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.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Summer Fun Photo Contest
Aug 21 @ 12:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park

Summer is all about outdoor fun, spending quality time together as a family and taking in the wonderful sights of nature. Submit your photos of your family hiking, sunlight making its way through the trees or of the fantastic views that make Chimney Rock so special. We’ll use the winning entries on our website and Facebook album, and you’ll win some fun prizes. Photos must be taken within the Chimney Rock section of the Park.

Cost: No cost to enter contest.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2346811038665486/?event_time_id=2346811068665483

Valle Crucis Nature Walk
Aug 21 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Valle Crucis Community Park

Join the High Country Audubon Society for a bird walk at Valle Crucis Community Park every Wednesday. Enjoy an opportunity to see our beautiful birds in the area in a walk led by one of your community members. These walks will start on April 3rd and end on October 30th, 2019. Please note that the 4th Wednesday walk of every month will not be guided by any specific person; this walk will be a group-led walk.

https://www.facebook.com/events/650396048754175/?event_time_id=650396068754173

This Weeks Orange Peel Presale Turnover & Men I Trust
Aug 21 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
The Orange Peel
Turnover
& Men I Trust

Wednesday – November 13

Use Code “SUPERNATURAL

Code valid 8/21 10am – 10pm
Vance Elementary School and Ben & Jerry’s Art Showcase
Aug 21 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Ben & Jerry' s Scoop Shop

There’s more than Chunky Monkey and New York Super Fudge Chunk in downtown Asheville’s Ben & Jerry’s this summer.

Art created by Vance Elementary School fifth grade students of art educator Robbie Lipe is now on display on the brick walls opposite the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. The exhibit depicts the students’ interpretation of the artist Kehinde Wiley and the contemporary portraits he creates inspired by traditional Baroque paintings. It will be featured through the end of the summer.

“Ben & Jerry’s is excited about showcasing art from the community inside our scoop shop,” said general manager Chris Carter. “Making use of our walls to show what local artists are creating complements our social mission — to be actively involved in the places we live and do business. I hope this is the first of many art exhibits on our walls.”

Carter gave all the credit for the exhibit to Ms. Lipe, who teaches kindergarten through 5th-grade students at Vance Elementary. She was named the North Carolina Arts Educators Association “Art Educator of the Year” in 2017-2018.

Ben & Jerry’s is located at 19 Haywood Street. Current hours are Monday-Thursday 12 pm to 10 pm; Friday 12 pm – 11 pm; Saturday 11:30 am – 11 pm; Sunday 11:30 am – 10 pm.

For more information, call Carter at 310-601-6247.

Strolling Through History: Active Bodies, Active Minds
Aug 21 @ 10:30 am
Pack Library

You can’t beat a walk with a friend over good conversation. So, why not take a walk with lots of friends and a history expert to boot? Buncombe County Libraries is excited to announce its Strolling Through History program focused on getting you moving while taking in some experiential history. “Each one of the strolls is a little different. We’ll talk about the evolution of the architecture, famous (or not quite so famous) residents, important events, and more,” explains Pack Memorial Librarian Katherine Calhoun Cutshall. “On our Haywood Street stroll, we talked about how the street has seen two major rebirths and discussed the careers of two WWI nurses who grew up on the street while it was mostly residential.”

Pack Librarians are always looking for innovative ways to showcase the library’s portfolio of initiatives and resources. “The North Carolina Room is a hidden gem in our library system, so programs like Strolling Through History bring the collection to the streets of downtown while showing off resources and programs in a fun new way,” notes Katherine. And of course, exercising your muscles and social skills are important at any age

So, how can you get involved with the monthly Strolling Through History? There are two versions: one for elder adults and one for babies and their caregivers. If you’re interested in participating, the elder adults strolls are the third Friday of every month, and the babies and caretakers strolls are the third Wednesday of every month (except July). All strolls will meet at Pack Memorial Library at 10:30 a.m., and participants should wear comfortable shoes and bring water to stay hydrated. Registration is required. 

Family Animal Encounters
Aug 21 @ 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park

We are lucky to have incredible Animal Educators to help us spread the word on the important roles they play in the Park. Join one of our Park naturalists for an informal program where your family will love meeting some of our wilder teammates! Kids of all ages are sure to take home some fun facts and special memories. Then, grab a Track Trail brochure at the Animal Discovery Den and round out the day with a hike along our Great Woodland Adventure trail with 12 education stations. Don’t forget your camera!

https://www.facebook.com/events/714700392244282/?event_time_id=714700465577608

Family Animal Encounters
Aug 21 @ 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park

We are lucky to have incredible Animal Educators to help us spread the word on the important roles they play in the Park. Join one of our Park naturalists for an informal program where your family will love meeting some of our wilder teammates! Kids of all ages are sure to take home some fun facts and special memories. Then, grab a Track Trail brochure at the Animal Discovery Den and round out the day with a hike along our Great Woodland Adventure trail with 12 education stations. Don’t forget your camera!

Cost: Included with Park admission.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1102692779911730/?event_time_id=1102692856578389

Hometown Hump Day
Aug 21 @ 8:00 pm – Aug 22 @ 12:00 am
Oskar Blues Brewery North Carolina

Head out to Oskar Blues every Wednesday to hang out with the families + locals of Brevard. We’ll feature artists, businesses, nonprofits, and other rad people that make this community so great. Each week will feature different events, live music, or activities, so check back here for what’s happening. Kids eat free with the purchase of a regular meal from the Oskar Blues CHUBwagon.

https://www.facebook.com/events/560723244441751/?event_time_id=560723324441743

Reduced Price Growler Fill Wednesdays
Aug 21 @ 8:00 pm – Aug 22 @ 2:00 am
plēb urban winery

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=859748841052916

Anarchist Reading Group (August)
Aug 21 @ 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Firestorm Books & Coffee

In August the group will be discussing “Oppose and Propose: Lessons from Movement for a New Society” by Andrew Cornell.

Join others in a fun atmosphere for talking about anarchism and how it is manifesting locally and around the world. The group will read one title per month with a focus on introductory material. New to the idea of anarchism and curious? Well-read on the topic and able to share some insight? Anywhere in between? Come on out and join us!

https://www.facebook.com/events/2367656043322983/

FBVMA Mountain Music Jam
Aug 21 @ 10:00 pm – Aug 22 @ 12:00 am
Sanctuary Brewing Company

The French Broad Valley Music Association: FBVMA jam session is focused on regional fiddle tunes and songs. Carol Rifkin and John Mitchell cohost weekly, bring an instrument to play or just enjoy the music, its free, kid friendly, donations encouraged. Key Players are intermediate to advanced but beginners are most welcome and encouraged to attend to listen, learn/quietly play along. More experienced players sit in the inner circle and take turns choosing fiddle tunes or songs. Guests, families and kids are invited to listen and often sing along. This style of community play has been used to entertain and pass down music to kids for generations.

The French Broad Valley Music Association is a 501c3 non-profit organization formed to celebrate local musical heritage. “Our community. Our music. Our sense of place.”

https://www.facebook.com/events/231970501048591/?event_time_id=231970611048580

Run to the Taps
Aug 21 @ 10:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Mica Town Brewing

Ready to sprint for a sip? Run clubs are a great way to log some miles and quench your thirst post-run. Grab your sneakers and check out the Mica Town Run to the Taps the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

Whether you’re new to Marion and looking for a unique way to get involved and meet new people, or you’re a beer or fitness junkie looking for an adventure, Mica Town Run to the Taps is for you!

All fitness levels are welcome! You do not need to be experienced to attend, walking a route is encouraged! This is a free event to participate in. We would love for you to come in and quench your thirst with us after your run!

Starting/Finishing Location: Mica Town Brewery

When: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month

Time: 6:00 PM

Cost: Free to participate in the Run/Walk

https://www.facebook.com/events/1045519132294514/?event_time_id=1045519192294508

Jus’ Running Pub Run
Aug 21 @ 10:30 pm – Aug 22 @ 12:30 am
One World Brewing West

Join us every Wednesday at 6:30PM at One World Brewing (520 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC) in West Asheville for a community run around West AVL. https://www.facebook.com/groups/988486641322045/ Hang around and grab a drink afterwards. All paces welcome. Well behaved, leashed furry friends welcome.
We will begin with one 4-ish mile route (https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2424498334) through West Asheville, though will expand to include various options in the future.
Food options nearby, including on-site food trucks during warmer weather.

https://www.facebook.com/events/516081612251742/?event_time_id=516081688918401

SCB Trivia Night
Aug 21 @ 10:30 pm – Aug 22 @ 12:30 am
Sweeten Creek Brewing

Head full of useless knowledge? Now’s your time to shine! Join us every Wednesday at 6:30pm for a night of interactive trivia perfect for all skill levels.

Live scoring, music rounds, photo rounds and even themed categories!

Prizes awarded each week for the 1st place team!

https://www.facebook.com/events/277072849778679/?event_time_id=357420421743921

¡InterActive TriskaTrivia!
Aug 21 @ 11:00 pm – Aug 22 @ 12:30 am
Triskelion Brewing Company

¡TriskaTrivia! is Evolving!

It is now ¡InterActive TriskaTrivia!

Instead of one theme for the entire night, each round will have it’s own topic/theme… and you get to decide what it is!!!

In between each round, we will vote on a selection of topics, and the next round will be based on the one with the most votes! So… that means, the more people on your team, the more votes you get… and you’ll steer what direction the questions take.

Don’t like sports? Vote for Classic Movies… Don’t like movies? Vote for Comic Books or World Geography…

Top two teams still get Triskelion Gift Certificates (ie Glorious Prizes)…

You can still only have up to 6 people on your team…

There are still six rounds with ten questions each, and there is still a Very Hard Questions round… the only difference is that you get to decide what the topics are…

We start at 7pm promplty and proceed to rapid fire questions that usually last until 8:30…

Come on out and test yer brainz!!!

https://www.facebook.com/events/2020001851418998/?event_time_id=2020001964752320

An Evening with Austin MacRae & John Shakespear
Aug 21 @ 11:00 pm – Aug 22 @ 12:30 am
Isis Music Hall

$12 Advance / $15 Day of Show

Shimmering lyrics, deft finger-picking and soaring melodies—Ithaca’s Austin MacRae is a troubadour whose songwriting is characterized by poetic lyrics and poignant stories from rural upstate NY.

John Shakespear brings his meditative, witty brand of indie folk, described by American Songwriter as “reminiscent of Fleet Foxes and Elliott Smith,” to the upstairs lounge at Isis.

Seated Lounge Show:: Limited Tables Available with a Dinner Reservation :: All Other Seating is First Come First Serve General Admission :: Please Call Venue for Dinner (Table) Reservations

https://www.facebook.com/events/419108755324750/

Open Mic with Tommy Yon
Aug 21 @ 11:00 pm – Aug 22 @ 1:00 am
Twin Leaf Brewery

Music, poetry, comedy – we’d love for you to share or just come be entertained and sip some great brews, while supporting your local scene. See you at 7 pm tonight! Sign up starts at 6:30 pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/402200357200372/?event_time_id=402200453867029

West Marches At Dry Falls
Aug 21 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Dry Falls Brewing Co.

Dry Falls Village has been isolated for as long as anyone can remember. Her inhabitants grow weary and thirst for adventure. Now, they decide, is the time to venture into the wilderness and explore!

Do you have what it takes to brave the dangers of the unknown? Will you steel yourself and venture to uncover sights unseen? Can you handle what lies beyond the borders of the village?

This is West Marches!

The Bearded Dragons Inn hosts their weekly West Marches game. This is a drop in game for all to join. If you have never played before come and join us. Our amazing community will teach you all you need to know. If you have years, or even decades of experience stop on by as well as you’ll experience a whole new style of play. For more information check out our website: https://sites.google.com/view/west-marches-at-dry-falls/home

Please note that this game is family friendly but anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.

https://www.facebook.com/events/401870287020606/?event_time_id=401870397020595

Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic
Aug 21 @ 9:00 pm – 11:30 pm
The One Stop

Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge is the longest running comedy open mic in Asheville happening every Wednesday night. The show starts at 9:00, and there is no cover. Anyone wanting to perform needs to sign up by 9pm, and will get five minutes on stage. Local and not-so-local, professional and not-so-professional comics perform or just anyone wanting to get up in front of people and try to make them laugh. Always fun. Always free.

Music Bingo at Banks Ave Bar (Asheville, NC)
Aug 21 @ 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Banks Ave.

Come join us for an amazing night of music, prizes, and drink specials. It’s Music Bingo at Banks Ave.. Test your music knowledge and compete against your friends and other patrons. It’s easy to play, and everyone is welcome! We’ll see you there!

https://www.facebook.com/events/391468795015437/?event_time_id=391468865015430

Music Bingo on Wednesday Nights at Banks Ave Bar (Asheville, NC)
Aug 21 @ 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Banks Ave.

Come join us for an amazing night of music, prizes, and drink specials. It’s Music Bingo at Banks Ave. Test your music knowledge and compete against your friends and other patrons. It’s easy to play, and everyone is welcome! We’ll see you there!

https://www.facebook.com/events/962585360596619/?event_time_id=962585480596607

Pedro The Lion & mewithoutYOU
Aug 21 @ 9:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Pedro the Lion is the brainchild of Seattle singer-songwriter David Bazan, who formed the band in the late 90s and then reconvened it 2017, after a short break. In 2018 the band released its first LP in 15 years, titled “Phoenix.” On tour with them this time are Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based post-hardcore band mewithoutYou, which has been known for its energetic stage style and genre-bending sound for over 18 years.

Thursday, August 22, 2019
Asheville Community Theatre RALLFE $10,000 Cash
Aug 22 all-day

We’ve sent three lucky winners to London and one lucky winner to Hawaii – but in this summer’s raffle, someone’s going to win $10,000! Heck, you could go to BOTH London and Hawaii if you won (fly coach, stay in hostels?) Or build that outdoor firepit you’ve seen on HGTV, or rent a super swank beach house for a week, or anything you want, really, because it’s your $10,000!

Raffle tickets are $50 and only 500 will be sold! And proceeds from every ticket you buy supports operations and programming at Asheville Community Theatre!

ELIGIBILITY: Present employees of Asheville Community Theatre and any immediate family members residing with the employees are not eligible to participate. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Contest void where prohibited. You need not be present to win.

Beer City Cup Adult Soccer Tournament is in need of volunteers
Aug 22 all-day
sign up info below

Beer City Cup 2019

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the beer tent for the Beer City Cup Soccer Tournament representing Buncombe County Special Olympics. If you choose to volunteer then you will get a tshirt and a beer token for after your shift. Please note that you will be standing the entire time of your shift.

Calling all soccer lovers. Beer City Cup Adult Soccer Tournament is in need of volunteers. Proceeds benefit the Buncombe County Special Olympics. Volunteers are needed to pour beer at the beer tents.

CONVERTIBLES NEEDED FOR APPLE FESTIVAL PARADE, Monday September 2nd 2019
Aug 22 all-day
Do you have a Classic, Antique, or Newer Convertible?  Do you know someone who does?  We need Convertibles for the Henderson County Apple Festival Parade on Monday September 2, 2019.
Bring your Classic, Antique or Newer Convertible to the “Top Notch Towing” on  Asheville Highway  ( Hwy 25) across from the “old Boyd New Car Showroom at 1 PM on Monday, September 2nd, 2019.  Convertibles are needed to drive a number of VIP’s, Apple Festival President, Apple Festival Grand Marshall, Past President of Apple Festival and other VIP’s..

   It is anticipated that we will need an increased number of Convertibles this year to carry Apple Festival Dignitaries, Veterans, and  other VIP’s.
Apple Festival VIP’s will be assigned to each car; magnetic signs designating the VIP will be placed on the respective cars.
Get $5K for Your Nonprofit: 2019 Tipping Point Grant Applications Open
Aug 22 all-day

Buncombe County is excited to announce applications are open for nonprofits looking for a cash infusion. For the fourth year, Tipping Point Grants are seeking proposals from nonprofit organizations working to help support County Commissioners’ six strategic priorities:

All projects must be a part of a Buncombe County-based nonprofit with 501c3 or a similar charitable IRS tax exempt designation. All individual innovators must be in partnership with a nonprofit agency.

