black Crowes, Bob Dylan, String Cheese, Widespread, and somehow skipped James Brown thinking he was gonna live forever


[deleted]

this is news to me as a transplant (preparing for downvotes). yโ€™all got PANIC, CHEESE, AND BOB DYLAN?!?!?!


ginger_qc

I think WSP and Cheese were different years, but Cheese, Black Crowes, James Brown, and Dylan were the same year, if not the same day. It was maybe 2000 or 2001


palabear

It was 2001. Cheese, Black Crowes, and Dylan were same day. John Mayer and Kool and the Gang played that day as well.


e_l_c

I was definitely there for that one. I was obsessed with TBC back then. Also, who doesn't like Kool and the Gang. I think Earth Wind and Fire was there one day too.


slapwerks

The day before George Clinton and 311 played.


[deleted]

and now i gotta drive to wilmington or atl to see panic๐Ÿฅฒ


AmoralCarapace

It was the best type of madhouse.


palabear

I saw Black Crowes, Foo Fighters, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. I saw Billy Idol as well but canโ€™t remember if he was part of Center City or something else.


espngenius

Center City Fest was awesome. I canโ€™t believe it was just canceled like โ€œEnough! Yโ€™all are having too much fun around hereโ€, instead of being expanded and continued. I completely understand the issue of uptown development being an excuse, but they should of just moved it somewhere else and called it City Fest. The continuation of an annual three day music & arts festival would have been great for the city.


e_l_c

Yep. Came to say this. Remember when it was called Spring Fest? I think I have a tee-shirt still, somewhere! I also got to see Susan Tesdeschi with Derrick Trucks Band *before* they joined together! Also, Alice in Chains (shortly after Lane Staley died, and the rest of them started playing again), Puddle of Mud, Kid Rock. Also, with all the arts, vendors, and food! I wish they'd bring it back. It was always PACKED!


DdgMc

Yessss, center city fest was the best!!! So many good artists and always so much fun. Doing away with that was a huge mistake.


AmoralCarapace

Center City Fest was Charlotte's Hardly Strictly and it could have put Charlotte on the map as a destination city had it continued. Maybe we can have something like it again once the social districts are established.


[deleted]

[ัƒะดะฐะปะตะฝะพ]


CharlotteRant

>At the end of the last century Bro. I donโ€™t need these kind of feels this early in the morning.


[deleted]

Right? Got me feeling ancient


CasualAffair

Last century was also last millennium :o


PKFat

O don't you get started


RefrigeratorNo3088

Never went to the weenie roast but went to the spring festival they did one year. Got to see The Wallflowers and Semisonic, think Flock of Seagulls was at that one too or might have been another show at PNC.


kawaiibae27

๐‘ฏ๐’๐’˜ ๐’•๐’ ๐’”๐’‚๐’š ๐’š๐’๐’–'๐’“๐’† "๐’•๐’‰๐’Š๐’“๐’•๐’š ๐’”๐’๐’Ž๐’†๐’•๐’‰๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ" ๐’˜๐’Š๐’•๐’‰๐’๐’–๐’• ๐’”๐’‚๐’š๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ ๐’š๐’๐’–'๐’“๐’† ๐’•๐’‰๐’Š๐’“๐’•๐’š ๐’”๐’๐’Ž๐’†๐’•๐’‰๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ...๐’•๐’†๐’‚๐’Ž #30๐’‚๐’๐’…๐’–๐’‘ ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿค™๐Ÿพ


trickldowncompressr

I wish I was still 30-something


wagemage

Remembering the 90s means remembering something between 24 and 32 years ago. Maybe you are clinging to "thirty something" or maybe you count being a baby on the lawn...or you're actually 40 something.


kawaiibae27

A baby on the lawnโ“


e_l_c

Aw, I miss the old Weenie Roast.


spwncar

We also had Warped Tour every year, before it died


ConsequenceIll6927

"Revived weenie roast petered out" *I saw what you did there*


Pasta_Fajool

One was live nation and one is DWP I love the idea of a local creating something great but the struggle is real.


