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.
Come practice with me every Wednesday evening at Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards at 6pm-7pm to get over that crazy mid week hump!
All levels welcome for an upbeat and energizing power flow while focusing on turning inward and cultivating an intention that you can take with you off your mat!
10$ for 60 minute power vinyasa flow and glass of wine!
6pm-7pm Please share and feel free to bring your friends!
DM if you have any questions! Hope to see you there✨✨
https://www.facebook.com/events/1224464734374111/?event_time_id=1224464774374107
Blue Echo Radio’s annual music festival hosted on UNCA campus. All ages & free and open to the community.
16+ Bands including The Love Language, Linqua Franqa, Kitty Tsunami, Infinity Crush, The Eccentrics, and more!
Echofest will also feature food trucks, family friendly activities, and community vendors including Honey Pot Vintage, Word Emporium as well as Tarot and Henna Artists.
More information as well as the full lineup can be found on the Echofest event page via Facebook.
Echofest is hosted by Blue Echo, UNCA’s student run radio station and co-hosted by Asheville FM.
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
Andrew Duhon is a songwriter from New Orleans, a teller of stories with an undeniable voice, weighted and soulful. Duhon has released 3 recordings, the latest of which, ‘The Moorings’, was nominated for a Grammy in 2014 for ‘Best Engineered Album’. He has toured solo for much of his career, and that troubadour element is certainly present, an usher of modern day folklore. His current touring group is a trio with upright bassist, Myles Weeks and drummer, Jim Kolacek. Since recording ‘The Moorings’ Duhon has been crossing the American landscape, the thoughtful colors and harmonies of the trio breathing a new musicality and direction into Duhon’s songwriting traditions.
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Lydia Luce was born into a musical family, her mother, a gifted organ and piano player, and her brother, a cellist. Luce’s first instrument was viola, and by age 13 she was performing in her mother’s orchestra. Her debut full-length album Azalea, produced by Jordan Lehning and Skylar Wilson, combines her classical training with Americana and folk influences for a collection that feels authentic and comfortable in a way that only lifelong talent can create. Popmatters writes of the debut release that the tunes are, “carefully composed without the sort of pomp that we may have come to expect from classically-trained performers from musical families. Luce forgoes the usual pageantry for something organic and unique that comes from the heart.”
With this compilation of songs born from a collaboration in Nashville, TN, Luce was able to combine what she knew about instrumentation with the fruits of new self-discoveries. Luce says, “Playing strings has been a huge part of my life. On this album, I got to record viola and guitar on my tunes with people that I truly admire. I’m very proud of what we’ve created.” As she continues to write and record, her Spotify streams are climbing to over 17 million and counting, with plans to release an Azalea EP of instrumental and live versions in May of this year.
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 $1 off anytime the Kavalactones are playing at the bar. Bula!
The Literacy Council of Buncombe County will hold “Beauty and the Bee,” an adult Spelling Bee, on April 3, 2019 at The Mothlight in West Asheville. Beginning at 6 pm, fifteen teams of three adults each will compete in the themed, spirited, and zany word challenge.
While the word list is challenging to even the most advanced spellers, this event is not a traditional, stilted spelling bee. Audience members are encouraged to cheer on their favorite teams and can even purchase opportunities to cheat on the spellers’ behalf. Spellers and audience members are encouraged to wear costumes in homage to this year’s beauty-pageant event theme: Beauty and the Bee.
Spelling Bee teams are fielded by local businesses, non-profits, community associations, colleges, book clubs and friends. This year’s teams include the 2018 winning team, Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café; the 2017 highest fundraising team, Chestnut/Corner Kitchen; and more.
Funds raised by the Beauty and the Bee Spelling Bee support the Literacy Council of Buncombe County’s programs that provide basic literacy and English language services to 2,200 people in Buncombe County.
Come practice with me every Wednesday evening at Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards at 6pm-7pm to get over that crazy mid week hump!
All levels welcome for an upbeat and energizing power flow while focusing on turning inward and cultivating an intention that you can take with you off your mat!
10$ for 60 minute power vinyasa flow and glass of wine!
6pm-7pm Please share and feel free to bring your friends!
DM if you have any questions! Hope to see you there✨✨
https://www.facebook.com/events/1224464734374111/?event_time_id=1224464771040774
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!!
Considered by many as one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin Spears musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten what was thought humanly impossible on this exotic musical instrument.
