COLUMBIA — The month of May is chock-full of concerts coming to the Columbia area, both at small and larger venues. Here’s a roundup of some shows hitting town this month.
May 2: The Root Doctors @ Icehouse Amphitheater
We kick off our May concert calendar with one of the area’s most popular and enduring bands, The Root Doctors. A typical Root Doctors show is packed with classic hits and favorites delivered with maximum enthusiasm and irresistible funky fun. This show is free to attend. Visit icehouseamphitheater.com for show information.
May 3: Gavin DeGraw @ The Senate
New York’s own Gavin DeGraw has spent the last 20 years honing his mix of blue-eyed soul, rock and country, scoring multiple gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums and singles along the way. DeGraw is a compelling live performer, especially when delivering hits like “I Want To Be” and “Not Over You.” Visit thesenatecolumbia.com for show and ticket information.
May 5: High On Fire @ The Senate
Sludge metal kings High On Fire have a bit of a ringer in their lineup: Sleep guitarist Matt Pike. Thanks to Pike’s molten, slow-motion riffing (he’s also High On Fire’s frontman), the band perfectly embodies the gigantic, glacially paced sound that stoner-metal fans love. Visit thesenatecolumbia.com for show and ticket information.
May 10: Clutch @ The Senate
The mighty hard-rockers Clutch return to one of their strongholds: The Southeast. You’d be hard pressed to find a more devoted fanbase for Neil Fallon’s guttural vocals and filthy riffs than the one right here in SC. The band’s New World Samurai tour pulls from recent albums like "Sunrise On Slaughter Beach" and "Book Of Bad Decisions," but don’t be surprised to hear some classics from the band’s "Transnational Speedway League" era. Visit thesenatecolumbia.com for show and ticket information.
Travis Tritt is bringing his three-decade career in country music to Columbia with a show in May 2024.
May 11: Travis Tritt @ Township Auditorium
Country singer Travis Tritt’s has taken a deep dive into MAGA territory but he's still slinging his tunes across the country. Tritt has landed more than 40 hits on the country charts, including “Here’s A Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares),” “Can I Trust You With My Heart,” “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” and many more. Tritt’s days of multi-platinum albums might be behind him, but he’s got one hell of a catalog to pull from onstage. Visit thetownship.org for show and ticket information.
May 11: The Ghost Inside @ The Senate
Formerly known as A Dying Dream, The Ghost Inside are rapidly becoming a metalcore band on the rise. They’ve somehow landed six albums of brutal, uncompromising music on the indie charts, and even a tragic bus crash a few years back couldn’t stop them. You should also show up early for the opening bands Bleed Within and Great American Ghost — get a good start on your hearing loss. Visit thesenatecolumbia.com for show and ticket information.
May 15: Les Merry Chevaliers @ New Brookland Tavern
Our favorite local group of hard-rock dandies put on their powdered wigs and finest gentlemanly apparel for a night of rollicking rock & roll fun. You will definitely never get rocked this hard by a band dressed like this anywhere else. The Wall Boys open the show. Visit newbrooklandtavern.com for more information.
Les Merry Chevaliers
May 15 & 16: Squonk presents “Brouhaha” @ Koger Center for the Arts
The Koger Center for the Arts is bringing back Squonk, the larger-than-life visual and musical spectacle, for two free performances on the Koger Center Plaza Stage. “Brouhaha,” Squonk's newest show, is an immersive outdoor spectacle bursting with rollicking music, dazzling imagery and audience participation.
At the center of this riotous romp is the Squonkcordion, an enormous musical instrument powered by bellows and topped with tuba bells. At the peak of the performance, Squonk invites the audience to play this foghorn organ, welcoming them to experience the joy of a brass band and the fireworks of community. The show ends with a 30-foot head made of brilliantly colored banners that blows smoke from its nostrils. Yes, everything you just read is true. Visit kogercenterforthearts.com for show and ticket information.
May 18: Sawyer Hill @ New Brookland Tavern
Sawyer Hill is one of those, “How is THAT voice coming out of THAT guy?” performers. His miles deep vocals sound like that of someone twice Hill’s age, but when he applies that burnished, soulful approach to anthemic hard rock, the results are surprisingly simpatico. Visit newbrooklandtavern.com for show and ticket information.
May 24: Flashback Funk Fest @ Township Auditorium
If you’re a fan of the funk, the whole funk and nothing but the funk, ‘80s style, the Flashback Funk Fest is a little slice of heaven. Prepare for a headlining set by the mighty Morris Day & The Time, a show that’s sure to include “Jungle Love,” “The Bird,” “Jerk Out” and more. And that’s not all. Classic funkateers Confunkshun, Midnight Star and Brick open the show. Visit thetownship.org for show and ticket information.
May 25: Landslide @ Icehouse Amphitheater
Landslide – A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac will take you on a ride back in time to an era when the greatest era in rock. Paying homage to one of the greatest and most popular bands in music history, Landslide takes fans on an electric journey through Fleetwood Mac’s catalog of music, including hits from their solo careers. Visit icehouseamphitheater.com for show and ticket information
May 26: Palmetto Concert Band @ Koger Center for the Arts
If you’re looking for something patriotic to do as Memorial Day nears, bring the family to the Palmetto Concert Band’s Memorial Day Concert. It’s an afternoon of pure flag waving “U-S-A! U-S-A!” vibes, and it’s free to attend. Visit kogercenterforthearts.com for show information.