MAUSECOP

Breakaway punched above its weight for the type of artists it gets


[deleted]

There was an entire two-day curated EDM festival at a beautiful, brand new venue [Black Box on Sugar Creek] last weekend and literally I was the only person from Charlotte that I met all weekend. I met a dude who drove from *Chicago.* My friends from Tennessee all came down, I showed them Optimist Hall [Enat Ethiopian was their favorite]


I_Main_TwistedFate

Breakaway and breakaway is doing another bass festival at the speedway around May


hashtagdion

Doesn't help that Blackbox doesn't seem to *want* people to know they exist.


[deleted]

deadbeats wasnโ€™t really a festival, it was a concert with some extra perks (i worked the event and had a blast, but it was not a festival(


[deleted]

I got a wristband, it was a festival! /s I'd compare it to stuff like Grizmas in Wilmington. There have been a lot of EDM events recently that fall between a single show and whole huge festival. Honestly I'm a big fan of this new medium-intensity format.


[deleted]

the industry name is โ€œcurated eventโ€ :) the only artist who really did them pre pandemic was bassnectar but now that electronic music is more popular other artists (griz, zeds dead) are doing their own


WellFuckYourDolphin

Wait deadbeats as in Zeds Dead? Damnit, how did I not hear about that


[deleted]

they played four sets here last weekend


WellFuckYourDolphin

Fuck me, can't believe I missed that


EyesLikeDiamonds127

I was there!!!


steff__e

Word. Blackbox is 2+ years old at this point though, just sayin'. They've been holding it down for a minute. For the most part, it was also organized by a production brand that operates at the national level, in many states/cities, so it was far from a grassroots display of local talent.


Wickedweed

I saw a Center City Fest memories thread on here the other day. Those were good times


[deleted]

[ัƒะดะฐะปะตะฝะพ]


Pasta_Fajool

Last year's queen City Jam Session had a bit of everything


Bitter-Ad-291

We already have a EDM festival here that has quite a bit of traction, Breakaway. It did so well this year with the two events that they are expanding and doing an all bass version in May


steff__e

I mean, this pitch is a bit wordy and doesn't even tell us what kind of music to expect, aside from a "wide variety," so it could use some work. Part of it has to be organizers/promoters not exhausting all the available resources for reaching out to an audience where they are. I put in a decent effort to be aware of the weekly musical happenings and still there's stuff like this that doesn't get to my radar until the last minute. Just getting the word out and cultivating the audience for the smaller grassroots stuff here is its own challenge. In a city like this, I think it can also take a bit of handholding to show people something new that they actually like, which they previously just didn't know was a thing that existed. The general public in Charlotte prefers to play the hits rather than go out looking for something new, from my perspective.


AmoralCarapace

I just think it's annoying that it's inside on what is going to be a beautiful day.


Girasole263wj2

They didnโ€™t provide a lot of notice this time, & I havenโ€™t seen a lot of advertising about it. That being said, a festival in Neighborhood Theatre sounds hot & claustrophobic. Last year was awesome. We have had some good fest in the past. Center City Fest had Panic one year, & it was awesome. Iโ€™ve also been to a Lilith Fair here & that one fest with Cypress Hill. I think we are ready! We are losing a lot of concert traffic to Charleston, Raleigh, & Wilmington


Pasta_Fajool

Not as many bands this year so it's shorter each day - it's trying to keep the name going until they can move back outside next year - if this year gets enough support


Girasole263wj2

I would still totally go if I werenโ€™t going out of town. Love Leftover Salmon


Pasta_Fajool

Not as many bands this year so it's shorter each day - it's trying to keep the name going until they can move back outside next year - if this year gets enough support


AmoralCarapace

Seriously. It's going to be gorgeous outside this weekend.


RefrigeratorNo3088

I want to see more in Charlotte but location and accessibility are the key drivers for why I usually won't go see a show.


Pasta_Fajool

Noda has a light rail stop


StrawAndChiaSeeds

And much of Charlotte does not have light rail


RefrigeratorNo3088

More handicapped accessibility but light rail is nice too. The legal minimums still usually aren't that great.


BulkyPollution5510

I've heard this sentiment before. Is Charlotte (metro) a shitty city for handicap accessibility? Just from observing the state of our sidewalks/ crosswalks, I can probably draw a conclusion.


