Strange Carolinas' Favorite Concerts Of 2024

We have covered 115 concerts this year. Crazy. We thought we'd take a look back at those shows and share our favorite concerts of 2024.

I believe I have gone to more concerts in this year alone than I have in the past 24 years of life. And while there was no bad concert, there certainly has been a favorite. And that is without a doubt Tophouse! I have now had the privilege of seeing them three times in concert, and I hope to see them many more times. If they ever put a call out for tour photographers, I wouldn’t even blink an eye before applying - I think it would be a dream come true. Their shows are all filled with so much laughter and good energy, and I could never get tired of listening to their music!

-Bella DiStefano

My favorite show this year would have to be Peter Frampton. I've seen him each of the last three years, all farwell type tours since he has a degenerative muscle disease. Frampton Comes Alive! was the second album that I ever bought as a kid. I really regret not going to one of his shows years ago. Doing the review and photos was like shooting ducks in a barrel. His smile pulls you right into his enjoyment on stage. You can tell he is fulfilled and full of love as he performs. It does not come across as just a job like some older musicians. Making jokes and engaging the audience as he tells stories are just part of the highlights of his shows. His talent, even at 74 years of age, AND with a degenerative muscle disease, is crazy spot on. This year's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is well deserved and if you haven't seen him live yet, hopefully he will come around again in 2025 somewhere nearby

-Mark Dolejs

Unsurprisingly, DJ Shadow was my favorite concert I reviewed for Strange Carolinas this year. When the setlist hits like a greatest-hits mixtape sprinkled with deep cuts and the visuals make you feel like you’re time-traveling through sound, it’s hard not to walk away thinking, “Well, that was unfair to everyone else.”

-Drew Drain

While I was lucky enough to catch what might have been one of the last Jane's Addiction shows ever and tons of other great shows this year, my favorite by far was Green Day. They brought along two bands I love, Rancid and The Linda Lindas, as openers. Green Day's Saviors Tour celebrated the 30th anniversary of Dookie and the 20th anniversary of American Idiot, and both albums were performed in full. They threw in a few hits and a a few tracks off of 2023's Saviors album, including a killer "The American Dream Is Killing Me." By the end of the evening, they played thirty-seven songs. It was freaking amazing!

-Chris Hocker

I got to see a generous amount of my favorite artists live this year, and in total I went to 46 concerts this year, which made choosing my favorite extremely challenging but the winner was obvious. I had the pleasure of seeing North Carolina band Wednesday four times this year and photographing them twice, but one performance stood out from the rest. The best show I saw all year was the Wednesday homecoming show in Asheville at The Orange Peel on August 31st with other Carolina legends Fust and Truth Club.

-Pixie Hocker

I had the opportunity to shoot the High Water Festival this year and the headliners were Noah Kahan and Hozier. It was awesome to experience alongside about 15,000 other fans. I don't think I will ever forget hearing the crowd sing along to "Dial Drunk" and "Would That I." As for a more intimate experience, Wyatt Flores was my absolute favorite. Not only is he a great songwriter and singer, but you can just tell he is such a humble and genuine guy.

-Caitlin Russ