Spears’ blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends such as Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others and his uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple…
Spears music is an acoustic electronic mix of funk, afro-beat, latin, trance with a dash of rock that will move your feet and stir your soul.
In addition to making his own instruments, KalimbaMan (as his friends call him) performs internationally including a recent tour of Japan and has worked with and/or opened for artists such as: Victor Wooten, India.Arie, Eric Benet, Col. Bruce Hampton, Toubab Krewe, Wudasse, POS (of De La Soul), Arrested Development, Bill Summers (of Herbie Hancock band), Vinx, Jhelisa Anderson, Divinity (bassist for Beyonce).
Ladies, please join us the first Thursday of every month** for great wine, great friends, and lots of fun!
**July’s event will not be held because of the 4th.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2190909954570744/?event_time_id=2190909957904077
The Infamous Stringdusters return to The Haw River Ballroom
with special guest Jon Stickley Trio
Thursday, April 4
7PM Doors – 8PM Show
All Ages
$25 Adv – $27 Day Of
Tickets: http://bit.ly/StringdustersApr4
“With a nod to the past and a firm foot down on the gas toward the future, the ‘Dusters… don’t leave bluegrass behind; they’re stretching it from within.” – New York Times
“…these stellar bluegrass players are pushing the music forward.” – David Dye/World Cafe
The Infamous Stringdusters rise to new heights on their ninth full-length record Rise Sun. For the album, the GRAMMY® Award-winning quintet—Andy Falco [guitar], Chris Pandolfi [banjo], Andy Hall [dobro], Jeremy Garrett [fiddle], and Travis Book [double bass]—expanded their signature sound by perfecting their seamless fusion of All-American-bluegrass and rock.
Once again sail into uncharted territory moored only by their expressive patchwork of All-American bluegrass threaded together with strands of rock, jazz, funk, country, old-time, and more.
As they approached this latest body of work, the group’s ambition matched their outsized creative curiosity.
“Rise Sun was sparked by the feeling of wanting something better for the world—more love, more awareness, and more compassion,” says Hall. “It’s a message of taking care of each other, our planet, and ourselves. We all shared this feeling as evidenced by the songs we brought to the project. It’s the feeling of a rising sun as opposed to a dark night. Sometimes a message of hope is less popular than one of despair, but it’s much-needed nevertheless.”
It’s also a message that 13 years, eight studio projects, and nearly 1,000 shows prepared the boys to properly present.
The Infamous Stringdusters stand out as the rare group who whose dynamic musicianship can be showcased with contemporary artists on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert one night and jamming on the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre alongside The Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh the next.
Engendering a sense of impassioned fandom, they band have attracted a faithful audience that continues to grow. Moreover, their powerful music and performances paved the way for a GRAMMY® Award win in the category of “Best Bluegrass Album” for 2017’s Laws of Gravity.
When it came time to record what would become Rise Sun, they pushed themselves to evolve once more.
“Rise Sun is the latest chapter in the progression of our sound,” says Pandolfi. “It’s been a long arc that includes evolution on all fronts—writing, arranging, performing, and maybe most importantly, growing as humans who have more to say as the journey rolls on. New albums are the time when we write and introduce our strongest original material. On our last release Laws of Gravity, we really started to hit our stride with recording live in the studio. Rise Sun is another big step in that direction.”
For the first time, the band chose the song order before actually recording. Additionally, they maintained that order throughout the process, recording the songs in sequence which resulted in a natural flow. This choice, “gives it the feeling of a story as you listen down,” says Hall. It represented a moment of collective confidence.
“We self-produced the last album, so we felt validated in a sense that our instincts were sound,” adds Book. “We came into this one with some confidence. Any doubts about our band or our mission had dissipated. What remained was a deep sense of purpose and love.”
“The GRAMMY® put some high-octane gas in our tanks as well,” grins Garrett. “We also wanted to rise to the challenge of making a follow-up project worthy of what we had done in the past.”
The Infamous Stringdusters introduce the album with the handclap-driven gallop of the title track “Rise Sun.” High energy banjo powers an uplifting and undeniable refrain that immediately shines.
“It’s a hopeful anthem,” Book elaborates. “The sun is rising, and the light is overtaking the darkness. The idea for the melody, inspired by Southern gospel music, came to me driving out of the mountains into Georgia from my home in North Carolina. When we wrote it, I was feeling a deep sense of hope for humanity that the sun will rise again.”
