Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Join Sanctuary Brewing Company and Ben Phan, Guitarist and Songwriter on February 7th, 2018 for an evening of incredible music by an even more incredible person!
A year of jazz conservatory at Virginia Commonwealth University left Ben Phan rebellious: uninspired by the environment and fed-up with the structure, he knew he didn’t want to be an academic musician.
So Phan began his professional career as a founding member of the Richmond Afrobeat Movement, a blend of jazz, funk and African dance music which earned significant attention in the South, including a TV appearance and other media features.
A stint as Musical Director for Free Run Wine Merchants gave Phan a chance to develop his professional skills, setting up musical events for the company, which included solo jazz gigs as well as band arrangements.
Phan then joined a bluegrass and folk band, the Rusty Strings, and discovered the joy in sitting on a porch and singing together with others, simply for the love of music.
In 2014, Phan decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and his life changed forever. Along with everything else he needed, he carried a mini-guitar on his back and became known by the name “Shredder” because of how he “shredded the guitar” when he played. Five months of travel on foot, 2,668 miles from the Mexican border all the way into Canada, playing for himself and the people he met, transformed his relationship with music. He began writing songs, drawn from his experiences on the trail as well as his past struggles with depression, addiction, loss and love. The music offered hope and solace, to him and to his audiences.
The time on the Pacific Crest Trail renewed Phan’s passion for music. With a prolific body of original work, he returned to Asheville to record his first solo EP, “Hold On, Let Go.” He assembled a band, made up of some of the best musicians in Asheville: besides liking his music, they appreciate the dedication and professionalism Phan brings to his work. The band released it’s debut album, “Dreams in Modern Folk”, to a sold out crowd at the Altamont Theatre, one of Asheville’s finest listening rooms. The band continued to perform successful shows over the following year, refining their high energy sound which combines fiery improvisation with rich composition. This led to a successful kickstarter campaign to fund their next album, “Fear is the Teacher”, which the band is currently recording with Grammy winning producer Matt Williams. Phan continues to perform with the band, as a solo artist, and in collaborations with other musicians; he has also built a successful guitar teaching practice, which he finds a great source of inspiration.
Phan is a prolific poet, songwriter, and guitarist, with the soul of an improviser. He crafts his songs to give room for improvisation, presence, and self-expression in the moment. He believes that the best live music is when everyone playing is co-creating – which means that every one of his concerts offers audiences a different sound and a unique experience.
https://www.benphanmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/208380323385063/
“Bop and Evey” International Debut
Written by Caoimhín Ó Rían
Featuring David Yeates and Erin McCarson
A brother and a sister who have been disconnected in recent years find themselves back in their parents’ home for Christmas only to rediscover and attempt to solve their childhood issues. Watch Robert and Evelyn relive their former selves in this heartwarming comedic drama.
This play evolved from an Acting/Writing Exercise which took place in Coláiste Dhúlaigh in 2010, where two actors (Caoimhín Ó Rían and Megan Keegan) wrote and performed a short scene using language in the most unique and creative of fashions. “Bop and Evey” became one of the most celebrated creative achievements of the year and went on to perform on the Dublin Theatre scene.
(Contains Adult Material)
https://www.facebook.com/events/311797729452277/
Come one, come all, to a special listening room-style evening of heart-melting singer/songwriters at Static Age Records on Lexington Ave in the heart of downtown Asheville.
SHOW: 8pm
TICKETS: $5 at door
THE LINEUP:
KATHRYN O’SHEA
MEL & FATE (A special duo set by Melanie A. Davis and Fate McAfee)
COWBABY
Info about the artists:
KATHRYN O’SHEA
Kathryn is a banjo-playing singer/songwriter solo artist who was born and raised in Asheville, NC. Perfect for fans of Sufjan Stevens or Sarah Jarosz, Kathryn is known best for her hauntingly poignant lyricism and masterful vocal play. Her minimalistic banjo accompaniment lays a hypnotic foundation for her powerful vocal stylings to shine. This fall, Kathryn placed 2nd overall in the 11th annual Brown Bag Songwriter’s Competition at The Asheville Music Hall and opened for the internationally renowned Los Angeles-based artist Terra Naomi at 7 Stages Theater in Atlanta. She is currently recording with music producer M.G. O’Shea, a talented audio engineer who just so happens to be her big brother. This summer, the two worked together to release Kathryn’s debut single, “Snow.” Immersive Atlanta wrote the following in response to the track: “The moment Kathryn O’Shea’s enormous voice slips into the jaunty bustle of ‘Snow,’ you’ll surely wonder what record label she’s gunning for. With a timbre as dynamic as Florence Welsh, the singer/songwriter strips back the sentimental mush from falling snow to tell a clever tale about getting holed in for the winter; even in just four minutes, she fleshes out a character who wrestles with more than just frozen desire.”
FB: https://www.facebook.com/kathrynosheamusic/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZx6zSq2ehAsZfDCZAdU9iXM6SnoIYX6H
BANDCAMP: https://kathrynoshea.bandcamp.com/
MELANIE A. DAVIS
Emanating from the low hills of western Kentucky are the unmistakable songs of Melanie Davis. A thespian at heart, her ability to craft tunes that are simultaneously poignant and liberating is steeped in an appreciation for the nuances of human relationships. Whether it’s contemplating the potential of her immediate community or considering her own vices and tendencies, she never shies away from the glaring truths therein. Her stage experience translates into a captivating live performance that leaves the listener hanging with each line. She can deliver complex phrases that speak to neuroses we all understand, all within a fresh wave of jazz-inspired folk arrangements that seem to emphasize the range of emotions she describes. With an inimitable voice and a terrific sense of unique rhythms on the guitar, she has created a truly original sound within the vibrant scene of Murray, KY, and the surrounding area.
http://melanieadavis.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/melanieadavis
FATE MCAFEE
Fate McAfee began his career as a songwriter at the age of 20, recorded his first full length studio album at 22, and has played small festivals, coffee shops, and dive bars everywhere from the Appalachian Mountains, to the Mississippi River, the streets of New Orleans, to theatres in Kentucky. Originally from West Tennessee, Fate’s insightful perspective into the fragile nuances of the human experience are steeped with the knowledge of beauty, struggle, and stoicism of someone raised in the mid-South. His adept finger picking rooted in traditional Americana cradles the disguised allegoric nature of his lyricism. Originally playing solo, Fate has collaborated with several talented musicians for his debut album, “Little Bill and the Late Fees,” recorded in Paducah, KY. His second studio album, “Diesel Palomino,” is set to release late this winter.
http://www.facebook.com/fatemcafeemusic https://soundcloud.com/fatemcafee/sets/diesel-palomino-rough-mixes/s-9Sy2s
COWBABY
Cowbaby is an Asheville, NC based folk duo that combines the angelic voices of Claire Hoke and Annie Jo Buchanan. Drawing inspiration from a range of old-time and bluegrass-influenced artists like Gillian Welch and Dolly Parton, Cowbaby uses banjo, acoustic guitar, and velvety warm harmonies to evoke nostalgia for the tumult of childhood. Since their origin in late 2017, Hoke and Buchanan have explored themes from blurring the lines between girlhood and womanhood to feelings thought but never shared. Their rich, effortless harmonies and dreamy, poetic lyricism offer a cathartic depth of sound and content. Their debut studio recordings are set to release in late January, but clips of their sound, show dates, and other information can be found by following their instagram page: @cowbabyband.
https://www.instagram.com/cowbabyband/
https://www.facebook.com/Cowbaby-222544204930166/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2190030684543760/
The Music of Phish for Kids at The Grey Eagle
THIS EVENT IS ALL AGES
Children under 1 are FREE
The Rock and Roll Playhouse, a family concert series hosted at Grey Eagle, Port City Music Hall, First Avenue, Brooklyn Bowl, The Capitol Theatre, Industry City, Ardmore Music Hall, The Sinclair, Boulder Theater, and Thalia Music Hall, allows kids to “move, play and sing while listening to works from the classic-rock canon” (NY Times). Using the songs created by the most iconic musicians in rock history, The Rock and Roll Playhouse offers its core audience of babies and kids games, movement, and stories and an opportunity to rock out. The Rock and Roll Playhouse is an early and often first introduction to a child’s lifelong journey with live music and rock and roll.
https://www.facebook.com/events/528791207596783/
Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Sundays
1 till who knows when?
Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.
