Raleigh continues to be a cultural hub for live entertainment as home to some of the hottest concert venues in the Southeast, including Red Hat Amphitheater and Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek.
Both amphitheaters are part of The Complex, the City of Raleigh’s premier portfolio of convention and entertainment venues, which also includes the Raleigh Convention Center and Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. Through these venues, The Complex stimulates an innovative, artistic, and cultural presence in the community and continues to highlight Raleigh as a nationally recognized entertainment destination.
“Raleigh’s amped up music venues have a reputation of being a favorite for artists and fans alike,” said Kerry Painter, Director/General Manager of The Complex. “Each year, we welcome hundreds of thousands to our amphitheaters and we’re proud to be the hot spot where so many unforgettable moments are made.”
Through a partnership with Live Nation, both amphitheaters host the top touring artists in the world and bring a combined annual $40 million in economic impact to Raleigh. In 2023 alone, Red Hat Amphitheater and Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek welcomed over 300,000 fans across a combined 60 concerts. In addition to enjoying live music, these fans also spend on hotels and lodging, food and beverage, transportation and retail right in Raleigh.
“We’re so proud to be part of Raleigh’s incredible growth story and to play a vital role in the city’s dynamic entertainment scene,” said Jeannine Beson, regional vice president of venue operations for Live Nation. “Significant investments in both amphitheaters over the last few years allowed us to enhance fan experience by expanding entry gates for fast access, adding state-of-the-art LED screens and offering an elevated food and beverage program. We take pride in making these venues better each season and partnering with the City to make Downtown Raleigh a destination for live music fans.”
Located in the heart of Downtown Raleigh, Red Hat Amphitheater offers incredible views of the city skyline with stacked lineups year after year. The amphitheater also offers an elevated fan hospitality experience including a VIP Lounge which was added last season. This year, Red Hat Amphitheater will host Tate McCrae, Lainey Wilson, Queens of the Stone Age, and more to be announced.
Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek has over thirty years of live music history, playing host to major tours and festivals during the summer season and laying a foundation for the local music scene. The 2024 calendar already boasts Foo Fighters, HARDY, Hozier, Alanis Morissette, and more. The venue will also take part in Live Nation’s Lawnie Pass program, a popular seasonal pass that allows live music fans to enjoy a lineup of the summer’s best concerts across genres like country, rock, pop, hip-hop and more for around $10 per show.
The Complex is dedicated to promoting sustainable practices within its venues and the community. Coastal Credit Union Music Park is one of the leading venues in Live Nation’s Green Nation sustainability program, which has zero waste teams working to reduce single-use plastics and promote recycling, composting and food donations. With a long history of sustainable operations, Coastal Credit Union Music Park also provides artist catering options from their backstage garden and diverted more than 70% of its waste in 2023. Red Hat Amphitheater is also initiating new partnerships with Great Raleigh Clean Up and Compost Now for the 2024 season.
Both venues also provide full time and seasonal employment to residents. The amphitheaters employ more than 600 crew members and are actively hiring for the 2024 season.
Raleigh’s mild climate creates a spectacular season for amphitheater concerts, with both venues operating from as early as April through as late as October. Red Hat Amphitheater and Coastal Credit Union Music have consistently been awarded as Best Outdoor Music Venue and Best Live Music Venue from local publications, plus received national recognition from Pollstar and Venues Now.