I love this thread - I figured I could start tossing out names of national acts I've seen live that were awesome, but a lot of that has been done already. The worth of a city can be measured by the awesomeness of the live music scene there. I've lived in Charlotte, NC for about three years now, and I'm just starting to realize the music potential for this city. If you're from this area or are visiting anytime soon, check out the following acts/venues - scenes need an audience to survive, and Charlotte area bands and venues are kicking some serious ass in front of shamefully small crowds.

1. Lambhandler - Gritty rock n' roll with Southern charm. These boys are addicted to their music, tight as hell, snappy dressers, and still humble. Lead singer Tony is like Jerry Lee as a punk in a cowboy shirt. Always a great show regardless of venue or crowd size.

www.MySpace.com/Lambhandler

2. Snug Harbor - This new bar/venue is excellent. I've yet to see a show there that didn't exceed my expectations. Go see Buschovski July 28th if you'd like to see something amazing. www.SnugRock.com

3. The Evening Muse "Find Your Muse" open mic Monday. I am not normally one to suggest open mic events. My past experience has led me to believe that most folks who get up on stage for such events do so because their therapist said it might be helpful. But Monday nights at the Muse you see just how much talent is in this city, and you hear a wide variety of styles and sounds. Well worth checking out.

www.QueenCityMusic.com

4.Charlotte WHAMS - This web site was started to bring to light the amazing amount of talent in this city... The Links section has a very comprehensive list of bands and artists from this area which is fun to browse. Look for some cool events from these folks soon.

www.WHAMS.org

5. Seth Boulton & The Dream Machine - Alright, I feel like a wanker recommending my own band, but then again I wouldn't love playing with these folks so much if I didn't think what they were doing was really worthwhile. Nicolette Emanuelle, our cellist.bass player/ keyboardist also does great solo stuff.

www.MySpace.com/SethBoulton

www.MySpace.com/NicoletteEmanuelle

So there you have it - help make Charlotte thrive and make bands happy by going out to support live music!!