From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. More than two dozen classic hits including “I Walk the Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and, of course, “Ring of Fire.” Performed by a multi-talented cast.

Director Ben Hope adds “Having spent many years working on various productions of Ring of Fire (this production will be my personal 10th!), The most extraordinary thing I keep finding about Mr. Cash is how unanimously loved he is, even now, 20 years since his death. No other project seems to attract such a varied and enthusiastic crowd as the music of Johnny Cash. I think it’s because he wrote for the ordinary. His words and music are authentic and simple, and he speaks plainly about things we all connect with. He was fallible, with personal demons and shortcomings. He makes us feel like our own imperfections are normal and mundane, and he teaches us that there’s beauty and hope, even in despair. I love Johnny Cash, and I know Flat Rock audiences are going to love Ring of Fire’.”

Don’t miss this inspiring story, all the great music, and an evening of iconic Johnny Cash!

Ring of Fire is presented by WHKP and Carolina Ace Hardware. Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Season is supported by Charlotte & Bob Otto, Optimum, WHKP, and WTZQ as well as the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. www.NCArts.org

For a complete lineup with show descriptions and to purchase tickets, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

We are seeking volunteers to assist us in our small after school program for children in West Asheville in low-income housing.  We provide a safe and nourishing environment, healthy snacks, and creative activities.  Our program currently meets during the school year on most Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:00-5:00pm. You may volunteer for one or two days a week. 

Volunteer Responsibilities:

• Assist with serving snacks
• Interact with children during activity time
• Supervise games and outdoor free time
• For people with background in education, there is also an opportunity to assist with curriculum development and program planning and administration

Requirements:

• Background check
• Orientation booklets will be provided
• Masks are required if unvaccinated

Join us on Thursdays from 3-6 pm through October

Celebrating over 15 years of bringing fresh, local produce and handcrafted goods to the community of Flat Rock NC.
Join us every Thursday, May – October at our location at Pinecrest Presbyterian Church at the corner of Upward Rd and Greenville Hwy. 

We are absolutely STOKED to announce that Mother’s Pizza is coming back for a series of Pop-Ups this Spring! Come by and get delicious Neapolitan-style pizza paired with your favorite Oak and Grist cocktails. We’re even staying open a little bit later so you can enjoy the beautiful Black Mountain sunset! Make sure you cancel those dinner plans, ‘cause you won’t wanna miss this exclusive pop-up event! Available for dine-in or take-out!

MOTHERS PIZZA WEBSITE

Join us this month as we discuss Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell.  We will meet in person at the Weaverville Library with the option to join in via ZOOM. Only ZOOM participants need to register.  Copies of this title are available at the library as long as supplies last. Newcomers are always welcome.

Crime and Politics Book Club

Have fun building a unique creation with Legos at the East Asheville Public Library!
Flex your Lego building skills and make some friends while you’re at it.
Please leave your personal Legos at home because we’ve got plenty.

Open to all ages 5 & up.

For questions call 828-250-4738.

Come join the Chamber for Business After Hours at The Mule, hosted by Beer City Comic Con!

Calling all science nerds, comic fans, cosplay enthusiasts, and those curious about our scene, the inaugural Asheville Beer City Comic Con will exceed your expectations and delight all your senses. This dynamic event will be marvelous thanks to exciting comic book and pop culture vendors, brave local artists, magnificently big brained speakers, and yummylicious beer from Western North Carolina’s best craft breweries. Please join us for a special after hours that will be linking the Mule’s “Doing Good Through Business” event with Mosaic Realty and Pisgah Legal as well as a Comic Con Ribbon Cutting. Stay after the event for Star Wars Trivia with Kipper at 7pm! This is going to be a night you do not want to miss!

Feel free to bring a gift to be raffled off as door prizes towards the end of the evening. Bring your business cards for networking and a chance to win prizes!

This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership. We welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Member Development Specialist, at [email protected] if you’re considering a Chamber membership.

Trivia, Singo, tailgate games, and more! Our games are sure to challenge you, but c’mon… it’s not rocket science!

Come have a drink and experiment with art materials while connecting with your community! Asheville Art Museum will host Open Studio at Different Wrld on the the first Thursday evening of each month throughout the year.

This free drop-in program, which is facilitated by the Asheville Art Museum and hosted at Different Wrld, aims to expose and engage participants with the Museum’s Collection and changing exhibitions. Attendees must be 21 or older to participate. The Asheville Art Museum will provide all instruction, supplies, and materials.