Then, there’s the hummable instrumental “Cloud Valley,” which exudes a sci-fi spirit of wonder via sonic intricacy. “Science fiction can transport you to a place of deep imagination,” says Pandolfi. “We wanted to generate a soundscape for an imaginary mystical setting. It really came alive when we all got together.”
Everything culminates on a heartfelt send-off with “Truth and Love.” Its delicate musical backdrop transmits an important statement for The Infamous Stringdusters.
“I wrote that a few years ago and brought it back now, because I feel like the message has become more relevant today,” Falco states. “The world is polarized. Everything is so extreme, and partisan politics have become a culture war. The song is a reminder of what’s truly important in life—seek the truth, find your love, look up high, and aim above. Life is short, so keep your eye on what’s important while you’re here.”
In the end, that’s precisely what The Infamous Stringdusters do on Rise Sun as they boldly welcome yet another new day, new phase, and new chapter.
“We’re a brotherhood, but that family extends beyond the band even,” Falco leaves off. “Our music gives us an opportunity to bring some light in a world that can be dark sometimes.”
https://www.facebook.com/events/319993305516304/
Some of the most popular women of taste come together at The Farm for a celebration of spring sips and flavors. Chefs Sarah Steffan of “The Dogwood” at Blackberry Farm, Whitney Otawka of “The Greyfield Inn” on Cumberland Island and Chef Jessica Gamble of “KR Steakbar” in Atlanta will create a powerhouse of flavors in this unique event. Paul Chevalier (former winemaker of Champagne Veuve Clicquot and Cloudy Bay) will lead you through the rosé Lifestyle of Saint-Tropez with Château D’Esclans as he presents his distinctive rosés, including the global favorite, Whispering Angel.
It all kicks off with a cocktail hour in the barn, and then moves into the barn pavilion for an evening of live entertainment, a perfectly paired dinner from talented chefs, wine education and fun camaraderie.
Born in Flatwoods, Kentucky, Billy Ray Cyrus, known for his country singing, hunky good looks and mullet hairstyle, has enjoyed a mulit-layed performance career as a multi-platinum selling recording artist. He has scored a total of eight top-ten singles on the Billboard Country Songs chart. His most successful album to date is his debut Some Gave All, which has been certified 9 Multi-Platinum in the United States and is the longest time spent by a debut artist at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the breakout hit, “Achy Breaky Heart.” From 2001 to 2004, Cyrus starred in the television show Doc. The show was about a country doctor who moved from Montana to New York City. From 2006 to 2011, he co-starred in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana with his daughter, Miley Cyrus. Soon after, Cyrus enjoyed an eight-week run on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars. In years since, Cyrus has been alternating between making music and acting. In an industry where excesses are the order of the day, Cyrus has retained his humility and morals and continues to be an inspiration and mentor to aspiring musicians all over the world.
Join us for this energetic duo from Black Mountain, featuring Randy Sarton (Guitar & Vocals) and Bill Hattori (Cajon Drum, Splash Cymbal, Various Percussion). $5/person suggested donation. Be dangerous!
On the hunt for the old, the bold, the creative and the unexpected? Asheville Outlets (ShopAshevilleOutlets.com) is pleased to host Uncommon Market Asheville Sunday, April 7, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the center. Now in its 5th season, Uncommon Market Asheville is the city’s largest destination bringing together quality antiques, vintage decor, art, jewelry, home furnishings and MORE! Food trucks and adult beverages will be available. Admission $2 per person; children and friendly dogs are free. This is a rain or shine event.
Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Sundays
1 till who knows when?
Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.
Jack of the Wood
95 Patton ave
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 252.5445
Enjoy a day of dining out to help local animals in need! Asheville Humane Society’s 16th Annual Dine To Be Kind presented by Prestige Subaru will be held Tuesday, April 9 at participating restaurants! Dine in (or carry out) for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner and up to 25% of your bill will be donated to the lifesaving programs of Asheville Humane Society! Visit ashevillehumane.org for a list of participating restaurants!
Select a wine on draft and fill a plēb urban winery 500mL or 1L growler for a reduced price (see menu for availability and pricing). Growler purchase is separate. Carry out only.
https://www.facebook.com/events/859748727719594/?event_time_id=859748771052923
Come practice with me every Wednesday evening at Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards at 6pm-7pm to get over that crazy mid week hump!
