LIVE: HUNTER HAYES – Cornelius, NC, USA – April 24, 2026

Venue: Cain Center for the Arts

City: Cornelius, NC

Dates: April 24, 2026

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

The local PAC always hosts a wide palate of artists through the course of the year, but I was excited to see an artist I was lucky enough to photograph years ago was performing a SOLD OUT show near me… and better yet, I was going to be there to photograph Hunter Hayes once again as well as hear all of the hits as well as new songs from his latest release Evergreen.  Arriving, I caught the tail end of opener Franklin Jonas, and I regret that I missed the front end of his set, as he brought great energy and some cool music into Cornelius that evening.  He has a local following that made their way to see him, and you could hear the pride in his voice with each song he performed.

With little to no fanfare, Hunter Hayes and his band hit the stage and immediately we were immersed in his world, and he welcomed us all with open arms and a song in the air.  The show kicked off with the title track from his latest, and “Evergreen” was on everyone’s lips before the song was over.  Moving from there he dove into the killer “Storm Warning ” and we were off and running.  Swirling his new material with tracks from his catalog, Hayes kept the energy up, even when the music called for a more reigned in sound.  The vibe that washed throughout the packed venue was fun and energetic throughout the set, as witnessed by fans dancing in the aisles in the balcony when I ventured up for a different perspective during the show.  Soon, the first killer one-two punch of the evening was delivered when Hunter and his band paired “Somebody’s Heartbreak” and “Everybody’s Got Somebody but Me” a third of the way through the evening.  I am not sure if the smiles coming from the stage were more a reflection on Hayes enjoying himself or the crowd being so into the music.  As Hayes and his band worked their way through their setlist, I was curious as two where his biggest singles would land, as many bands now pepper them throughout.  Hunter opted for the old school ‘save the best for last’ routine.  While the set well represented the latest release, it was also debut album heavily, and he left us all wanting for nothing when he closed with “I Want Crazy” and “Wanted,” sneding us all home on a Friday night with a song on our lips and smiles on our faces.  Be sure to grab a ticket and catch a show when the tour ramps back up in late May.

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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries