Summer has officially started in Charlotte, North Carolina, and with school out for the season, the 2026 class of the idobi Radio Summer School Tour turned up the heat at The Fillmore. For the third annual event, this tour has had local talent opening the show. Insert Lacy Dooms from Charlotte, who later was seen crowd surfing during Honey Revenge’s set. Next up was Chase Petra from Long Beach, California, fresh off the release of their latest EP, A Terrible Ennui.
Not to be outdone by all the strong female singers on this tour, Games We Play took the stage, and immediately the entire band went shirtless. Pausing to chat, lead singer Emmyn Calleiro confessed he didn’t like the music he was making and had not toured in a year because of it. They played several new songs, including “Right Place Wrong Timing,” and brought a fan wearing the band’s merch on stage to play keyboard during “Silver Lining,” a new song from their forthcoming album I Wish I Never Quit, due out Sept 18th.
Winona Fighter took the stage and wasted no time starting a mosh pit during the first song, “R U FAMOUS.” They then shouted out a local Charlotte radio station for having “You Look Like A Drunk Phoebe Bridges” on their rotation. Between the high kicks and jumping, lead singer Coco Kinnon talked about the band’s hometown of Nashville and the data centers being built next to their zoo, promoting a petition for fans to sign before playing their latest released song, “BOMBS AWAY.”
The UK’s South Arcade was next, and their energy pulsated through the room. Playing in Charlotte for the first time, the band encouraged crowd surfers to raise a fist in the air in a Superman pose in honor of its namesake, their song “SUPERMAN.” The band’s look and their song “2005” echo the sounds and style of yesteryear. Not a soul in the pit stopped jumping or surfing through their whole set, closing with “stone cold summer.”
Summer School ended with former opener turned headliner Honey Revenge. They started with “Run Your Mouth” off their upcoming album Loving and Losing, set to be released Sept 17th. Littering the set with fan favorites like “Recipe for Disaster” and “Habitual,” the songs still hit as hard as ever. Playing new track “Sunday Scaries” on a Sunday was particularly fun as the crowd sang along. The band brought a fan on stage to sing during “Are you Impressed?,” and lead singer Devin Papadol jumped in the center of the room to sing in the pit, closing the show with “Airhead.”
Throughout the night, each band announced they would be at their merch table after the show to meet fans. Still buzzing from the performances, the crowd made its way to the back of the venue for a chance to meet their favorite artists. idobi Radio Summer School 2026 is heading to the Northeast and Midwest before finishing in late July in Long Beach (Warped Tour). Tickets for remaining dates can be purchased here.
