The amphitheater has 51 concerts on the books, nearly triple the total from when the venue first opened in 2010.
Downtown Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater is set to see a record-breaking number of concerts for its 2024 season. The amphitheater has 51 concerts on the books, nearly triple the total from when the venue first opened in 2010.
This year’s concert season kicked off in April and has already seen sell out performances from Bryson Tiller, Queens of the Stone Age, Chappell Roan, and Khruangbin, with additional sell outs expected as the season continues into late October.
Owned and operated by the City of Raleigh, Red Hat Amphitheater belongs to The Complex, the City’s premier portfolio of convention and entertainment venues, which also includes the Raleigh Convention Center, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, and Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek.
While the amphitheater has seen a substantial spike in concerts over the years, local downtown businesses have also seen a significant increase in business, a direct reflection of the amphitheater’s impact and importance to a vibrant downtown. The venue serves as a major economic driver and in 2023 contributed $17.5 million in economic impact for the community.
Consistently charting on various publication lists as Best Outdoor Music Venue, Red Hat Amphitheater hosts shows from April to October, and is also home to THE RINK, downtown’s seasonal ice-skating rink, and Band Together’s annual Mighty Giveback fundraising concert.
"There is no place like home!" said Thorne Daubenspeck, Executive Director of Band Together. "We've been lucky enough to call Red Hat Amphitheater and downtown Raleigh home for our yearly community concert since 2015. It has been 9 years of impact with over 30,000+ concert goers and 9 million dollars raised for over 100 Triangle nonprofit partners. Our Mighty Giveback event is considered the Southeast's largest annual benefit concert and powered by a dedicated network of volunteers, donors, sponsors and nonprofit organizations. We're truly grateful for the support and partnership with the City of Raleigh and thrilled to be a part of a record-breaking year for concerts downtown. There is no doubt that the downtown city landscape provides a unique and inspiring backdrop to help bring the community together through the power of live music each and every year."
“The Raleigh skyline and scenery of downtown all make seeing a show at the amphitheater a unique live music experience,” said Kerry Painter, Executive Director of The Complex. “Our partners at Live Nation continue to bring a diverse array of touring artists, helping to make Red Hat Amphitheater a nationally recognized venue and a vital part of downtown Raleigh.”
Each season, live music fans continually look forward to a lineup of some of the hottest summer concerts spanning across a variety of genres. More than 400 performers have played the amphitheater over the past 14 years. Alt-J, Bob Dylan, Imagine Dragons, John Legend, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler Childers, and Widespread Panic are among the artists who have graced the venue’s stage.
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