Join us on select Thursdays from April through September for live Americana music from the Waverly front porch along with great southern fare and cold beverages. Bring a lawn chair and/or blanket from 6-8pm for a great evening in Hendersonville.

May 4: Jess Jocoy, Waverly Front Porch Series

June 1: Letters to Abigail, Waverly Front Porch Series

June 29: The Gathering Dark, Waverly Front Porch Series

July 27: The Last Full Measure, Waverly Front Porch Series

September 7: Angela Easterling, Waverly Front Porch Series

October 5: David Childers, Waverly Front Porch Series

The String Cheese Incident will be performing LIVE on the Outdoor Stage at Salvage Station for an incredible three-night run (Thursday, May 4th, Friday, May 5th and Saturday, May 6th)! Doors open at 5:30pm and the music starts at 6:30pm. All tickets are General Admission and these shows are all-ages with children under 7 free.

Root Down will be serving their delicious twist on Southern Soul food PLUS we will have additional food trucks on-site for the duration of the show.  And, of course, we will have MULTIPLE full bars open for you to enjoy!

Known as the “high priests of brass,” the American Brass Quintet has performed around the world and across the United States at many prestigious venues. Known for playing a wide range of music, they are accomplished in early, classical, and contemporary compositions. They play with assurance, technical prowess, and bravura.

Our jazz trio with Thommy Knoles on keys, Felix Pastorius on bass, and Paul Gladstone on drums will perform an opening set from about 7-8:15 pm.

An open jam session follows. Drop-ins are welcome and encouraged for a suggested donation of $10.

Jazz Jam will feature a diverse array of music from jazz’s rich history, ranging from 1940s bebop up to 1970s jazz fusion, as well as material from prominent present-day composers. Bring your instruments and jam with us, or just come and enjoy!

From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. More than two dozen classic hits including “I Walk The Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and, of course, “Ring of Fire.” Performed by a multi-talented cast, Ring of Fire paints a musical portrait of ‘The Man in Black’ that promises to be a foot-stompin’, crowd-pleasin’ salute to a unique musical legend!

“Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek….” And thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand… and his name is Shrek.

Shrek presents a treasure trove of creative opportunities, including costumes, sets, puppets (there is a fire-breathing dragon after all) and more! Irreverently fun for the whole family, Shrek proves that beauty is truly in the eye of the ogre.

Shrek is produced by our APAA Company members. This production is double cast. If you are interested in seeing a specific performer, please consult with them before purchasing tickets. Tickets will not be refunded or exchanged to see a specific performer.

Join the APAA’s Company Member in the hilarious stage spectacle with everyone’s favorite Ogre.   “Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek….” And thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand… and his name is Shrek.   Shrek presents a treasure trove of creative opportunities, including costumes, sets, puppets (there is a fire-breathing dragon after all) and more! Irreverently fun for the whole family, Shrek proves that beauty is truly in the eye of the ogre.

Come out the third Thursday night for these FREE monthly improv jam sessions. What better place to test out your improv skills than in a low stakes setting among friends.

Welcome to the world of suspense, intrigue, love, loyalty, and tragedy in this new masterpiece from Barcelona Flamenco Ballet. Welcome to LUXURÎA!

Under the direction of choreographer David Gutiérrez, ‘Luxurîa’ is deeply innovative in its combination of both traditional and contemporary flamenco dance, making it without doubt one of the most eye-catching new productions in recent years.

Join Barcelona Flamenco Ballet, one of the most popular dance companies in the world, for an unforgettable night of beautiful music, lyrical dance, and the fascinating synthesis of classical, jazz, and conventional flamenco that’s not to be missed!

Welcome to the world of suspense, intrigue, love, loyalty, and tragedy in this new masterpiece from Barcelona Flamenco Ballet. Welcome to LUXURÎA!

Under the direction of choreographer David Gutiérrez, ‘Luxurîa’ is deeply innovative in its combination of both traditional and contemporary flamenco dance, making it without doubt one of the most eye-catching new productions in recent years.

Join Barcelona Flamenco Ballet, one of the most popular dance companies in the world, for an unforgettable night of beautiful music, lyrical dance, and the fascinating synthesis of classical, jazz, and conventional flamenco that’s not to be missed!

From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. More than two dozen classic hits including “I Walk the Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and, of course, “Ring of Fire.” Performed by a multi-talented cast.

Director Ben Hope adds “Having spent many years working on various productions of Ring of Fire (this production will be my personal 10th!), The most extraordinary thing I keep finding about Mr. Cash is how unanimously loved he is, even now, 20 years since his death. No other project seems to attract such a varied and enthusiastic crowd as the music of Johnny Cash. I think it’s because he wrote for the ordinary. His words and music are authentic and simple, and he speaks plainly about things we all connect with. He was fallible, with personal demons and shortcomings. He makes us feel like our own imperfections are normal and mundane, and he teaches us that there’s beauty and hope, even in despair. I love Johnny Cash, and I know Flat Rock audiences are going to love Ring of Fire’.”

Don’t miss this inspiring story, all the great music, and an evening of iconic Johnny Cash!

Ring of Fire is presented by WHKP and Carolina Ace Hardware. Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Season is supported by Charlotte & Bob Otto, Optimum, WHKP, and WTZQ as well as the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. www.NCArts.org

For a complete lineup with show descriptions and to purchase tickets, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

Couldn’t Be Happiers make music that is witty and entertaining even as the lyrics weave in serious topics to consider.

Melissa Clarke, Americana Highways,

“Song Premiere: Couldn’t Be Happiers ‘Treehouse’” (10.27.21)

Every single facet about Couldn’t Be Happiers latest record release Songs For Butchie, Vol. 1 has been nothing but flawless in our eyes.

We Write About Music,

“Couldn’t Be Happiers craft a complex sound on Songs For Butchie” (11.09.21)

The Couldn’t Be Happiers are an Americana songwriting husband-wife duo expressing the musical ethos of their home states of Texas and North Carolina. The couple interacts with each other and the audience for an engaging, performance-driven set.

Winston Salem Journal: “Best Bets” (January 20, 2019)

Jodi Hildebran Lee and Jordan Crosby Lee are both law school graduates, but they didn’t meet in a courtroom.

They first met in Winston-Salem in 2013 at an old-time music circle that gathered once a month to share music, food, and company to decompress from the rigors of ordinary life. A career opportunity sent Jordan to Texas and separated the two friends until they serendipitously reconnected a year later. This new connection was different, and it was strong. So strong that Jordan packed up his dog and guitar and left both Texas and the practice of law for a life of music with Jodi in North Carolina.

Now they’ve got four dogs and a band together, and they couldn’t be happier.

The name says it all. Energetic and quirky, Couldn’t Be Happiers is a folk-rock duo that clearly enjoys every moment of their second chance at happiness, and it’s contagious. Described by Doug Davis of Flytrap Studios as Violent Femmes meets Johnny and June, this married songwriting duo mixes up rock, pop, bluegrass, and folk into a Carolinian succotash you need to taste to understand. Their songbook includes stories about the obsessive drive of a Bigfoot hunter, the life cycle of a plastic bag, the untold perspective of the first woman hanged in North Carolina, and the acrobatic feats of strength performed by a Cajun burglar feeding his gambling habit.

But aside from the stories, what you’ll notice first is the voices — and in particular the beautiful homespun harmonies. Those voices will take you from church to holler to club to Opry and back again all in one song, thanks to the exhilarating power of Jodi’s vocals and the smoothly classic twang of Jordan’s. With Jodi on drums, Jordan on guitar, and now backed by local legend Michael Bennett on bass, Couldn’t Be Happiers roll out an incredible sound, a set of great original songs, and a live show that all but dares you not to enjoy yourself.

– Tuck Satterfield of The Simple Joy

CLICK HERE for more info and videos from THE COULDNT BE HAPPIERS

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Also on the program will be Nashville-based artists

Adrian + Meredith

Four years since their debut release, Adrian + Meredith take their fearless, blistering, and Balkan-tinged Americana to new heights on their sophomore record, Bad for Business. Recorded in the living room of their midcentury East Nashville house with friends like Paul Niehaus (Justin Townes Earle, Colexico), saxophonist Ken Francis Wenzel (Carlos Santana, Bobby Parker), and banjo player Fats Kaplan (Jack White), Bad For Business is a raucous, rebellious and home-spun variety show. The record’s intimate connection with the recording space and personnel creates the right conditions for Adrian + Meredith to soar sonically and lyrically, as they consider disillusioning times for the country—and the world

CLICK HERE for more info on Adrian + Meredith

We have three opportunities for you to help Connect Beyond AND see some music! We need volunteers to assist with wristbands for three shows this summer at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville in Downtown Asheville, N.C. Shifts are roughly (3) hours and all participating volunteers will also receive (1) free ticket to stay after and watch the show. The following dates and shows are available: May 7th: Gojira and Mastodon June 13th: boygenius August 12th: Motionless in White