LIVE: PARKER BARROW – Charotte, NC, USA – August 28, 2026
Venue: U.S. National Whitewater Center
City: Charlotte, NC
Dates: August 28, 2026
Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)
As summer comes to a close, I found myself covering another new to me band at another new to me venue… and what a venue. The U.S. National Whitewater Center is an actual white water rafting center that has a lot of open space, including a stage and area they call the River Jam. Enhancing the experience of a cool venue was a band that was making its first Charlotte appearance. Nashville-based Parker Barrow rolled into town and planted themselves on the River Jam stage for two sets of killer music that ignited the crowd and left me wanting more before the night was over. From the minute the band hit the stage, it was nothing but great tunes and amazing stage presence. After meeting him briefly before the show, I couldn’t wait to see drummer Dylan Turner behind his kit doing his thing, but that would take a few minutes. As the band took their spots on stage, you couldn’t help but notice the Happy Birthday balloon on stage. Guitarist and band musical director Alex Bender would celebrate his special evening with a lawn full of music lovers looking for an enjoyable evening out under the setting sun and eventually stars. He was soon flanked to his left by bassist Kyle Priber and they perfectly anchored stage left together over the course of the evening. Holding down some of the melody on the other side of the stage was guitarist Will Tipton and Eric Safka, whose keyboards were parked on the front edge of the stage. The band moved perfectly through songs from the band’s catalog, with heavy representation from their July 2026 release Hold The Mash.
Holding everything together from center stage was singer Megan Kane and drummer Dylan. The husband-and-wife duo helped complete the puzzle that was the perfect blend of blues, southern rock, soul, and rock. I cannot rave enough about Megan’s voice and the way she seemed to control the flow of the show and keep the vibe positive from behind the mic. The band packed a lot of tracks into their two sets, with the first being the better half in my opinion. Beng a huge fan of Hold The Mash, I jumped into the musical landscape of the opening set. Featuring six tracks (of the first nine played tonight) from that release, it was easy for me to slide right into the music and groove while photographing the set and then easing back and just enjoying the sonic ride the band provided. The opening trio of songs pulled from the new release – “Nothin’ Left to Save,” “Blinded,” and “Novocaine” – created the perfect storm of rock and blues to kick start the evening. It’s as if the band split the front portion of their show into thirds with the middle section featuring tracks from previous releases being sandwiched between new material. After the final notes of “Ruby’s Reckoning” drifted into the evening from the venue’s sound system, the band took a brief break. While the crowd was in constant change mode due to the outdoor nature of the venue, there was no less enthusiasm for the band when they took the stage once again to keep the music flowing. While the musicianship was spot on and the band came out firing on all cylinders, it seemed more relaxed and more of a jam style which isn’t my cup of tea. Do not misunderstand – this didn’t turn me off to Parker Barrow… if anything they made me take some time and lean into what they had to offer us for the remainder of the evening. If I learned anything tonight, it’s that you should take chances on new venues and bands when you get the opportunity. You just may discover your next favorite new band, just as I did on a late August Saturday night.
COMPLETE SET OF PARKER BARROW PHOTOS
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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries
About the Author (Author Profile)
ToddStar - that's me... just a rocking accountant who had dreams of being a rock star. I get to do the next best thing to rocking the globe - I get to take pictures of the lucky ones that do. I love to shoot all genres of music and different types of performers. If it is related to music, I love to photograph it. I get to shoot and hang with not only some of my friends and idols, but some of the coolest people around today.Subscribe
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