NC Folk Festival and Top Picks!

Top picks for week of September 8th, 2025

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EZ Vibes
September 09, 2025

🐰 Hopscotch 15 in Downtown Raleigh delighted concert lovers from across the country!

🪕 NC Folk Fest is this weekend in Greensboro!

🤠 Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country at Koka Booth Amphitheater with Yonder Mountain String Band and Railroad Earth

🔺 Red Hat coming with some heavy hitters like Sierra Ferrell and Charley Crockett

✅ Top Picks for the week!

📆 EZ Vibes Concert Calendar has been updated with lots of great shows

Hopscotch 15 Recap

The vibes were high and the music was flowing at Hopscotch 15 in Downtown Raleigh! The city was completely alive, buzzing with enthusiastic music fans from all over the country. It’s easy to see why this festival has become a can’t-miss event, bringing people back year after year for a truly unforgettable experience.

The energy at the main stages at City Plaza and Moore Square was off the charts, and the late-night club shows kept the party going strong. We caught some amazing sets at Kings, Slims, and The Pour House, where bands played well into the night. It's a testament to the incredible community that comes together for this weekend.

We've got so many incredible memories from Hopscotch that we could probably write a whole post about it! We'll be sharing more clips and recaps of the amazing bands and performances from the weekend soon. One this is for sure we'll definitely be back for Hopscotch 16!

Here is a short clip of one my favorite performance of the weekend from Geese (not Goose) from City Plaza stage in downtown.

Photo Compilation Post

North Carolina Folk Festival

This weekend, head to Greensboro for the NC Folk Festival, from September 12th to the 14th. This massive, free festival is a celebration of North Carolina's rich musical heritage and beyond. You’ll find everything from folk and bluegrass to blues and gospel. It's an incredible opportunity to discover new music and connect with the community. Featured artists this year include Sammy Rae & The Friends, Steep Canyon Rangers, and the local favorites Chatham Rabbits. You will also find a number of after parties at venues around town like Flat Iron and Ziggys.

Di you know you can even catch a train to the festival from Raleigh to Greensboro?!

Railroad Earth, Yonder Mountain String Band, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country

A Night of Jamgrass and Cosmic Country

Railroad Earth started the evening early at 5:30 p.m., before most of the audience had arrived. They still brought a powerful set, and their unique sound got the crowd on their feet and into the groove with "The Mighty River."

Next up, Yonder Mountain String Band took the stage and reminded everyone why they've been at the forefront of the jamgrass scene for so long. The band was a tight unit, their instruments weaving together into a masterful tapestry of sound. They even recalled the last time they played that same venue in Cary and played a famous John Hartford cover “Two Hits and the Joint Turned Brown”. It was also a very special and memorable evening for some of our friends, Derek and Kara, who got engaged during the set!

Finally, Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country headlined the evening. As the dark of night set in, their colorful light show delighted the audience. The set featured a number of new songs from their latest album, Horizons, including "Sunshine in the Rain" and "Yonder." They brought out fiddle player Coleman Smith of Yonder Mountain and mandolinist John Skehan from Railroad Earth for an extended encore that featured a very special and jammed-out version of "White Lightning."

Check out the amazing photographs from the even from Joshua Thompson 

Venue Spotlight: Red Hat Amphitheater

HUGE week in Downtown Raleigh!

9/9 - The Pixies, Spoon, Fazerdaze
@thepixies.official @spoontheband @fazerdaze

9/10 - Sierra Ferrell, Nikki Lane
@sierraelizabethferrell @nikkilane77

9/12 - Leon Bridges, Charley Crockett
@leonbridges @charleycrockett

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and we want to take a moment to shine a light on the incredible work being done by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Music and community are powerful tools in this fight, and they remind us that no one has to go it alone. This month, NAMI is encouraging us all to Start a Conversation. Be the Difference.

It might seem small, but simply asking someone how they’re really doing and being ready to listen can make all the difference. Help is out there, healing is possible, and it often starts with one person reaching out. Let’s look out for each other—it's what this amazing music community is all about.

You can visit the NAMI website to learn more about how you can get involved and support their mission.

Top Picks of the Week

Tuesday - 9/9

Trucker Hat Boys - Beer & Banjos - Bowstring Brewyard - Raleigh, NC

The Pixies, Spoon, Fazerdaze - Red Hat Amphitheater - Raleigh, NC

Wednesday - 9/10

Sierra Ferrell, Nikki Lane - Red Hat Amphitheater - Raleigh, NC

Thursday - 9/11

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, Isaac Hadden - The Pour House, Raleigh, NC

Juno Hill - Jazz in the Square - Moore Square - Raleigh, NC

Friday - 9/12

Leon Bridges, Charley Crockett - Red Hat Amphitheater - Raleigh, NC

Ryan Adams - Martin Marietta Center - Raleigh, NC

Saturday - 9/13

Boom Unit Brass Band, No Quarter! Brass Band - The Pour House - Raleigh, NC

Sunday - 9/14

Wheeland Brothers - The Pour House - Raleigh, NC

Join the Squad!

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Make sure to follow us on social for daily concerts and event reminders!

With gratitude,
Evan from EZ Vibes