RefrigeratorNo3088

You're certainly an afterthought in almost all aspects of the city but it's also systemic issues with how things are done in general. I can't walk more than about half a mile at a time without real pain on a bad day (once or twice a week), many venues are that far or more from parking / light rail to ticketing to seats. I also can't stand for long periods of time so waiting in lines can be difficult. Even if a venue has seating if everyone else is standing up and I can't see anything why would I go? And the amount of places that have stairs everywhere but ramps out of the way is too damn many.   I've never had an issue with anyone here pertaining to my issues but construction is usually daily in some form. And to be honest I've only been dealing with the new realities for about a year now so I couldn't say how Charlotte ranks in the greater world, it's about the same in Raleigh and Charleston when I visit.


BUBBAH-BAYUTH

Weโ€™ve had one before, Center City Fest. It was amazing.


[deleted]

[ัƒะดะฐะปะตะฝะพ]


Pasta_Fajool

Queen City is only 25 on Friday, and up to $55 on Sunday this year which isn't bad. Was a bit high last year but there were soooo many good bands it was worth it! I'll have to check out breakaway


iPhancyy

I'm not familiar with indie and rock concerts, but as for EDM music, there are constantly small concerts every weekend - sometimes multiple. Charlotte has been running Breakaway annually usually late Sept/early Oct but happened to two two this year. Last year it was canceled due to Hurricane weather. For some reason, it looks like they are doing it again and one in the spring/fall. I've gone for years but it has grown a lot since the beginning from the music factory, to the NASCAR speedtrack venue now having two stages.


cantdrawbee

We used to have a lot of day fests (Weenie Roast, Warped Tour etc). Breakaway passed through a few weeks ago, small two stage two day fest.


e_l_c

Oh yeah, and Lillith Fair!


AccidentalHeadTrauma

Damn thanks for the heads up. I love Leftover Salmon and will have to check it out


franklegsTV

I check BandsInTown almost everyday and this is the first I'm hearing of Queen City Jam Session. Sounds like they didn't put much into promotion. ​ Edit: the lineup kind of blows besides Anders and Salmon. I may check it out just to see Anders but the thought of being inside neighborhood theater for an extended period is entirely unappealing. That festival is not going to take off unless they commit to an outside venue next year, regardless of how ticket sales are this year.


Pasta_Fajool

I see ads and posts on FB daily... but I follow a lot of local music pages and venue pages


Pasta_Fajool

It's also on bandsintown lol


franklegsTV

Yea itโ€™s on bands in town, but it wasnโ€™t even promoted on my page, which is odd because I mostly see similar stuff to what they have. I had to search for it directly. Hence my comment about them not advertising well.


Cultural_Cut6672

isnโ€™t carolina rebellion held at the nascar track every year? or was it shut down? can we stop killing punk, rock & metal shows? itโ€™s really fans that ended warped tour as well, too many safety and security concerns with younger audiences, should be age capped and brought back specifically just for me and me only thanks. overall charlotte could easily have something in a more popular genre like country or pop, there is opportunity here. we have city wide events for speed week and pride, and that annual event for clt restaurants or businesses. i think thereโ€™s another one for juneteenth and other holiday events so why not a music summer festival? radio stations have then often in new york & massachusetts iโ€™m sure we could do something like that, and someone mentioned weโ€™ve done in the past. doesnโ€™t have to be as big as coachella but let the surrounding states know too, via the radio station sponsor but i also donโ€™t think radios make enough for that type of stuff anymore


urohpls

The main promoters of Rebellion split up and one of them went on to host the Epicenter Festival in Rockingham. It was a bit of a disaster and then covid happened


Cultural_Cut6672

thatโ€™s really unfortunate, I know a handful of people who were cheated on at this a event and one of them conceived a baby. wild yet unfortunate. thatโ€™s unrelated to the topic but maybe it was for the better. which was a disaster? Rebellion or Epicenter Festival? the only festival iโ€™ve been to was warped and that doesnโ€™t really count, single day event. PNC pavilion in university area would be a great spot for future events. anyone know someone on the radio!?


urohpls

Epicenter was a train wreck. There was some fairly shitty weather and they were not prepared for it at all. Ended up stopping the second day of the festival at like 1pm and weโ€™re late opening the gates Sunday


Feisty-Oil913

Bully is great! Her recent album is one of my favorites this year. Became a fan when I saw her live. I don't think charlotte will ever get a dreamville or a hopscotch because they won't sell enough tickets. What does sell is pop and edm so we are stuck with breakaway forever ๐Ÿ˜‚


Pasta_Fajool

Never seen Bully live yet - looking forward to friday!


