It’s a live music summer! Here’s who’s coming to town.
Raleigh is breaking more than heat index records this summer (!), as the demand for live music is at an all-time high. To boot, Red Hat Amphitheater has a record-breaking lineup, with 51 concerts and counting on the cal—NTM five sellouts so far (looking at you, Khruangbin and Chappell Roan). And Coastal Credit Union Music Park, The Ritz and other local venues aren’t being left behind, with a wave of big names coming to grace the City of Oaks in the coming months.
If this news is music to your ears (*wink, wink*), browse these artists from various genres making their way to Raleigh this summer—and secure your tickets ASAP. Happy concert-going!
A new duo has the keys to Raleigh’s oldest music venue.
Say hello to the Slim’s you used to know! The storied Downtown Raleigh music venue/dive bar is now under new ownership, thus ushering in its next era while keeping its OG character. Meet Amber Turner and Bill Johnson, the duo breathing new life into the 25-year-old outpost and adding a positive vibe as the bar looks toward the future. And despite the alleged staff exodus last fall, rest assured, the drama is done.
Taking the helm this spring, the pair obtained the sacred keys by appealing to the owners’ intent to safeguard the fundamental history and culture of the space as they prepared for retirement.
“It’s a dive bar,” Johnson maintains. “We are not looking to modernize or change it—we want to nourish and bring it back [while] making it a homebase for local musicians and artists.” Essentially, the goal is to keep things at the spot consistent with the standards of an old-timer who’s been visiting since its inception, throwing back the vibes to “feel like the Slim’s of 10 years ago.”
That said, one way the newly minted owners are seeking to elevate the local music scene is through giving young or up-and-coming artists space—and a stage—to shine. And there’s lots of local musician love to go around. Currently, Slim’s has 50+ artists slated during the month of May (s/o to the staff and a smattering of locals who helped curate the stacked lineup!), with more looking to snag a spot on the calendar soon.
All in all, there’s much to look forward to as Slim’s steps into a new moment while maintaining its core essence. “In the long run, it felt right,” says Johnson of acquiring the venue. “The place deserves some nurture, love and community.” Here’s to another 25 years! slimsraleigh.com
Say goodbye to the Wolfe & Porter you used to know. The West Morgan Street dive just underwent a major glowup, introducing its new-and-improved digs, featuring a renovated interior, front patio and back deck Jan. 29. And lets not forget perhaps the most highly anticipated part of the project: a brand-new basement speakeasy (!) bowing Feb. 1. Dubbed the Cellar Liquor Bar, the cozy cocktail haven will tout the classic ’tails you know and love—plus a curated selection of aged wines, beers and spirits.
Behind the operation, find co-owner/operator Alex Bakis, who has a personal history with the space reaching back ~15 years. Before beginning its transition into the Cellar, the building’s basement consisted of apartment spaces where Bakis used to live. A full-circle moment, after a brief stint in Maine, Bakis moved back to Raleigh and has since found his way to the building once again.
“We are going to have two concepts under one roof, connected,” explains Bakis of the new-and-improved bar. “It’s gonna be a bit more of a neighborhood vibe.” Bakis estimates that Wolfe & Porter’s construction will see it grow from ~650 square feet to just under 3,000.
Keeping all kinds of sippers sated, the bar’s upstairs area will be beer-focused with a sophisticated environment, while an elevated cocktail program will reign supreme downstairs. “If you don’t like the vibe upstairs, you can go downstairs—and if you don’t like the vibe downstairs, you might just not like drinking,” jokes Bakis.
Upon its opening, Wolfe & Porter plans to have live music and an array of food trucks several days a week (Wandering Wolf is already signed up as a vendor!). But rest assured the cool, come-as-you-are, everyone’s-welcome MO will remain.
“We are pretty much smack dab between Downtown and NC State, so I think we are going to have a good diversity in our customer base, as we always have,” maintains Bakis. “We want to be inclusive to everyone and give people a good time—get some drinks and food in ’em and have some live music.” Sounds like a vibe. wolfeandporter.com
