Note: Authored by David Menconi, this piece has been produced in partnership with Raleigh Arts. Menconi's latest book, "Oh, Didn't They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music," was published by University of North Carolina Press. His podcast, Carolina Calling, explores the history of the Tar Heel State through music.

There are a lot of different possible titles for what Christine Williams does during hockey games at Raleigh’s Lenovo Center, as director of event presentation for the Carolina Hurricanes. You could liken her to a producer, show caller, orchestra conductor or “overseer of everything, more or less,” as she herself puts it. But one function stands out above all others.

“I hit the bullhorn,” she says with a smile. “Which as we all know is the most important part.”

Indeed, that bullhorn is the sound that announces a Hurricanes goal during the game, and victory at the end when the home team wins. Williams has been hitting it plenty this season, as the Hurricanes are in the midst of another great season—head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s team has put together one of the best regular-season won-loss records in the National Hockey League (tied for the most points in the Eastern Conference as of Jan. 26). 

That success is translating off the ice, too, in the form of a long streak of sellout crowds. The streak stood at 117 straight games coming into the 2025-26 season, and it has continued unbroken this year. Along with the team’s success, a big reason crowds keep turning out is that the Hurricanes put on a capital-S Show every game with video screens, special effects, music and in-game lights, camera, action.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the show comes just before the Hurricanes take to the ice in the final pre-game sequence, with a sound and 3D light display that uses the ice rink as another video screen. It rivals anything you might see at a full-on arena-rock spectacle by the likes of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Putting it all together and pulling it off takes a crew of around three-dozen people, with Williams at the helm.

“Either on headset, text or radio, I am in communication with the director of the show, lighting and audio operators, deejay, PA announcer, NHL officials, marketing team, mascot and everyone else to make sure everything goes off on time,” says Williams. “The script is laid out, all planned down to the second. We have to make sure everything happens on time, and make quick decisions in the moment. It gets less scripted as you get into the game, more free-flowing.”

Preparation begins well in advance of the tightly sequenced button-pushing that goes on during the game—not just before games but before the season even starts. It starts with pre-season brainstorming sessions about each season’s lineup of theme nights, as well as an overall season concept.

“Each season we create a campaign with a tagline to represent the identity of the team,” says Cato Cataldo, senior director of creative services for the Hurricanes. “This year’s campaign is ‘Carolina Culture,’ we start building story from that with different storylines, activating different opportunities.”

Upcoming theme nights this year include Whalers Night on Jan. 29, in which the Hurricanes revisit their pre-North Carolina identity as the Hartford Whalers; the Olympics Send-Off Game on Feb. 3, right before this year’s mid-season break for the Winter Olympics; Military Appreciation Night on March 29; and Grateful Dead Night on April 2.

Music is an integral part of every game, assembled and played by DJ Mistta Illz (Marcus Ward) from his stage above Section 229 in the Lenovo Center.

“He does a great changing up the flavor from game to game,” says Williams. “He can play up to 200 songs a night, and he’s a big believer in not playing a song more than once. Theme nights like Whalers Night, he’ll use music to change up the feeling and the vibe based on ’80s or early ’90s music to make it feel like a different time.”

After Williams hits the bullhorn to signify a Hurricanes goal, Ward will play rapper Petey Pablo’s 2001 North Carolina roll call “Raise Up,” which has been the home team’s goal song since 2018 (following periods when the goal song was Britpop band Blur’s “Song 2” and techno deejay Avicii’s “The Nights”).

And as it has been since the team first came to North Carolina in 1997, “Rock You Like a Hurricane” by German heavy-metal band The Scorpions remains the Hurricanes’ introductory theme song.

“Our job is to feed off the crowd as well as the team,” says Williams. “We obviously hope the games are always entertaining enough to stand on their own. What we try to do is enhance the experience whether you’re a fan there to just watch hockey, or coming for the first time not knowing anything about the game. Regardless, we want you to have a good time and come back.”

“We take pride in the fact that it’s not your traditional NHL experience,” adds Cato. “The energy that happens here, especially during the playoffs, makes us the loudest house in the league—and that’s from outsiders, not an internal claim. It’s a testament to our fans. I think it’s because this is a collegiate area without another pro team in the market. So the Hurricanes bring everybody in the Triangle together. State, Duke and Carolina fans all embrace the Canes.”

^{All photos courtesy of the Carolina Hurricanes}