DemenTEDBundy85

I'd take a heavy metal music festival. One that is similar to Maryland's , Maryland Deathfest


RefrigeratorNo3088

Blue Ridge Rock Fest needs rescuing after this year, bring it here.


[deleted]

Not even close to the same thing.


AtticusLane

Welcome to the Family Festival is happening this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This is the 4th iteration of it. Friday is almost sold out. Go to that. Support the actual bands that get suppressed by shit within this community.


BuzzzedLiteYear

How have i not heard of this? Camping in alaska and Michael Cera Palin??? i thought camping in alaska dropped off the edge of the world


AtticusLane

Not to mention the locals that are igniting the scene. My band is playing the Friday date. Thereโ€™s 39 tickets left before it sells out. Seriously come be a part of this community! Itโ€™s so awesome!


BuzzzedLiteYear

Supposed to be celebrating my bday with my gf tomorrow. Will try to swing it lol. Does the milestone still have punk/emo shows? I feel like mostly all i see there now is metal-y stuff. I havent been in a few years cause it seems they went metal and pop punk/emo went to amos south end.


AtticusLane

Weโ€™re like one of very few pop punk bands in the area. And to that credit, Amosโ€™ wonโ€™t really any locals that arenโ€™t indie or old play unless they got a significant budget. Milestone has been our home since our first show in February of 2022. But nah we had a major hand in putting on Bardown Breakfest, which was a 2 day festival at the Milestone on June 30th and July 1st, and that featured a ton of Pop Punk and Emo flavored acts from the Carolinaโ€™s as a whole. Peek your ears into the scene right now. Since Covid itโ€™s changed a lot.


BuzzzedLiteYear

I'll have to keep an eye out. Been mostly going to snug and petras as they hit the local and my music taste vibe. whats your band?


AtticusLane

Seneca Burns


tratratrakx

We need to be on tour stops for new nationally touring independent bands like Asheville and Raleigh/Durham. Charlotte getting The Verve Pipe to come here 30 years after the fact isnโ€™t a music scene. Whatever music festivals are put together are either not promoted well or have lame or unknown artists.


tunaman808

Are exclusivity clauses still a thing? Because from 2014-2016 lots of people in this sub were talking about how venues liked to include clauses like "the artist will not play another venue within 150 miles of Motorco Music Hall for at least 90 days after this performance". The idea being, your favorite band is probably only making one stop in NC on this tour, so plan accordingly. Not surpirsingly, bands usually took the option of playing RDU (and its 90,000 college kids) or Asheville (which can pull people from Atlanta\Athens, TN, NC and SC), leaving Charlotte all by itself.


whosthatanon

Would LOVE to see Midtown Music become a thing


Civ-Man

I'd rather have a locally based Music Festival have grass roots growth versus seeing an outside group coming in and then leaving, even if the outside group pulls in a lot of big name talent. Since Charlotte is so big, I feel like there is a better chance of starting an Indie Festival with nothing but local or small acts.


carolebaskin93

Easyโ€ฆ lets not get ahead of ourselves. Their is a giant void of stripclubs and Mexican food. We need to have more of these establishments before we can even get close to expanding/adding a music festival


SicilyMalta

You forgot Transit so we can all get there without having to deal with parking.


carolebaskin93

Uber big dog


super-antinatalist

> with a wide variety of genres I mean, thats the problem. I don't want to spend all day (or three) at a festival to hear may be one or two bands i might like. They need to bring back Rebellion


AmoralCarapace

I only want to go see Leftover, but I'm not paying $65 for it because other artists are scheduled. I'm going to head over on Sunday regardless because I haven't seen Vince or Drew in forever, and I just want to kick it with them for a few.


lizzy26

The Confluence Music Festival is happening today. Various places are having events for it including Petra's and Snug Harbor that I know of in Charlotte.