Jack of the Wood
95 Patton ave
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 252.5445
Director Candice Burchill seeks a large cast of adults and teens for Alice in Wonderland. All roles at ACT are open to anyone in the community! No experience is necessary to audition.
Auditions are held over two nights, and you may choose either night to audition. All audition material is provided and will be available at the auditions. Generally, you will be asked to read pages from the script in front of the director, the stage manager, and another reader. Feel free to stop by the theatre’s box office to check out a script ($10 deposit which is returned to you when you bring back the script).
Get more information here: http://ashevilletheatre.org/get-involved/audition/#aliceauditions
https://www.facebook.com/events/391894421603506/?event_time_id=391894428270172
Director Candice Burchill seeks a large cast of adults and teens for Alice in Wonderland. All roles at ACT are open to anyone in the community! No experience is necessary to audition.
Auditions are held over two nights, and you may choose either night to audition. All audition material is provided and will be available at the auditions. Generally, you will be asked to read pages from the script in front of the director, the stage manager, and another reader. Feel free to stop by the theatre’s box office to check out a script ($10 deposit which is returned to you when you bring back the script).
Get more information here: http://ashevilletheatre.org/get-involved/audition/#aliceauditions
https://www.facebook.com/events/391894421603506/?event_time_id=391894431603505
Director Candice Burchill seeks a large cast of adults and teens for Alice in Wonderland. All roles at ACT are open to anyone in the community! No experience is necessary to audition.
Auditions are held over two nights, and you may choose either night to audition. All audition material is provided and will be available at the auditions. Generally, you will be asked to read pages from the script in front of the director, the stage manager, and another reader. Feel free to stop by the theatre’s box office to check out a script ($10 deposit which is returned to you when you bring back the script).
Get more information here: http://ashevilletheatre.org/get-involved/audition/#aliceauditions
https://www.facebook.com/events/391894421603506/
Uncensored expression: anyone is invited to step up to share song, music, poetry, comedy, magic, stories, rants & raves, & other performances!
The most eclectic open mic around, in a welcoming gallery setting! 6 pm signup, perform 6:30-8:30 pm.
Enjoy an evening of Broadway classics, pop standards, heart-pounding love songs as a troupe of singing actors present dinner, fun, laughs and a few surprises- all served up live on stage! Space is limited- advanced tickets suggested. Presented in conjunction with the Christian Training Center International.
Presented by the Overlook Theatre Company
A limited number of scholarships beginning at $1,000 each will be awarded to graduating Buncombe County high school seniors pursuing a career in the performing arts. Submission deadline for 2019 scholarships is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 15, 2019. (Submission of an application does not guarantee an award.)
Who can apply for the Emerging Artists Fund Scholarship?
Students graduating from high school during the current school year are invited to apply. Applicants must currently be residents of Buncombe County, must intend to pursue a career in the performing arts, and must receive a recommendation from a teacher, instructor, or mentor.
Areas of talent include: Music/Instrumental; Music/Vocal; Music/Both instrumental and vocal; Theatre/Dramatic Arts; Spoken Word/Poetry; and Dance.
Applications are available online at http://bit.ly/dwt-emergingartists.
For further information contact Jared McEntire: 828-257-4512 or [email protected].
https://www.facebook.com/events/382638472557905/
Join us for an evening of original music with award-winning songwriter & musician Ash Devine, featuring music to be released on her upcoming album in Fall 2019! Ash Devine is an award-winning songwriter, accomplished guitar and ukulele player, humanitarian performance artist and teacher based in Asheville, NC for over 15 years. Devine’s music is influenced by her upbringing in the Blue Ridge Mountains of VA, world music studies, immersion in traditional Appalachian music, and her international travels with M.D. and activist Patch Adams.
Asheville’s newest downtown market!
Featuring Conscious Consumption, Craft & Conversation.
Calling all revolutionary hearts and wild spirited folks! Join us for LIVE music, medicine, and metaphysics. This is an opportunity to get cozy with an amazing community of local vendors in the historic downtown YMI building. Market St. Mimosas and herbal cacao shots will be served and the astrologer and healer tables will be open!!!
Visit us on 2nd & 3rd SUNDAYS 12-4pm after your brunch or church of choice and see what’s happening!
Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Sundays
1 till who knows when?
Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.
Jack of the Wood
95 Patton ave
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 252.5445
Uncensored expression: anyone is invited to step up to share song, music, poetry, comedy, magic, stories, rants & raves, & other performances!
The most eclectic open mic around, in a welcoming gallery setting! 6 pm signup, perform 6:30-8:30 pm.
From the moment he enters a room, it becomes clear that Jay Allen is here to tell his story. The tattoo-clad singer/songwriter has his heart inked on his sleeve, so to speak, and sings with conviction onstage that stems from the lessons his parents taught him and the music he heard around the house. Knowing the stage was the only place he wanted to be, and so Jay packed his bags and moved to Nashville. Working day and night, Jay has achieved major milestones in the course of the past few years: he’s signed a publishing and development deal with Sony/ATV publishing, enlisted management team Edge Artist Management and released a five-song EP, which produced his first hit single Sounds Good To Me dubbed a Highway Find on SiriusXM’s The Highway. The budding musician continued to perform and write, honing his craft with the likes of ACM-nominated songwriter Phil Barton and Lindsay Rimes, both credited as co-writers on his debut single. Born and raised in rural Iowa, Jay discovered his love of performing one Sunday amidst the congregation of his church, Jay initially attempted singing harmonies with the ladies, much to the chagrin of his pastor. Proving his chops, he was invited to sing solo the following Sunday and thus, a passion was born: “There’s nothing like being on the stage. When the lights come up and the band starts playing and I get behind that mic , I’m alive. To spending every day writing, then see your songs come to life on a record, then see people laughing and dancing along, it’s heaven on earth.”
The Music of The Beatles for Kids at The Grey Eagle
THIS EVENT IS ALL AGES
Children under 1 are FREE
The Rock and Roll Playhouse, a family concert series hosted at Grey Eagle, Port City Music Hall, First Avenue, Brooklyn Bowl, The Capitol Theatre, Industry City, Ardmore Music Hall, The Sinclair, Boulder Theater, and Thalia Music Hall, allows kids to “move, play and sing while listening to works from the classic-rock canon” (NY Times). Using the songs created by the most iconic musicians in rock history, The Rock and Roll Playhouse offers its core audience of babies and kids games, movement, and stories and an opportunity to rock out. The Rock and Roll Playhouse is an early and often first introduction to a child’s lifelong journey with live music and rock and roll.
https://www.facebook.com/events/619580601806764/
Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Sundays
1 till who knows when?
Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.
Jack of the Wood
95 Patton ave
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 252.5445
Cotton Kandy, purveyor of deep, infectious dance music and a feel-good vibes. Has played at Full Moon Gatherings, The Happenings, Zodiac Parties, regional and non-regional burns like Ignite, Alchemy, and Love Burn. Genres including melodic ,deep ,dirty house.
Check her music out here:
The Open Jam at Noble Kava welcomes players of all kinds to come explore, push boundaries, step out of comfort zones, gain experience, and meet and play with musicians from Asheville and beyond. There are no genre restrictions, as long as it’s not too loud for the room. All genders and all peoples are welcome (also well behaved animals are welcome, too).
We provide full backline–drum kit, amps, piano, keys, and PA with mics/inputs. The jam is hosted by the house band, the Kavalactones, who play for the first half hour or so, and then the jam opens up. There’s no list. Just show up and let us know you want to play. We recommend bringing your own instrument (guitar, bass, musical saw, ect.), unless you play keys, or sticks if you play kit.
This is a weekly opportunity for experienced musicians to get together, talk, and share ideas in a living room-like setting. No alcohol is served, but players are invited to try kava at the two-fer-one rate, and kavalactone elixir shots are $1 off anytime the Kavalactones are playing at the bar. Bula!
Weekly Open Mic with Caleb Beissert! Sign up at 7:30 pm, Mic starts at 8 pm! All forms of entertainment welcome!! Come get a kava and enjoy the local talent
BULA!!
The Theatre of the Absurd (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_the_Absurd) “is a post–World War II designation for particular plays of absurdist fiction written by a number of primarily European playwrights in the late 1950s, as well as one for the style of theatre which has evolved from their work. Their work focused largely on the idea of existentialism and expressed what happens when human existence has no meaning or purpose and therefore all communication breaks down. Logical construction and argument gives way to irrational and illogical speech and to its ultimate conclusion, silence.”
