Hootie & The Blowfish Hitting Charlotte With Some Fun Friends
In 1988, I was attending the University of South Carolina. There was a band that used to play frat parties and for $5 you could hear the band and drink lots of draft beer. The band was Hootie & the Blowfish. They’d also play around Five Points, where all the college kids hung out. Years later, in 2000, while working in radio in Columbia, S.C., I’d end up participating in local fundraisers with the drummer, Jim ‘Soni’ Sonefeld. Nice dude and a huge animal fan!
Being in radio, I’ve seen the band a few times since the 80’s, and they always put on a great show! Hootie & the Blowfish are hitting the Queen city along with Collective Soul and Edwin McCain in 2024. ‘The Summer Camp With Trucks Tour’ will be hitting PNC Music Pavilion on Thursday, September 13. They’ll also be performing in Raleigh at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek on Friday, September 13.
Of course, the band will also be hitting Columbia, S.C. That show is August 29 at Colonial Life Arena.
The Tour Is 90’s AF
Hootie, Collective Soul, and Edwin McCain all hit it big in the 90’s. Hootie’s album ‘Cracked Rear View’ hit in 1994, and went on to be the best-selling album of 1995, and one of the fastest selling debut albums ever. The band blew up! And rightly so!
Collective Soul is from Georgia and became popular after their song ‘Shine’ was played by Amy Staehling at Georgia State University’s radio station. In 1994, the band released ‘Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid’. The debut album went double-platinum, and ‘Shine’ became a massive tune. I remember playing it while at a rock station in Columbia, S.C. Personally, my favorite from the band is ‘Gel’. The song has a great groove!
Edwin McCain also from South Carolina, became big in 1998 with the song ‘I’ll Be’. He’s known the guys in Hootie for years, and they all toured together in their early days as musicians. In 1997, I was working as a receptionist for 99.7 The Fox here in Charlotte. Back then, bands and musicians would come to stations and perform a song or two live on-air or for the staff. I was in charge of taking Edwin McCain to the airport after his visit. When I opened the trunk of my car for his luggage, he noticed a case of beer. He said, ‘I like a girl that drives around prepared’. LOL! I actually had the beer because my younger brother’s wedding was the weekend prior, and I hadn’t taken it out of my car. Very nice guy!
I love that after so many years and successes, all these bands that toured together or ran in the same circuit can still get together for a big tour. Tickets for the tour will go on sale THIS Friday, November 10, at 10 a.m. There’s a good chance the Charlotte show will sell out, so get your tickets early. All the details on the tour and ticket info is here.