This Weekend in Charlotte: Stadium Shows, Broadway Nights and Local Art

October 15–18, 2026
By Scott Jelleyman, Editor, Queen City Backstage

Charlotte’s weekend calendar offers plenty of reasons to get out: Ed Sheeran takes over Bank of America Stadium, The Smashing Pumpkins and Teddy Swims headline Spectrum Center, and The Great Gatsby wraps its Charlotte engagement. Between the bigger stages, there’s room for soul music, a symphonic tribute and a free festival celebrating local artists.

Thursday, October 15: Start with soul—or Thundercat

Kindred the Family Soul — Booth Playhouse, 8 p.m.

Husband-and-wife duo Aja Graydon and Fatin Dantzler bring Kindred the Family Soul to Uptown. Their music centers on love, family and resilience, making this an appealing opening to the weekend for listeners who want an evening rooted in soul and storytelling.

Event details and tickets · Booth Playhouse

Thundercat — The Fillmore Charlotte, 8 p.m.

Thundercat’s Distracted AF Tour arrives at The Fillmore, with TiaCorine also listed on the lineup. For anyone looking to begin the weekend with a club concert rather than a seated theater performance, this is another Thursday option.

Lineup, venue information and tickets

Friday, October 16: The Smashing Pumpkins at Spectrum Center

The Smashing Pumpkins — Spectrum Center, 8 p.m.

The Rats in a Cage Tour brings The Smashing Pumpkins to Charlotte for a show billed around two sets, celebrating Mellon Collie at 30 alongside material from across the band’s career. It’s a Friday-night option for fans drawn to the band’s mix of ambitious albums and enduring rock songs.

Event details and tickets · Directions and parking

Friday and Saturday: Tina Turner’s music meets the orchestra

Charlotte Symphony: The Music of Tina Turner — Knight Theater, October 16–17, 7:30 p.m.

Charlotte Symphony celebrates Tina Turner’s musical legacy with two evenings at Knight Theater. The program includes songs such as “Proud Mary” and “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” offering another way to experience music associated with one of rock’s defining voices.

Concert details and tickets · Knight Theater

Saturday, October 17: Ed Sheeran on the stadium stage

Ed Sheeran — Bank of America Stadium

Ed Sheeran’s LOOP Tour stops in Charlotte on Saturday, bringing a stadium concert to the weekend’s mix of arena shows and theater performances. The official North American tour website confirms the Charlotte date and identifies Ticketmaster as the authorized ticketing provider for this stop.

Official tour information and ticket guidance · Bank of America Stadium

Saturday and Sunday: A free afternoon of Charlotte creativity

Charlotte Chalk Art Festival — NoDa Brewing Company, October 17–18, noon–5 p.m.

Local and regional artists will turn the outdoor space at NoDa Brewing Company into a temporary chalk-art gallery. The free, family-friendly festival includes artist competitions, music, vendors and a community chalking zone where visitors can join in.

The festival takes place at 150 West 32nd Street, making it an option for a daytime outing before an evening show.

Festival details · Official festival website

Through Sunday: Catch The Great Gatsby before it leaves

The Great Gatsby — Belk Theater, through October 18

The musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel closes its Charlotte run on Sunday. Its story of wealth, longing and tragedy unfolds through a jazz- and pop-influenced score, bringing the world of the Roaring Twenties to Belk Theater.

Weekend performances include Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m.

Performance schedule and tickets · Belk Theater

Sunday, October 18: Teddy Swims closes the weekend

Teddy Swims — Spectrum Center, 7 p.m.

Teddy Swims brings The UGLY Tour to Spectrum Center with special guests St. Paul & The Broken Bones and MarcLo. It gives Charlotte concertgoers one more arena-scale option before the workweek begins.

Event details and tickets · Spectrum Center

All times are Eastern. Check the linked official listings for current ticket availability, entry policies and schedule updates.

Featured photograph: Charlotte skyline and Truist Field, Ken Lund, April 4, 2019, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized for web display; the photograph remains under that license.

Plan your Charlotte visit

Bookmark QCB’s Charlotte weekend guide for dated editions, venue resources and the archive. Coming from out of town? Our Charlotte hotel and venue guide helps you choose a base for your plans.

Go deeper with our previews of The Great Gatsby at Belk Theater and Charlotte Symphony’s Tina Turner concerts, or explore The Underground venue guide for another side of Charlotte’s live music scene.