TheatreUNCA will present two prime examples of The Theatre of the Absurd:
“The Room”, Harold Pinter’s first play, written and first produced in 1957 and “The Bald Soprano”, an absurdist comedy by Eugene Ionesco, translation by Tina Howe.
Performances Feb. 28th, March 1st and 2nd at 7:30pm and March 3rd at 2pm. Ticket prices do not include taxes and fees.
“The Room” is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service Inc., New York
“The Bald Soprano (trans. Howe)” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
Uncensored expression: anyone is invited to step up to share song, music, poetry, comedy, magic, stories, rants & raves, & other performances!
The most eclectic open mic around, in a welcoming gallery setting! 6 pm signup, perform 6:30-8:30 pm.
Multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocalist, Astoria sculpts sonics with both organic and synthetic sounds, birthing experimental pieces that bridge genres. The Asheville based artist explores trip hop, soul, sky wave, hip hop, pop, folk and ambient, and the project is always evolving to reflect new influences. Astoria has a voice and lyricism that evoke ethereal, colorful, and mystical worlds, while gracefully shifting into phonetic flows that have blunt, earthy, and soulful qualities as well. Their exploration of sonic arrangements creates distinct and enticing atmospheres, ranging from bright and vibrant to dark and bewitching.
Astoria’s passion and intention is to use sound to explore the subtle layers of our inner and outer experiences. To utilize music as an alchemical process that may help us discover more about ourselves through it’s unbridled expression, fascination, and experimentation.
He said, she said—but exactly what happened? Oleanna examines the power struggle between a university professor and one of his female students, who accuses him of sexual exploitation and, by doing so, spoils his chances of being awarded tenure. Show dates are May 3-12.
Auditions will consist of cold readings from prepared sides. Casting breakdown is:
Carol, a college student
John, middle-aged professor
All ethnicities encouraged to audition.
https://www.facebook.com/events/306561306867828/?event_time_id=306561313534494
Details will follow soon
https://www.facebook.com/events/306561306867828/?event_time_id=306561310201161
Chris Cooper – guitars
Caleb Beissert – drums, percussion
Max Melner – keyboards, synths
Aaron Price – bass, synths, vox
***also sometimes with Rob McConnell (bass) and Jason Moore (sax)
Hometown: Asheville
About
Kavalactones, based in Asheville, NC, create a special blend of experimental drip noise using analog instruments, found objects, and expressionist vocals.
Biography
Little is known about the Kavalactones except that they appeared in 2013 at a strange little bar in Asheville, NC, and began expanding sonic realms with their own breed of experimental “drip noise.” The core members now consist of Caleb Beissert, Chris Cooper, Max Melner, Aaron Price, Rob McConnell, and Jason Moore with an ever-rotating cast of special guests.
An exploration of spontaneous music in context, Kavalactones play to the feeling in the room while building soundscapes that tell textured stories. Many of these “compositions” fall under the ancient genre of “drip noise,” while others contain futuristic elements of pirate jazz and space rock, such as pallasite and enstatite chondrite. Drawing from a lineage of art and design in the mountains around Asheville, NC, the band weaves ideas of chance, randomness, and the dictum of “more with less” to find just the right groove.
He said, she said—but exactly what happened? Oleanna examines the power struggle between a university professor and one of his female students, who accuses him of sexual exploitation and, by doing so, spoils his chances of being awarded tenure. Show dates are May 3-12.
Auditions will consist of cold readings from prepared sides. Casting breakdown is:
Carol, a college student
John, middle-aged professor
All ethnicities encouraged to audition.
https://www.facebook.com/events/306561306867828/?event_time_id=306561316867827
He said, she said—but exactly what happened? Oleanna examines the power struggle between a university professor and one of his female students, who accuses him of sexual exploitation and, by doing so, spoils his chances of being awarded tenure. Show dates are May 3-12.
Auditions will consist of cold readings from prepared sides. Casting breakdown is:
Carol, a college student
John, middle-aged professor
All ethnicities encouraged to audition.
https://www.facebook.com/events/306561306867828/
Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Sundays
1 till who knows when?
Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.
Jack of the Wood
95 Patton ave
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 252.5445