Concerts for Helene relief: Major artists host fundraising shows across the state

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Well-known musicians are also hosting shows that benefit the region since Hurricane Helene made landfall two weeks ago and demolished areas of Western North Carolina. (Courtesy photos)

SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Since Hurricane Helene made landfall two weeks ago and traveled through multiple states as a tropical storm, charities and nonprofits have come together  in Western North Carolina to rebuild. Now, well-known musicians are also hosting shows that benefit the region.

Quite a few concerts for Helene relief are being held both locally and statewide to provide funding for communities suffering  after severe landslides and once-in-a-century flooding. The storm’s more than two feet of rainfall impacted regions like Asheville, Boone, Swannanoa, Black Mountain and others, where homes were swept away, people are still missing and power and water outages continue en masse.

The storm has been called the third-deadliest of the 21st century, following 2005’s Katrina and 2017’s Maria. Some musicians already have begun donating to cleanup efforts, such as Morgan Wallen who has given $500,000 to help his native home of Tennessee, Dolly Parton’s $1 million to Mountain Ways Foundation and Miranda Lambert’s $100,000 to go to her MuttNation Foundation which helps people and pets affected by the storm.

Sturgill Simpson, Luke Combs, Eric Church, James Taylor, Billy Strings, Ben Folds, Lotus and others have also announced concerts statewide to help victims recover. Two shows are planned in Wilmington, with others taking place in Charlotte and Cary. 

Poster created by Tom Shaw

WILMINGTON, NC

From Wilmington With Love: Ben Folds 
Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, 1941 Amphitheater Drive

After having played Greenfield Lake in July, Triad resident Ben Folds is returning to the stage on Oct. 29. The City of Wilmington announced the show, “From Wilmington, With Love,” to feature Folds, as well as other musicians and special guests, to be announced.

All of the proceeds from ticket sales will benefit local charities assisting with emergency food, housing, and home repairs via the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, managed by United Way of North Carolina.

Wilmington is no stranger to hurricane relief shows, as Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Reel came through in spring 2019 after Hurricane Florence caused billions in devastation to the southeastern corner of North Carolina. The show raised more than $65,000, with money going to area charities and nonprofit organizations such as Nourish NC, Salvation Army of Cape Fear, Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina at Wilmington, Good Shepherd Center, Cape Fearless Challenge, and The Harrelson Center.

PCD asked the city when and where tickets would go on sale and will update upon response.

Lotus: How to Dream in Color
Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, 1941 Amphitheater Drive • Tickets: $35

Penguin 98.3 and Live Nation are hosting a fundraiser with Asheville-based band Lotus, who will perform at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater this week, Thursday, Oct. 10. All net proceeds will go to World Central Kitchen, an organization founded by celebrity chef José Andrés in 2010.

WCK deploys teams into areas facing natural disasters or war-torn countries to ensure no one faces hunger during stressful situations. It’s set up across western North Carolina, with distribution sites open to everyone — residents, first responders, construction and line workers. 

Lotus is a five-piece instrumental band and blends funk, jazz, rock and disco. The band originally intended to perform at Salvage Station Asheville, which was demolished by Helene. Live Nation is presenting the band at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, instead, on Thursday, Oct. 10. 

CHARLOTTE, NC

Concert for Carolina: Luke Combs, Eric Church, Billy Strings, James Taylor 
Bank of America Stadium, 800 S. Mint St., Charlotte • Tickets on sale Oct. 10

When Helene wrecked WNC on Friday, Sept. 27, country artist and North Carolina native Luke Combs went on the record immediately expressing solace to all affected and said he was interested in hosting a lineup “to help the Carolinas.”

Monday he made the plans official: “Concert for Carolina” will take place on Saturday, Oct. 26, also featuring other North Carolina artists, Eric Church and James Taylor, as well as bluegrass prodigy Billy Strings, who has played the state numerous times over. The show will be hosted by Barstool Sports’ Caleb Pressley and ESPN’s Marty Smith.

Combs spent his youth in Huntersville, North Carolina, until his family moved to Asheville. He attended Appalachian State University in Boone, where in 2021 he first headlined a stadium show. 

Taylor grew up in the Chapel Hill and briefly attended UNC, while Church grew up in Granite Falls outside of Hickory before also attending App State. He recorded his most recent three-part LP,  “Heart & Soul,” in Banner Elk and announced last week upon the release of latest single “Darkest Hour” that all publishing royalties would go to nonprofit donations to rebuild WNC.

All proceeds from Concert for Carolina tickets also will support Helene relief efforts in the Carolina region. Combs is donating half to Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, among other organizations to be announced. 

Church’s Chief Cares will take the other half, focused on helping established charities and organizations to expedite aid directly to the families affected by the storm.

Tickets are on sale Thursday, Oct. 10, at 10 a.m. here. Learn more about the concert and artists here.

CARY, NC

Sturgill Simpson
Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre,  • Tickets on sale Oct. 10-11

A neo-traditional country artist out of Kentucky is planting Tar Heel roots on Oct. 21 for a special benefit concert to support disaster relief initiatives statewide.

Sturgill Simpson originally was booked to play ExploreAsheville.com Arena that day, but had to move the show due to the storm’s catastrophic aftermath. Since he was scheduled to play Cary on Oct. 22, Sturgill decided to host two nights Koka Booth Amphitheater. Simpson’s Oct. 21 concert will benefit recovery efforts in WNC, with all proceeds donated to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, managed by United Way of North Carolina.

The Oct. 22 show will continue per normal.

Tickets go on presale for Oct. 21 on Thursday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m., opening to the general public on Friday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m., here. 


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