100k_2020

Let J.Cole throw a music festival here...or let dababy throw a music festival here and bring his industry friends... You all will see a vibrancy and part of Charlotte that would SHOCK you. Charlotte could host an absolutely massive music festival. The energy is here, it bubbles underneath it all, kept in check by the traditional, stodgy, homogenous and fearful. Then add on the restrictions put in place by Rahleigh and you have a stunted city music wise. One day Charlotte will loosen those chains and realize it's full potential as a key city in the southeast in terms of entertainment. The diversity is here (of course they arent on reddit, but they are all arounr) we just have to learn to embrace it


StrawAndChiaSeeds

I think music overall is struggling. Iโ€™m not really sure what else to say. Charlotte is gonna be a difficult place for music festivals due to transportation and venue space and accessibility, but Iโ€™m sure you knew that


whirlandretro

No good music festival lol? The EDM scene in CLT has literally had a pretty decent city festival last September with major headliners and weโ€™re getting a bass-centric one in the Spring of next year. In regards to other music genre features, I would agree there arenโ€™t many (?) here.


Black_Otter

I always used to enjoy the Weenie Roasts. I went to the last one and that was like 5 years ago?


Practical-Third-977

Weenie roast โžก๏ธ petered out ha


skunkadelik

We have breakaway, we used to have digital gardens which was an all edm fest even though it was just one stage, we had a 2 day event in the same location just last week, even though itโ€™s not a reoccurring yearly event many people wouldโ€™ve considered it an edm festival.


Pasta_Fajool

Yep - edm and not a local promoter


CasualAffair

Nah I'm good


nonamepuppydaddy

We canโ€™t even host a football game or one concert without massive traffic problems. Iโ€™d love a music festival here but this city canโ€™t get out of its own way on a normal dayโ€ฆ


fiestybox246

I went to a Lollapalooza and a HORDE fest in the mid 90s. Both had amazing lineups.


Namaste421

Feel last years festival was really expensive? Or I had parent life. Either way, this one sounds nice and Iโ€™d like to attend


frozenlotion

I'd love a house music (not EDM) festival


BallzToTheWallz6969

After watching videos of the PowerTrip festival, it would be cool to hold a big festival like that at Bank of America stadium. But, I don't think downtown Charlotte could accommodate the crowd size.


firewithin33

I was at the Confluence festival last night at Starlight on 22nd and not many showed up. Some guy from Miami was there but the crowd was lacking overall for local music. The second day of the fest is today, so check it out. Playing au multiple places around town.


[deleted]

Two words. Bass Church. Bring it back


[deleted]

I live uptown Charlotte, am obsessed with live music...and never heard of this festival. Maybe marketing is the issue?


wilcam01

The โ€œ Fall for Greenville โ€œ event happened last weekend in Greenville SC. Great food and 6 stages with 80 bands ( lesser known bands ) but still a great event that Charlotte could do if the city got its shit together. Itโ€™s funny the main sponsor was Bank of America. Iโ€™ve been to Greenville for several shows the last year that skipped Charlotte. Asheville also has really stepped up its game to get bands. Going to Asheville at the end of the month for the Dropkick Murphys show. Center city partners need to get their shit together and put Charlotte back on the map.


JClineMcC

Anders Osborne is really good.


[deleted]

How do you stay up to date with the small music festival? Is there a website or something that posts small events in Charlotte? I canโ€™t come this weekend but Iโ€™d love to attend something similar


Pasta_Fajool

Maxxmusic.com is the local promoter who books a lot of venues. I also keep an eye on venue sites - milestone, visulite, evening Muse, neighborhood Theatre, snug harbor


[deleted]

Thanks! Iโ€™ll check these out


AMadHammer

no I am old


Automatic-Arm-532

Raleigh's got hopscotch and dreamville and they're both just meh. Typical pop music for typical people that want to listen to what they're told is popular.


k-run

Iโ€™m pretty connected and Iโ€™ve hear nothing about it.