Live music in Wilmington, NC

Barzarre hosts a weekly open mic that welcomes a broad mix of performers. Musicians, comedians, poets, hip hop artists, improvisers and unconventional talents share the same stage, whether the material is finely honed or brand new. Signups are available and admission is free. Touring musical acts are known to stop in for featured sets. A projector with HDMI connections is on hand for multimedia, so audiovisual pieces can be included. Inexpensive beer is offered, and the focus stays on variety across every genre.

Charley Crockett brings the Age of the Ram Tour to Live Oak Bank Pavilion for an outdoor concert. The pavilion is open air with no covered seating, and the performance will proceed in any weather. Lineups, schedules, and prices can change without notice, and service fees apply to tickets regardless of the point of purchase. Through a partnership with PLUS1, one dollar from every ticket will support the Last Prisoner Project, a 501(c)(3) that works across the United States to help free people incarcerated for cannabis offenses and to advance policies that address the impacts of past cannabis laws. Ticket purchases are not tax deductible. Ticket access includes a public onsale along with presales such as artist, Citi cardmember, Live Nation, Spotify, Live Oak Bank local sponsor, aisle seating, and T-Mobile Concert Perks, with preferred options for Citi cardmembers also noted.

Hosted by The Barzarre, this weekly community drum and dance jam welcomes everyone. The setting is casual, with seating available, and the focus is on shared rhythm and movement. It is free to attend and open to all experience levels. New drummers and dancers are encouraged to remove rings, watches, and bracelets when playing hand drums, to ask permission before using someone else’s drum, to listen as much as they play, and to keep things simple by following the pulse, beat, and rhythm. If you are unsure about what is appropriate, ask RON, the creator of Drum and Dance Downtown. Every gathering is a little different, but the spirit stays the same... bring positive energy, be kind, be respectful, have fun, and create a little magic together.

Play music bingo at The Kettle. The event features drink specials, music, and prizes.

Drivin N Cryin brings the Crushing Flowers Tour to the stage with the fire and rootsy spirit that has carried the Atlanta-formed trio since 1985. Fronted by singer and songwriter Kevn Kinney with Tim Nielsen on bass and Dave Johnson on drums, the band mixes Southern rock bite, folk-leaning storytelling, and revved-up rock and roll. Their rise in the late 80s and early 90s produced radio staples such as Fly Me Courageous, Honeysuckle Blue, Straight to Hell, Build a Fire, and Scarred But Smarter, with Fly Me Courageous achieving Gold status. They have never slowed down, continually touring and releasing new material, building a multigenerational community of listeners, and seeing Straight to Hell introduced to fresh audiences through collaborations and covers. Honors include enshrinement in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Kinney’s induction into the Milwaukee Music Hall of Fame, alongside years of shared stages with The Who, Hootie & The Blowfish, The Black Crowes, ZZ Top, Soul Asylum, Blackberry Smoke, The Marshall Tucker Band, and Jason Isbell, plus slots on destination gatherings like Rock Boat, Outlaw Country Cruise, and Moon Crush. The new album, Crushing Flowers, returns to first principles by centering the original three-piece, prioritizing feel and chemistry over excess. It underscores what continues to define Drivin N Cryin after nearly four decades... direct, heartfelt songs and the unmistakable sound of a vital American rock band still writing its story.

The Wailers present 50 Years of Positive Vibrations, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Rastaman Vibration and paying tribute to one of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ landmark albums. The performance centers on standout tracks from Rastaman Vibration alongside enduring classics that bring together audiences across generations.

This fundraiser supports Project SOAR for veterans with disabilities at ACCESS of Wilmington. VIP tickets are $200 and include a meet and greet, reserved seating, drink tickets, and event swag. General admission is $75.

This milestone black tie celebration marks ten years at Plaza on Princess. The evening features a cocktail reception, dinner, silent and live auctions, music and dancing, and special presentations. The program honors progress achieved through community support and looks ahead to what can be accomplished as a community in the ongoing fight against abuse.

Experience a live salute to five decades of Aerosmith hits with Pandora's Box, a tribute act launched in 2015 by Atlanta-based vocalist Nathan Utz and guitarist Steve Taylor. The project grew from their passion for the music and from Utz’s notable resemblance to Steven Tyler, along with similar vocal power, highlighted by a moment when three college students asked him for an autograph believing he was the Aerosmith frontman. The band quickly built momentum with sellout shows across the Southeast, along the East Coast, and as far as Alaska and Hawaii. In 2018 they became Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s top requested headline feature act, bringing their show to international audiences. The set spans the band’s entire catalog, from early standouts like "Dream On," "Sweet Emotion," and "Walk This Way," to MTV-era favorites including "Dude Looks Like a Lady," "Rag Doll," and "Love in an Elevator," and on through the 90s with the group’s first number one single in 1998, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." At a Pandora's Box show, favorite songs arrive quickly.

Reverend Horton Heat takes the stage at The Eagle’s Dare as part of the 5th Annual Rocktoberfest. This outdoor show features a sound that mixes rockabilly, 1950s country, surf, punk, big band, and swing, a blend they have developed since 1986. The lineup includes special guest Messer Chups and local support from The Phantom PlayBoys. All ages are welcome.

Led by veteran multi-genre musician James Sardone, The Sardines are a Wilmington, North Carolina band that blends indie and psyche rock with melodic pop sensibilities. Their 2023 EP, Colors, is available to hear on the Fort Lowell Records website.

Opening night for the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra takes place at the Wilson Center - Cape Fear Community College with a program that explores how Dvořák’s New World legacy influenced American music. Peter Askim conducts, and violinist Stephan Jackiw is featured in Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto. The concert includes Carlos Simon’s Festive Fanfare and Overture and concludes with Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, From the New World. Suitable for all ages.

An evening of piano-driven storytelling and acoustic charm featuring Jim Ellis and Doug McFarland. From the North Carolina coast, Jim is a piano-playing singer songwriter who blends folk, rock, pop, and country with an easygoing coastal feel. Influenced by storytellers such as Jackson Browne and James Taylor, he favors lyrics that feel like a conversation and melodies that linger. Onstage his piano brings a New Orleans bounce with second line swing, drawing comparisons to Bruce Hornsby, with a hint of blues. Over more than four decades he has written, performed, and recorded, including early work with his band Waterline on the album Long Goners, which featured Sonny Landreth alongside The Goners, the group best known as John Hiatt’s backing band. Landreth’s distinctive slide guitar, heard with artists like Jimmy Buffett and Dolly Parton, helped shape that roots-driven, open-road feel. His solo releases include the four-song EP Lucky Enough, centered on love, simple joys, and gratitude, followed by the piano-forward Can’t Keep Quiet Today colored by second line rhythms and New Orleans tones, and most recently Forgotten How to Fly, a grittier collection about shaken confidence, hard lessons, and starting again. Doug McFarland performs as a singer and guitarist and is also known for kazoo playing. He is recognized for acoustic performances, heartfelt and occasionally witty songwriting, and a playful streak that even shows up in his Photoshop creations. Live, he mixes a varied set with just the right touch of witty banter. Tickets are $15 plus fees.