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.

Live After 5 returns to downtown Raleigh for another season in 2026, but with a vastly different setup from years past. There’s a new time on a new night, with a new format, at new locations. But what’s staying the same is that all its shows are free.

This year’s model of Live After 5 kicks off at the new time of 7pm on the new day of Thursday, May 14, with the bluegrass-leaning Asheville jam band Fireside Collective at one of this year’s new venues, Moore Square. It’s the first of a half-dozen shows that will happen on select Thursday nights through mid-August.

Thursday is the new night, changed from Wednesdays in prior seasons to get more edge-of-the-weekend energy. And the 7pm start time is an hour later than 2025, with just one performer and no opening act so as to finish by 9pm.

Perhaps the most dramatic change of all is that this year’s Live After 5 will be the first to appear in more than one venue. Four shows will happen at Moore Square, plus one each at Raleigh Union Station and Seaboard Station.

“This is the first time with multiple venues,” says Lucy McInnis, director of creative programming and activations for Live After 5 presenter Downtown Raleigh Alliance. “We try to listen to stakeholders, and then pivot and adapt strategies to better serve everyone. We thought it would be fun this year to make Live After 5 a downtown tour of new developments like Seaboard Station.”

Live After 5 is the latest iteration of weeknight free-concert series going back to the 1990s in downtown Raleigh. The series went dormant some years back before Downtown Raleigh Alliance revived it in 2023. This year’s series is a partnership with Capitol Broadcasting Company as primary sponsor. Deep South Entertainment, which also programs and produces the North Carolina State Fair’s annual Homegrown Music Festival, handled the selection of performers.

Musically, this year’s Live After 5 covers a lot of ground. In addition to Fireside Collective on May 14, the schedule includes Americana-leaning Orange County singer/songwriter River Shook on June 4 (note: moved to July 16) at Moore Square; polyglot Raleigh dance-music artist AZUL on June 18 at Raleigh Union Station; from Boone, r&b/jazz vocalist Elora Dash on July 23 at Seaboard Station; Raleigh country-rock band (and spinoff of The Love Language) Fancy Gap at Moore Square July 30; and Raleigh indie-rockers Harvey Street at Moore Square on Aug. 13 for the season finale.

“We hope people will come support the amazing local and regional artists we have, as well as our local businesses,” says McInnis. “And we also hope mother nature cooperates, of course.”

2026 Live After 5 schedule

• May 14 – Fireside Collective, Moore Square
• June 4 – River Shook, Moore Square
• June 18 – AZUL, Raleigh Union Station
• July 23 – Elora Dash, Seaboard Station
• July 30 – Fancy Gap, Moore Square
• Aug. 13 – Harvey Street, Moore Square

^{Clockwise, starting in top left: Fireside Collective; River Shook; AZUL; Harvey Street}

Live After 5 shows happen on select Thursday nights from 7 to 9pm at three different downtown Raleigh venues as noted. All are free to attend. In the event of inclement weather, the Union Station and Seaboard Station shows will be moved indoors. Makeup rain dates for Moore Square shows are set for July 16, Aug. 6 and Aug. 20.

For more details about the Live After 5 series, see downtownraleigh.org.