All levels welcome for an upbeat and energizing power flow while focusing on turning inward and cultivating an intention that you can take with you off your mat!
10$ for 60 minute power vinyasa flow and glass of wine!
6pm-7pm Please share and feel free to bring your friends!
DM if you have any questions! Hope to see you there✨✨
https://www.facebook.com/events/1224464734374111/?event_time_id=1224464777707440
As part of Asheville Humane Society’s 16th Annual Dine To Be Kind presented by Prestige Subaru, an extra day has been added for the beer lovers of our community! On Thursday, April 11, participating breweries will donate 15% of the day’s sales to Asheville Humane Society! Enjoy a craft beer and help homeless animals at the same time! View ashevillehumane.org for a list of participating breweries.
A musical, pictorial and live stage presentation of Jesus’ last days based on a cantata by Dallas Holmes. The choir and cast of the Tallulah Falls, GA outdoor passion drama bring a glimpse of “His Last Days” from their 35 years of summer enactments of Jesus’ life. Not just an Easter story- but a continual timeless narrative of faith.
Kaizen live at The Kava Bar
Mike Barnes -Guitar, Mark McDaniel-Bass, Jeff Sipe on Drums:
Friday, April 12th at 9 PM
Live at The Kava Bar:
Kaizen (改善) is the Japanese word for “improvement”. In business, kaizen refers to activities that continuously improve all functions and involve all employees from the CEO to the assembly line workers… In the Music World, with these Top-Tier Musicians, it hard to believe there is little to any room for improvement and yet they strive for excellence and more growth with every performance. If not for themselves, then for the listeners.
We at Carolina Holistic Health are thrilled to announce our first birthday! To celebrate this exciting occasion we will be holding a birthday bash with all proceeds benefitting the Food Connection. The Food Connection is an amazing local non-profit that works in conjunction with local restaurants, schools, and businesses to get unused food to soup kitchens and shelters that need it most.
We are excited to have the amazing team at Massage On Wheels on deck with free five-minute chair massages. And what is a party without local food, drinks, and music? So stop on by and help us ring in our next year of business right!
When Plywood Cowboy made its debut three years ago, the band was quickly called “one of the best new bands on the Americana scene” by New York Blues Hall of Fame Inductee, Chris Bergson. Twelve states of touring, sell-out shows, and many accolades later, Plywood Cowboy makes their Asheville debut on April 13 at Isis Music Hall. Their latest album, “Blue Skies”, earned a spot on the 2018 Grammy ballot in the Best Americana Album and best Americana Song categories. Listen at www.plywoodcowboy.com
AIA South Atlantic’s new ASPIRE EXPERIENCE is a one-of-a-kind conference using Asheville’s art scene, historical architecture, craft breweries, popular parks, and local businesses to create and present a program of education, inspiration, and engagement for the design and construction community. The ASPIRE EXPERIENCE offers designers the opportunity to impact change and make a difference to their community. This is a time for transformation.
Attend this dynamic EXPERIENCE and create new relationships and ideas that can be into your work and daily lives throughout the year. Meet, network, and experience the industry’s leading experts all in one place.
Transform your thinking and ideas with demonstrations of cutting-edge solutions and new, innovative methods. EXPERIENCE how you can help change your community and profession with the leading though innovators in the area.
Look beyond the event as you get inspired to make a difference in your community. Engage with visionaries and walk away with solutions and the understanding of the power you hold to create meaningful change.
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
April 14th at 5pm, doors at 4. SUGGESTED DONATION $25 AT DOOR.
Refreshments will be served (with beer and wine) for donations to a local charity. Directions are below.
Original jazz compositions by MJS featuring:
Rick Dilling – drums
Rick Simerly – trombone
Todd Wright – Saxophone
Will Beasley – Bass
Michael Jefry Stevens – Piano
” “Great concert even on the morning of Saturday at Kulturni Dom of Nova Gorica, across the border, with the Trio Generations which housed Oliver Lake……..the trio played with a perfection and an unrivaled creativity … … and, above all, with the delicious and ever-changing work of the grand piano Michael Jefry Stevens, perhaps the musician who most impressed us among the many who have gone on the stage of the festival.” (Blacks Pollastri), www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-and-wine-of-peace-2015
Pianist, Composer and “Steinway Artist,” Michael Jefry Stevens performs extensively in Europe, Latin America and North America. He was voted “Best Composer of 2016” by readers of the Mountain Xpress in Asheville, NC and was a recipient of a 2017 Regional Project Grant through the North Carolina Arts Council.
