Music & Nightlife in Wilmington, NC

Tunes with a View

If you like your music accompanied by scenic views, head to one of the area’s many outdoor venues. In the urban greenspace at Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park, enjoy performances from national touring acts managed by Live Nation. Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, also managed by Live Nation, hosts regional and national acts in a picturesque lakefront setting. Artists from Warren Haynes and Tift Merritt to Michael Franti & Spearhead and the legendary Willie Nelson have played the popular venue, which offers seated and standing-view options. Perched atop a riverfront pier nearly surrounded by water, The Pier at Port City Marina hosts local acts.

During summer months, catch jazz in the courtyard of the Bellamy Mansion Museum, an exquisitely restored mid-1800s home. Experience the best of coastal music and culture during the annual Airlie Gardens Summer Concert Series as you relax to live tunes surrounded by picturesque Southern gardens.

Eat, Drink & Enjoy Live Music

Wilmington is a burgeoning destination for foodies and craft beer lovers, and many of these hotspots frequently host live music. Head to Reel Café’s rooftop bar for views of the riverfront and different live music on each floor. Spend an evening at Bourgie Nights, a one-of-a-kind venue with craft cocktails, phenomenal acoustics and an impressive lineup of local and touring talent. In South Front District, Satellite Bar and Lounge offers recurring bluegrass jam sessions that welcome you to dance the night away indoors and on the outside patio with your favorite beverage in hand. If craft beer is the name of your game, local musicians are known to frequent Waterline Brewing Co., Wrightsville Beach Brewery and Edward Teach Brewing.

Sing Along Indoors

Wilmington is also home to more formal, indoor venues like The Wilson Center, the largest and most technically advanced performance center in Eastern North Carolina. Reserve tickets for popular Broadway shows, symphonies, concerts and more. If you’re looking for a historic venue, check out Thalian Hall Center for Performing Arts. Operating since 1858, the facility hosts hundreds of film screenings and performance events annually, featuring musical genres ranging from pop to folk and jazz to country. As home to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), the city also attracts internationally acclaimed performers to Kenan Auditorium on the university’s campus.

Jam in Unique Settings

Sometimes, good times are found in unexpected places. Check out funky artwork and hear a bluesy band at night at Beale Street Barber Shop. Art and music lovers should check out Cameron Art Museum to hear jazz performances. These concerts are held a few times each year and feature music by the likes of Beethoven, Bizet and Chopin, as well as modern-day selections. Held in conjunction with UNCW’s Department of Music, these special concerts are listed on the calendar section of the museum’s website.

Festivals for Music Lovers

The annual North Carolina Jazz Festival brings world-class artists and hundreds of jazz enthusiasts to Wilmington for three nights of unforgettable performances. The Wilmington tradition is one of the largest traditional jazz festivals in the Southeast. The North Carolina Azalea Festival, an annual spring tradition, features live performances throughout the event’s five days of pageantry.

The city’s three nearby beaches expand the exciting lineup of performances. Get your dancing feet ready for one of the country’s longest-running music festivals and the largest and only music festival held along North Carolina’s coast at the Carolina Beach Music Festival. Find more concerts and live music festivals.

Experience Nightlife

Get a taste of Wilmington’s nightlife scene in local speakeasies like Blind Elephant, a 1920s Prohibition-style bar that serves timeless cocktails and signature elixirs. Or, swing by Earnest Money & Sons, a speakeasy that invites guests to enjoy sophisticated libations, unique wines and beers (requires a minimal membership fee). Tucked away in a historic building in the heart of downtown, The Underfront Company serves a variety of craft cocktails and savory bites in an elegant setting. At Cape Fear Spirits & Beer, choose from a vast selection of wine and beer, including a rotation of taps and an ever-changing supply of cask ale.

Laugh out loud at the Dead Crow Comedy Room, Wilmington’s full-time, year-round comedy club. Started as a basement venue, this comedy club has expanded, now sharing a home with Lush Lounge and hosting nationally and locally acclaimed live comedy acts.

Discover beach music and island nightlife in nearby Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach.