JJ Grey & Mofro Crank Up The Heat In Charlotte

The Olustee Tour Kicks Off The Season At The Amp Ballantyne

Here in the Queen City, we are lucky to have a wide variety of concert venues to whet our musical appetites. From small, intimate spaces to a massive football stadium, Charlotte has it all. The city’s newest venue, The Amp Ballantyne,  lies in the southern part of town nestled amongst office buildings, condos, hotels, and a wide array of restaurants. Thursday evening, The Amp kicked off their season of concerts in fine fashion as JJ Grey & Mofro brought an amazing evening of music on an absolutely gorgeous night. 

JJ Grey burst upon the music scene back in 2001 with his debut album Blackwater and has been a preacher of Southern soul and bluesy rock ever since. His latest album Olustee further cements his musical legacy with an amazing mix of soul, rock, blues, funk, and everything in between.  For one night, JJ Grey & Mofro would showcase their amazing talents to the enthusiastic crowd. 

As the crowd still filtered into The Amp, people were bustling about in anticipation of the magic yet to come. One of the cool things about a JJ Grey & Mofro show is that it attracts people from all walks of life and all areas of the country, reuniting old friends and providing opportunities to make new ones. It was interesting to see and hear people chatting about how far they had come, the last JJ Grey show they saw, and their thoughts on the latest record. 

The evening began with an electrifying set from blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter Cedric Burnside. Burnside was born into the blues and has never looked back. His father is blues drummer Calvin Jackson and he is the grandson of R.L. Burnside, the acclaimed blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. In fact, at the young age of 13, Cedric was already touring as a drummer in his grandfather’s band. 

His specialty is North Mississippi Hill Country Blues and he brought a healthy dose of it to Ballantyne. Burnside let his fingers do the talking as he schooled us in the blues, bringing the traditions to life right before our eyes and ears. The Grammy Award winner just released his latest album Hill Country Love and it is simply mindblowing. His precision and skill are second to none but what really sets Burnside apart is his emotional attachment to the music. Cedric leaves and breathes the blues and that resonates through to the audience with each and every note. If you haven’t seen Burnside perform, put him on your must-see list now and experience the blues the way it was meant to be played. 

So far, so good. The sun was setting behind the stage and the evening was off to a fantastic start. People were refueling from the variety of food trucks encircling the perimeter of the venue and topping off their drinks as we prepared for JJ Grey & Mofro to hit that stage. 

As the stage lights dimmed, the band took the stage with JJ Grey taking his spot at the center microphone. This is where the magic began and held us enthralled for the next hour and 45 minutes. The first thing worth noting is Grey’s vocals. He has always had a fantastic set of pipes, but my oh my, tonight was something special. Grey was on point the whole set and The Amp Ballantyne seemed to be the perfect venue for him as his voice soared above us, circling around us and taking us on an extraordinary journey. I don’t think I have ever heard him sound better. 

But, Grey is not just a musician and a singer. He is a songwriter and through his songs, a storyteller. Throughout the evening, whether through anecdotes that he shared about life and love, stories about his chickens and roosters, or tales about someone down on his luck sleeping on a bench, Grey brought his songs to life. He didn’t just play his songs for us. Instead, Grey invited us into his life, giving us glimpses of his innermost thoughts and feelings through music and lyrics. It was simply spectacular. 

Of course, his band was spectacular in their own right. Every musician and singer on that stage was a world-class talent and they wove a magical web around Ballantyne, lifting us up and reaching new heights together. What a show! If you haven’t checked out JJ Grey & Mofro, add one of their shows to your bucket list today. In the meantime, go and give Olustee a listen and check out one of the greats in action. 

See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!

If you captured any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see. 

https://www.jjgrey.com

https://www.cedricburnside.net

Tour Dates:

APR 20, 2024

Chesterfield Amphitheater

Chesterfield, MO

with support from Cedric Burnside

APR 21, 2024

Castle Theatre

Bloomington, IL

Sold Out | support from Cedric Burnside

APR 25, 2024

Greenfield Lake Amphitheater

Wilmington, NC

Sold Out | support from Cedric Burnside

APR 26, 2024

The Shed

Maryville, TN

with Cedric Burnside

APR 27, 2024

Avondale Brewing Company

Birmingham, AL

with support from Cedric Burnside

APR 28, 2024

The Signal

Chattanooga, TN

with support from Cedric Burnside

MAY 1, 2024

Macon City Auditorium

Macon, GA

with support from Cedric Burnside

MAY 2, 2024

Saenger Theatre

New Orleans, LA

with support from Samantha Fish

MAY 3, 2024

Sun, Sand and Soul Beach Weekend

Miramar Beach, FL

MAY 4, 2024 – MAY 5, 2024

Sweet Beats Music Festival

Sugar Land, TX

MAY 4, 2024

Saenger Theater

Hattiesburg, MS

Sold Out | support from Cedric Burnside

MAY 11, 2024 – MAY 12, 2024

Bear Shadow Festival

Scaly Mountain, NC

MAY 25, 2024 – MAY 26, 2024

The St. Augustine Amphitheatre

St. Augustine, FL

JJ Grey’s Blackwater Sol Revue 

MAY 25, 2024

The St. Augustine Amphitheatre

St. Augustine, FL

MAY 26, 2024

The St. Augustine Amphitheatre

St. Augustine, FL

JUN 12, 2024

Tolhuistuin

Amsterdam, Netherlands

JUN 13, 2024

Doornroosje

Nijmegen, Netherlands

JUN 14, 2024

Holland International Blues Festival

Grolloo, Netherlands

JUN 14, 2024 – JUN 16, 2024

Black Deer Festival

Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK

JUN 17, 2024

Brudenell Social Club

Leeds, UK

JUN 18, 2024

Union Chapel

London, UK

JUL 2, 2024

Knuckleheads

Kansas City, MO

JUL 4, 2024

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Morrison, CO

with Blues Traveler, Eggy

JUL 6, 2024

Snow King Mountain

Jackson, WY

with Blues Traveler

JUL 7, 2024

Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre

Salt Lake City, UT

with Blues Traveler

JUL 9, 2024

KettleHouse Amphitheater

Bonner, MT

with Blues Traveler

JUL 10, 2024

Idaho Botanical Garden: Outlaw Field

Boise, ID

with Blues Traveler

JUL 12, 2024

McMenamins Grand Lodge

Forest Grove, OR

with Blues Traveler

JUL 13, 2024

Marymoor Live

Seattle, WA

with Blues Traveler

JUL 25, 2024

Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua

Bayfield, WI

JUL 27, 2024

The Rhythm Section Amphitheater

Mount Carroll, IL

SEP 13, 2024 – SEP 15, 2024

Telluride Blues & Brews Festival

Telluride, CO

SEP 20, 2024

Bourbon & Beyond Festival

Louisville, KY

OCT 17, 2024

The Orion Amphitheater

Huntsville, AL

with Whiskey Myers

OCT 18, 2024

Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Alpharetta, GA

with Whiskey Myers

OCT 20, 2024

Freedom Hall Civic Center

Johnson City, TN

with Whiskey Myers

OCT 22, 2024

Live Oak Bank Pavilion

Wilmington, NC

with Whiskey Myers

OCT 25, 2024

Ting Pavilion

Charlottesville, VA

with Whiskey Myers

OCT 26, 2024

Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Raleigh, NC

with Whiskey Myers

OCT 28, 2024

Dothan Civic Center

Dothan, AL

with Whiskey Myers

OCT 30, 2024

Raising Cane’s River Center Arena

Baton Rouge, LA

with Whiskey Myers

OCT 31, 2024

Lake Charles Event Center

Lake Charles, LA

with Whiskey Myers