Don’t spend all semester in the library – get ready to experience Raleigh’s diverse live music scene!
Live music is back in Raleigh! While some have mixed feelings about concerts resuming mid-pandemic, many artists have decided to just take the risk and go for it. Most venues also require some form of a health check to attend the show, which is either proof of complete vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Whether you like popular singers or more underground artists, there are dozens of shows to look forward to this fall!
As a freshman, I knew my favorite singers would likely come to Raleigh for their tours, which was why I was so excited to come to NC State and be in a city! Here are just a few of the concerts happening in venues across the Raleigh area.
PNC Arena:
The Carolina Hurricanes Hockey team and the NC State Men’s Basketball team will host games in this arena for the next few months, but it’s also your go-to venue for bigger concerts. The arena holds almost 20,000 people, and to give you some context, artists Ariana Grande and Post Malone have played here before. The Wolfline, NC State’s free bus transportation, also has routes to the arena so it’s super convenient for students! Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
Guns N’ Roses: Wednesday, Sept. 29
Harry Styles: Tuesday, Oct. 12
Michael Bublé: Tuesday, Oct. 26
Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek:
Also called the Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, this is an outdoor venue capable of hosting 20,000 concert-goers. This is a great venue for the warm weather, and even offers General Admission Lawn tickets. The amphitheater is about 25 minutes from NC State, the farthest away on this list. But Lil Baby and Maroon 5 also recently played here, so it’s a great spot to see popular artists!
Brooks and Dunn: Friday, Oct. 1
Thomas Rhett: Saturday, Oct. 9
The Jonas Brothers: Wednesday, Oct. 13
Zac Brown Band: Friday, Oct. 15
Red Hat Amphitheater
Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, Red Hat is a venue I’ve always wanted to go to! The capacity is 5,990 which still provides a more intimate vibe without being packed into a pit at a smaller venue. It’s also an outdoor venue, so a little more Covid-safe if that’s your thing. Some of the shows just offer seat tickets, while others have an option for pit tickets as well. Check out just a couple of the concerts happening here this fall:
Phoebe Bridgers: Tuesday, Sept. 21
Quinn XCII & Chelsea Cutler: Thursday, Sept. 23
Brett Young: Saturday, Sept. 25
NEEDTOBREATHE: Friday, Oct. 15
for King & Country: Friday, Oct. 22
The Ritz
You may not recognize many of the names on this list, which is fitting due to how small the venue is. The Ritz in Raleigh is the smallest venue on this list, holding 1,400 guests at maximum. While I’ve never seen any shows here, I know many people that have, and it seems like a great venue to connect with an artist because of its size. The Ritz is mostly standing-room only unless you have a VIP ticket, so keep that in mind.
Don Toliver: Tuesday, Oct. 12
All Time Low: Saturday, Oct. 16
Surfaces: Friday, Oct. 29
Mat Kearney: Wednesday, Nov. 10
Jesse McCartney: Monday, Nov. 22
This is just a small list of all the concerts at these venues! Check out these links for more, and take advantage of all that’s coming up in Raleigh!