An active band-leader for over 35 years, his current working musical ensembles include the “Conference Call Quartet,” the “Fonda/Stevens Group,” the Hungarian “Eastern Boundary Quartet,” “the Generations Quartet” featuring saxophonist Oliver Lake and his most recent “Coretet” collaboration and CD release with Dame Evelyn Glennie. Michael has released over 90 Cds and has performed and/or recorded extensively with many of the top names in Jazz, including Dave Liebman, Oliver Lake, Dave Douglas, Leo Smith, Matt Wilson, Han Bennink, Mark Feldman, Pheeroan AkLaff, Gerry Hemingway, Charles Moffett Sr., Billy Martin and many others.
He was the “Margaret Lee Crofts Fellow” for 2000-2001 at the MacDowell Colony, and was a Centrum Arts composer fellow (2004). Stevens was artist in residence for at EMU Conservatory in La Plata, Argentina between 2005-2010, and has taught at the Royal Academy of Music in Denmark, Sibelius Academy in Finland, University of Michigan, Indiana University, and many other educational institutions in Europe, Latin America and North America. He is currently on the faculty of ETSU.
DIRECTIONS
From I-26 take EXIT 37, LONG SHOALS Rd.
Drive WEST (away from Biltmore Park).
LEFT at the 2nd traffic light @ BREVARD RD. 300 yards.
RIGHT on AVERY’S CREEK RD. There is a cute little white church with a red door on the right at the intersection.
3.5 miles until the road ends at a gate labeled AVERY PARK.
APPLE MAPS and possibly other GPS systems will tell you to turn at Mt. Laurel Rd. DO NOT TURN THERE.
Continue on Avery’s Creek Rd until it ends at the Avery Park gate.
At the call box, if the gate is not open scroll to SPARKS with the A-Z buttons and press CALL. We will buzz you in.
1/2 Mile to the STOP sign.
LEFT on STREAMSIDE DR Go past the first driveway on the right and take the next right, which is a GRAVEL road.
Sally and Lora
721 Streamside Dr Arden, NC 28704
https://www.facebook.com/events/236601883920533/
All GOT fans, come watch the new season kick off on a HUGE 15′ diagonal screen. The volume will be up, the wine will be flowing and popcorn will be popped. Show starts at 9pm, arrive early to get the best seat. Come drink and know things with us!
https://www.facebook.com/events/339680276622434/
Do you ever think about something you did or said from your awkward pre-pubescence that is SO EMBARRASSING it sends a shiver of shame down your spine? You may not realize it, but the rest of the world is dying to hear it! We’re taking the format of the international art movement – Mortified!
Dust off that diary! Unearth those letters! Share your awkward and embarrassing childhood journals, artwork, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, and plays. We are always looking for you like you to join our community. Never been on stage? We love that!
Sign up is at 7:30pm, we’ll start at 8:00pm!
Here is a trailer for the film version of the movement, Mortified Nation, currently on Netflix if you want to take a peek and get some inspiration!
Tips for People who Want to Perform!
DO. Earmark 5-8 excerpts that you’re embarrassed to admit you wrote. That way you have a variety to pull from when onstage
DO. If possible, try to find a theme connecting your excerpts (i.e. being boy/girl crazy, hating your parents, trying to look a certain way, etc.) but if it doesn’t, no sweat, this is about having fun.
DO. Look for entries where your writing was very dramatic– whether you were ultra angry or ultra happy. These tend to be funny.
DO. Bring a photo of yourself from that age if you have one! If you can print it out, even better, so we can pass them around for everyone to see how cute your little awkward face looked ;)
DO. Look for entries where your writing was oblivious to an obvious-to-anyone-else reality. (For instance, a closeted teen writing about their love of Broadway musicals.)
DO. Look for entries that make you react, “I can’t believe I actually thought like that.”
DON’T make stuff up. The fun of our show is that people sharing actual mementos from childhood. If you want to write an essay about your childhood, there are plenty of great projects (like the Moth) that are better forums for that.
DON’T censor yourself, we want to hear it raw.
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. B
