Perhaps it was the ultimate irony that Concert for Carolina, Saturday night’s (Oct. 26) benefit for Hurricane Helene relief organized by Luke Combs and Eric Church, was delayed for nearly two hours because of severe weather as patrons were sent to shelter in the concourse at Charlotte’s Bank of America stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers.
Slated to start at 5 p.m., the show finally kicked off around 7 p.m., but once it started, the fast-paced concert never let up until the finale at 1 a.m. In the process, the evening raised a staggering $24.5 million for storm-ravaged western North Carolina, thanks in part to Panthers and stadium owners David and Nicole Tepper donating the facility and vendors donating all money raised from concessions, merchandise and parking.
Ten days after the biggest disaster in North Carolina history hit on Sept. 26, Combs and Church announced an all-star concert with Billy Strings and favorite Tar Heel native son James Taylor. Then they just kept adding names: Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, Bailey Zimmerman and fellow North Carolinians Scotty McCreery, Chase Rice, the Avett Brothers and Parmalee.
It proved the perfect mix, and the good vibes were evident from the start as Church kicked off the slightly revised show with a beautiful acoustic version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” on the revolving stage set up on the 50-yard line. It felt like an opening prayer for an evening that was about unity and solidarity. The outside world may feel more divided than ever, but for the 82,193 people inside the stadium for the six-hour show, the sense of community and camaraderie was palpable.
Below are the highlights from an evening.