Arts & Entertainment Readers’ Pick Winners: Best in the Nest 2024 | Queen City Nerve

Best in the Nest Readers’ Picks were chosen exclusively by readers through a one-month nomination process followed by a one-month voting process. The nominations were not tampered with by Queen City Nerve staff at all — save for removing ourselves from a few categories to proactively dispel any notions of favoritism. In other words, if you disagree with these ones, that’s on your fellow reader, not us. 2024 saw more than 30,000 ballots cast between the nomination and final rounds of voting.

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Winners: Download your award graphics here

VISUAL ARTS

BEST ART GALLERY

Winner: The Mint Museum
Runner Up: Petra’s Bar

BEST DISPLAY OF PUBLIC ART

Winner: Camp North End
Runner Up: ArtPop Street Gallery

BEST EXHIBIT

Winner: “Open Wide the Door: The Story of Mary Cardwell Dawson and the National Negro Opera Company” at Charlotte Museum of History
Runner Up: “American Honey” at McColl Center

BEST INSTALLATION ARTIST

Winner: Meredith Connelly
Runner Up: Elizabeth Palmisano

BEST MURALIST

Winner: Bree Stallings
Runner Up: Liz Haywood

BEST MUSEUM

Winner: The Mint Museum
Runner Up: The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER

Winner: Tory April Silinski – TAS Visuals
Runner Up: Gloria Zavaleta

BEST SCULPTOR

Winner: Lee Ko
Runner Up: Grace Stott

BEST TATTOO ARTIST

Winner: Hannah Mckee – Ruby Tiger Tattoo Studio
Runner Up: Elisa Sanchez – All My Heart Tattoo Studio

BEST VISUAL ARTIST

Winner: Sydney Duarte
Runner Up: Dammit Wesley

PERFORMING ARTS

BEST ACROBAT

Winner: Madison Cox
Runner Up: Melanie Fox – Cirque du Biere

BEST ACTOR

Winner: Matt Cosper
Runner Up: Devin Clark

BEST ACTRESS

Winner: Cecilia McNeill
Runner Up: Kadey Ballard

BEST CLASSICAL DANCER

Winner: Melody Shanahan
Runner Up: Shefalee Patel

BEST COMEDIAN

Winner: Nathan Baker
Runner Up: Kayla Kandi

BEST COMEDY VENUE

Winner: The Comedy Zone
Runner Up: Starlight on 22nd

BEST CONTEMPORARY DANCER

Winner: Audrey Baran
Runner Up: Carolina Quirós Otárola

BEST DRAG PERFORMER

Winner: Lolita Chanel
Runner Up: Shelita Bonet Hoyle

BEST IMPROV TROUPE

Winner: (TIED) Femmeprov CLT
Winner: (TIED) Shameless Society Improv
Runner Up: Breakroom Improv

BEST MAGICIAN

Winner: Jack Kelly
Runner Up: Bryan Saint

BEST MOVIE THEATER

Winner: The Independent Picture House
Runner Up: Cinemark Bistro Charlotte

BEST PERFORMING ARTIST(S)

Winner: Melody Shanahan
Runner Up: Christine McLennan

BEST PLACE TO HEAR SPOKEN WORD

Winner: Petra’s Bar
Runner Up: The Evening Muse

BEST SKETCH COMEDY ROUTINE

Winner: Bummerland Sketch
Runner Up: The Lynns

BEST THEATRE COMPANY

Winner: Charlotte Comedy Theater
Runner Up: Three Bone Theatre

BEST THEATRE SHOW (LOCAL)

Winner: Kudzu: A Story of Belonging
Runner Up: Thoughts of a Colored Man

BEST THEATRE SHOW (NATIONAL)

Winner: Hadestown at Belk Theater
Runner Up: Back to the Future: The Musical at Belk Theater

MUSIC BY VENUE

BEST CONCERT VENUE

Winner: Neighborhood Theatre
Runner Up: The Milestone Club

BEST LOCAL RECORD LABEL

Winner: Self Aware Records
Runner Up: Four Finger Records

BEST LOCAL SHOW OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS

Winner: Thousand Dollar Movie Album Release with The Ben Walkers and Late Bloomer at Petra’s Bar 6/29/24
Runner Up: Modern Moxie Album Release Show with Willa Mae, BrizB, & Aerial By Madison Cox at Snug Harbor 8/31/24

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL (IN STATE)

Winner: Lovin’ Life Music Fest
Runner Up: Welcome to the Family Fest

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL (OUT OF STATE)

Winner: Lollapalooza
Runner Up: Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival

BEST MUSIC SCHOOL/LESSONS

Winner: School of Rock Charlotte
Runner Up: We Rock Charlotte

BEST NATIONAL SHOW OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS

Winner: Green Day at PNC Music Pavilion 8/26/24
Runner Up: Megan Thee Stallion at PNC Music Pavilion 7/3/24

BEST OPEN MIC NIGHT

Winner: The Evening Muse
Runner Up: Common Market South End

BEST PLACE TO HEAR COUNTRY MUSIC

Winner: Coyote Joe’s
Runner Up: Thirsty Beaver Saloon

BEST PLACE TO HEAR JAZZ

Winner: Middle C Jazz
Runner Up: Petra’s Bar

BEST RECORDING STUDIO

Winner: Sioux Sioux Studio
Runner Up: Old House Studio

MUSIC BY ARTIST(S)

BEST ALTERNATIVE/PUNK BAND

Winner: Thousand Dollar Movie
Runner Up: Hey RICHARD

BEST BLUES/JAZZ/SOUL BAND

Winner: Cosmic Collective
Runner Up: The Bleus

BEST COUNTRY/FOLK BAND

Winner: Sinners & Saints
Runner Up: Wes and The Railroaders

BEST DJ

Winner: That Guy Smitty
Runner Up: DJ Fannie Mae

BEST ELECTRONIC/POP

Winner: Natalie Carr
Runner Up: Girl Brutal

BEST EXPERIMENTAL MUSICIAN/BAND

Winner: Girl Brutal
Runner Up: Bravo Pueblo

BEST INDIE-ROCK BAND

Winner: Modern Moxie
Runner Up: Thousand Dollar Movie

BEST LIVE PERFORMER(S)

Winner: Christine McLennan
Runner Up: Once Below Joy

BEST LOCAL ALBUM

Winner: “Tripping the Light Fantastic” – Modern Moxie
Runner Up: “Good Morning, Factory” – Jackson Fig

BEST NEW BAND

Winner: Girl Brutal
Runner Up: Bravo Pueblo

BEST POTENTIAL BREAKOUT ARTIST

Winner: MoonLander
Runner Up: Thousand Dollar Movie

BEST PRODUCER

Winner: Leonardo Solis
Runner Up: Franky Dynamite

BEST R&B SINGER

Winner: Dexter Jordan
Runner Up: Neveah

BEST RAPPER

Winner: Phaze Gawd
Runner Up: Elevator Jay

BEST SOLO PERFORMER

Winner: Melody Shanahan
Runner Up: Christine McLennan

BEST SINGER/SONGWRITER

Winner: Natalie Carr
Runner Up: Lisa De Novo

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