Editor’s Note: This local blog contribution is part of our CONTRIBUTE AN ARTICLE program on scoop.
The PGA Major Rager – Carolina Style – Part I
Before we know it summer will be over and football and golf will be back in the Carolina’s. Hooray! I can’t think of a better way to close out Summer 2017 than with a SOLD OUT PGA Championship, complete with a kick ass benefit concert. Ladies and gentleman, I give you The Major Rager.
Four years strong The Major Rager, hosted by Friends With Benefits Productions & Swope Productions, has established itself as the must-see event for The Masters Tournament hosted in Augusta, Georgia. This year golf and music fans will be happy to hear that they are venturing out and will head to Charlotte’s Symphony Park on Thursday August 10th. They plan to hit all 4 of the championships in the next few years, including the Ryder Cup, the Senior PGA Championship and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.
The Quail Hollow Club will host the 99th PGA Championship the 2nd week in August, which has already SOLD OUT Wednesday to Sunday. To say it’s a hot ticket is an understatement. The Major Rager benefit for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is not far behind, with tickets going fast. Word has spread that veteran rockers Umphrey’s McGee is headlining (more on them in Part II), along with Nashville’s energetic rock band Moon Taxi. I just recently saw Moon Taxi at the Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta and they put on an awesome, fun show complete with covers and tunes that make you wanna dance.
Last week I had the chance to chat with Tommy Putnam, the bass player from Moon Taxi and talk a little about the bands involvement with the benefit and their new hit single. Moon Taxi has played Charlotte numerous times before, but this will be the 1st time at Symphony Park. It’s going to be a real treat for the fans. Tommy informed me he had just come from the golf course. Members of both bands are sports fans and avid golfers and try to squeeze it in while on the road.
Moon Taxi, who have been on David Letterman and Austin City Limits (to name a few) and played numerous festivals including Bonnaroo, Coachella, Governor’s Ball, Hangout Festival and Lollapalooza has a new single out and it’s climbing the charts…..fast. It’s called Two High. It’s the 1st track release off of their much anticipated fourth album, that will hopefully be out later this year. Two High is a catchy little tune that gets stuck in your head and you will find yourself humming along and just generally in a feel good mood. Last week it was #1 on Spotify’s Good Vibes playlist.
Have a listen:
Here’s what you need to know about Moon Taxi:
– They have 3 million+ listeners on Spotify. People are listening.
– They are not a jam band. Unlike Umphrey’s, Moon Taxi is an energetic, song oriented fun band that has played countless festivals and shows but doesn’t “jam” per se. Look to hear them on the radio a lot this summer and in months to come.
– The name Moon Taxi comes from (and this is Tommy’s side of the story) Trevor mooning a taxi who wouldn’t pick them up when they were in college. Tommy assured me that Trevor will say it was the other way around.
– They might release another song this Summer. Maybe. Look for it in July.
– The band just celebrated 10 years together. When I asked what was their favorite show or moment in those 10 years, it was hands down Bonaroo 2012. They had the Thursday night 7pm slot and went from playing in front 1,500 people to playing in front of a crowd of 14,000+. This is also where they covered Rage Against The Machines “Killing In The Name Of” and won over an entire new audience.
– Who are they following at the PGA? Smylie Kaufman. He’s the hometown hero for Tommy and Trevor. They attended the same school, Vestavia Hills High school back in Birmingham, Alabama.
I’ll be chatting with the other bands for the benefit here in the next few weeks so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, grab your tickets for the Major Rager and come celebrate the kick off to one of golf’s majors events! Don’t forget, a portion of proceeds will go to the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.
#staytunedqc
Photographer credit:
Jenna Gribble
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