A few years ago, we had the opportunity to move to Atlanta and my husband was excited for the music scene. But for a small city (I will not call it “Mini-Atlanta”), Charlotte has a pretty good music scene.

The Fillmore offers an intimate setting, and the outdoor pavilion at the NC Music Factory is great for summer nights and smaller concerts. Time Warner hosts some bigger acts indoors, as does PNC Pavilion if you like outdoor venues. NoDa (Historic Arts District) boasts smaller and more intimate venues like Neighborhood Theatre and even smaller, The Evening Muse.

The Whitewater Center offers River Jam on Thursday evenings in the Summer. It’s free (minus the parking) and you get to listen to live music, watch people fall out of rafts and enjoy sweet summer evenings.

The End of Summer Weenie Roast (September 6th) is Charlotte’s largest outdoor music festival. It’s our version of Atlanta’s Shaky Knees Festival, just smaller.

Since moving here in 2008, I’ve been to dozens of concerts. We have some artists that come back year after year, others that wait almost 15 years between visits (ahem, Justin Timberlake), and some local artists that we’re lucky to call our own. Where’s your favorite venue in Charlotte?