Charlotte Music

The first weekend of May is here, and if you're planning a date or a fun night out on the town, WFAE's First Friday Arts panel is highlighting some noteworthy arts and culture events coming up this month.

Several streets are closed around First Ward Park as workers erect outdoor stages where Gwen Stefani, Benson Boone, the Dave Matthews Band, and others will perform Friday through Sunday.

Named Queen City Nerve's "Best New Band," Cassettiquette releases a debut album supplying comfort and reassurance in troubling times. The band's frontman, Connor Hausman, delivers a playful — but also reflective — performance.

Charlotte singer-songwriter Uwade talks with WFAE's Eric Teel about the release of her debut album, "Florilegium," her Charlotte upbringing, her musical influences, how she ended up singing on a Fleet Foxes album released back in 2020, and much more.

Developers unveiled a plan this week to revamp the park by SouthPark Mall and turn it into a real community focal point. WFAE's Marshall Terry and The Ledger's Tony Mecia discuss this local business news, and more, on this week's BizWorthy.

At a time when many groups are scaling back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, one group is pushing forward. The Charlotte Strings Collective is a group of local musicians highlighting Black composers and their work.

A festival aimed at amplifying Black music and artists, returns to Charlotte. The annual Black Notes Project will make its second appearance this year, celebrating jazz music. The event will feature the Sainted Trap Choir, a local group known for its Southern gospel sounds and ability to blend different genres.

Atlanta-based musician Justin Varnes brings the music and stories of jazz legend Miles Davis to Middle C Jazz in uptown Charlotte this Sunday. He invites audiences to discover or rediscover what made Davis great.

Eight Charlotte artists and their bands perform in a virtual concert this weekend raising money for Asheville's music and arts scene and other organizations helping with disaster relief.

For the past 20 years, John Tosco has been hosting Beatles tribute concerts in Charlotte as part of his quarterly Tosco Music parties. He says his love of music and the Fab Four go back as far as he can remember.