LIVE: LEELA JAMES – Charlotte, NC, USA – March 12, 2026

Venue: Carolina Theatre

City: Charlotte, NC

Dates: March 12, 2026

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

The Carolina Theatre in downtown Charlotte was new to me.  Opener Jane Handcock was new to me.  Headliner Leela James was FAR from being new to me.  I still remember the first time I witnessed her live in Detroit.  That show, that energy, and that voice keep me coming back time and time again when I am near one of her performances.  A Thursday night in March was the perfect time to find myself in the venue to see and hear Leela once again.  With camera in hand, I found myself wandering the venue to find the sweet spot while Jane Handcock took the stage and proceeded to warm the crowd up with her voice, her smile, and a fun attitude that carried from song to song while she connected with the packed house.  Her appreciation of the show and the crowd was contagious as we all braced for the evening of R&B and Soul that would take us all to another place, even if only for the evening.  I wasn’t familiar with Jane’s catalog, but each song felt familiar thanks to her vocal and delivery, welcoming us all into her world, if only for the moment.  As her time on stage came to an end, Handcock left us all in a good mood and ready for more.

With some fun mix and music from DJ Hella Yella to keep the venue in the R&B groove, the energy in the theatre increased from moment to moment until Leela James and her band took the stage diving into hits and fan favorites from the first note until the last.  Wasting no time and pouring all her energy into the moment, Leela took over and let us all know the Ms. James was in charge for the rest of our night.  Touring to support her latest release 2B HONEST, there was nothing but honesty flowing from the stage, through the sound system, and into all our heads and hearts this evening.  With new material and a catalog full of amazing songs, the selections chosen for the evening helped transport us all to another place… a place where music ruled and good vibes and grooves ruled.  Hearing all my favorites peppered throughout the set, it was as if my personal Leela James playlist was pulled for the performance.  Hearing songs like “Complicated,” “Set Me Free,” as well as other R&B chart toppers “Fall For You” and “Don’t Want You Back” coursing through the venue, there was no mistake Leela was still on top of her game.  Her energy and smile are still contagious as is the way she draws you in with her emotionally driven delivery of song after song.  As she worked through her setlist, the intensity of the evening increased until it culminated in an old school dance party featuring her band and DJ with remixes and covers of classic R&B tracks.  A personal highpoint was when she drew us all in and performed “Right On Time.”  This was so much more than singing… while Leela put her heart and soul into the evening, there seemed to be something extra in this song that helped take us toward the end of the evening.  Thanks Leela for what was possibly the concert of the year.  I left scouring the web for her tour dates in hopes there would be another near me sooner than later.

COMPLETE SET OF LEELA JAMES PHOTOS

LEELA JAMES LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

TOUR DATES

COMPLETE SET OF JANE HANDCOCK PHOTOS

JANE HANDCOCK LINKS:

FACEBOOK

X – TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

Tags: featured

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries