Concert by the North Carolina roots music band Blue Cactus, blending honky-tonk, folk and alt-country, with support from Ramona and the Holy Smokes.
Blue Cactus play Petra's on Saturday, November 21, with Ramona and the Holy Smokes opening. The show starts at 8 PM at 1919 Commonwealth Ave in Charlotte.
Blue Cactus grew out of North Carolina's honky-tonk circuit, and that's where the sound still sits: honky-tonk mixed with folk, alt-country, and psychedelic-tinged rock. The band is led by songwriters Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez, and over eight years they've supported acts like The War & Treaty, Town Mountain, and Steve Gunn. Stewart's introspective lyrics and Arnez's lush arrangements have drawn comparisons to Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris, and No Depression praised their ability to paint "beautiful pictures of limitless possibility" in roots music.
Their records trace a bit of a journey. The self-titled debut looked back to 1960s Nashville; Stranger Again brought in some glitter-and-glam; and their third album, Believer, was recorded in Nashville and near Chapel Hill. Believer dealt with chronic illness and ruptured dreams, with harmony singers Erin Rae, Brit Taylor, and Kate Rhudy on the tracks and Derek Garten mixing.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Charlotte and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
Behind the songs are two very different ways into music. Stewart wrote her first song at ten and developed her love of performing through karaoke at The Dragon Palace in Hickory, NC. Arnez first discovered music through a Beach Boys compilation played on a portable cassette recorder. Those two backgrounds — the karaoke stage and the cassette deck — are what meet in the middle as Blue Cactus.
They'll be sharing the bill with Ramona and the Holy Smokes, so there are two acts on the night. The show is at Petra's, 1919 Commonwealth Ave, on Saturday, November 21, starting at 8 PM.
