When I first moved to Raleigh, I didn’t know what to expect. The city felt big and unfamiliar but that changed when I went to my first concert at Red Hat Amphitheater to watch Rex Orange County. As the welcoming security greeted me, I stepped inside to find the feeling of adrenaline and anticipation filling the air. The glow of Raleigh’s skyline illuminated the entire place. The towering skyscrapers made it feel as though the city itself was connected to the venue. The crowd was a mix of strangers and though I was new to the place, meeting new people came easily. That night, Red Hat Amphitheater wasn’t just where I saw my first show, it was where Raleigh welcomed me home.
As Raleigh’s demographic fluctuates, improvements have been made to alter downtown Raleigh. Including creating new projects and committing to older plans. The relocation of Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater, located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, is the most prominent and recent plan.
As one of the designated spots for concerts other than Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Lenovo Center, Spectrum Center etc. Red Hat Amphitheater is the only outdoor venue with an outstanding direct view of Raleigh’s skyline, creating an even more ethereal experience during live performances. The venue books their acts through Live Nation, an entertainment company that manages ticket sales after merging with the main ticket sales company ‘Ticketmaster’. The amphitheater directly supports 130 staff positions on event days. Employees are typically paid hourly wages of $20 per hour or more, according to Live Nation.
The Amphitheater has had an extremely successful 15-year run in downtown, but its current location is assigned for demolition to allow for the expansion of its neighboring building, the Raleigh Convention Center. “Groundbreaking for the new amphitheater is anticipated to occur during the 1st quarter of 2025. The current amphitheater will operate through the end of the 2025 season and the new amphitheater is anticipated to open in time for the start of the 2026 season. This timing will ensure that no part of any concert season is disrupted,” as cited in Red Hat’s website.
With a holding capacity of 6,000 people, the Amphitheater’s season runs from April to October, and transforms to an outdoor ice skating rink in between. Its economic impact was notable, producing $17.6 million in a single year from only 26 concerts. Its location in the heart of downtown Raleigh makes it extremely convenient for concert goers, in terms of parking since one of the neighboring buildings is a full parking garage. In 2014, the venue’s impact on Raleigh’s tourism was recognized, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to Raleigh’s downtown area.
The Red Hat Amphitheater has left a lasting impression on concert goers and Raleigh residents alike, creating core memories through casual festivals, an ice skating rink, and live music since its opening in 2010. Over the past 14 years, there have been more than 400 performances, featuring renowned artists like Bob Dylan, Kendrick Lamar, John Legend, Imagine Dragons, and Tyler Childers are examples of the biggest musicians that have graced the amphitheaters stage. The new amphitheater, set to open in the 2026 season, will add 500 seats, maintaining that balance of an intimate yet big crowd. No other venue captures the same open and welcoming feel as Red Hat does. We patiently await the new chapter of the Red Hat Amphitheater!
