Cannonball Music Hall
Cannonball Music Hall is Raleigh's scrappy independent music venue — sweaty and unapologetic and proudly community-driven. Founded by Cassie Frye and James McMillian out of a shared love for the kind of shows where the stage barely counts as a stage and the bands are regular people who just love playing music. Located inside the Raleigh Iron Works complex at 2304 Atlantic Ave Cannonball has carved out a unique identity as a launch pad for local and emerging musicians.
The Vibe
This is not a corporate venue. Cannonball is small (capacity 100 standing) raw and real. Think sticky floors disco balls mismatched furniture and a crowd that genuinely shows up to listen. The room holds up to 100 in standing room only mode or 80 in theater-style seating. The energy is inclusive and the programming spans punk metal hip hop indie rock bluegrass burlesque and everything in between.
Open Mic Nights
Every Tuesday Cannonball hosts its weekly Open Mic Night under the disco ball. Signup opens at 7:00 PM and music kicks off at 7:20 PM sharp. Only 8 slots are available each week so arrive early. Solo acts bands acoustic sets — all genres welcome. The crowd votes on performers each week and a monthly Belle of the Ball title is awarded to the fan favorite. House backline includes drums keyboard PA system mics setups for 2 guitars and 1 bass.
Other Weekly and Regular Events
Cannonball hosts a rotating schedule of live music shows comedy nights karaoke music bingo and themed events throughout the week. Past and recurring programming has included punk and metal shows hip hop nights indie rock showcases burlesque performances horror movie nights and special touring acts. The venue is open Tuesday through Sunday on nights with scheduled events.
Band Rehearsal Rooms
Beyond the main stage Cannonball also offers private band rehearsal rooms available for booking — a rare and valuable resource for working musicians in Raleigh. This dual focus on performance and practice makes it a true music hub for the local scene.
Tech and Sound
The stage is 9 feet deep by 20 feet wide. The PA system features a Behringer X32 Compact front of house mixer QSC mains and subwoofer and QSC monitors. The mic locker includes Shure SM58s SM57s Sennheiser e609s sE Electronics V7 and a full Presonus drum mic kit.