Ready to apply for a Tipping Point Grant?

Official Tipping Point Grant applications are required. You may apply online here, or you can pick up hard copy applications at the Community Engagement office at 199 College St., right next door to the Register of Deeds’ office from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Please contact the office to make sure someone is there to provide you with an application. The deadline for submitting a grant is on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019 by 5 p.m.

Optional grant writing workshops will be hosted by Buncombe County on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019, 3-5 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 15 and Friday, Aug. 16 from 5-7:30 p.m. Workshops will be held on the ground floor of 200 College St.

These are free sessions and open to anyone. Applicants will be able to get support on proposal writing and will be able to leave the workshop with an application ready to go and/or submitted. If you have any questions, contact Rasheeda McDaniels at (828) 250-4102.

For complete information about Tipping Point Grants, visit BuncombeCounty.org/Grants.

Summer Exhibitions at Momentum Gallery
Aug 22 all-day
Momentum Gallery

Momentum Gallery in downtown Asheville hosts new summer exhibitions – Mariella Bisson, Setting Shapes; Oil paintings by two new painters: Samantha Keely Smith and Paul Sattler; and a group invitational called Give Me Wood. These exhibitions continue at 24 N Lexington Avenue through the end of August.

Mariella Bisson deftly delineates the sculptural planes of regional waterfalls and sylvan scenes creating refreshingly contemporary landscape paintings. Her oil-over-collage paintings feature built-up texture, suggesting the complex surface of stone and tree bark, lichen, and moss. Bisson’s paintings demonstrate a strong understanding of formal composition and reflect a sensibility honed from time she’s spent immersed in the outdoors. Of note, Bisson is a two-time recipient of the Pollock-Krasner grant and was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in painting.

Samantha Keely Smith creates inspired and stirring abstract paintings in oil. The Brooklyn-based artist sees her paintings “as an expression of our internal turbulence. They reflect the overwhelming reality of being constantly aware of what is happening in the wider world – Change is the only constant.” Smith’s nebulous compositions are evocative of luminous cloudscapes and primordial oceans. Brilliant areas of stained pigment collide with waves of painterly brush strokes ultimately conjuring imagined environments with a timeless quality. “These paintings are about the essence of who we all are, as human beings… We all want love and connection.” Smith’s works give form to fluctuations between turbulence and calm present in everything from our emotions to the temporal world. Overall, Smith’s focus is on the underlying psychological impact of the dawning awareness of our shifting reality.

An accomplished oil painter, Paul Sattler was the recipient of the John R. Solomon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship. In 2004, he was selected to exhibit at the 179th Annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Art at the National Academy of Design in New York, where he received the Wallace Truman Prize. Dramatic narratives unfold in his charged and enigmatic oil paintings which reference historic and literary sources. Sattler comments, “A diverse population of animals are enmeshed in my works’ human-inhabited environments, theatrical locales, and domestic dramas.”

Give Me Wood is an imaginative and evocative collection of contemporary painting and wood sculpture. Central to the identity and creation of all the extraordinary two- and three-dimensional works in the exhibition is the common material of wood. The participating artists defy logic, explore space (both real and imagined), carve, bend, turn, and otherwise construct some truly amazing and innovative work! Featuring Michael Alm, Garry Knox Bennett, Gil Bruvel, Christian Burchard, Tom Eckert, David Ellsworth, Ron Layport, Wendy Maruyama, and Sylvie Rosenthal.

Stairway to Zeppelin at The Grey Eagle
Aug 22 @ 12:00 am – 3:00 am
The Grey Eagle

Stairway to Zeppelin at The Grey Eagle

https://www.facebook.com/events/415265195935074/

Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic
Aug 22 @ 1:00 am – 3:30 am
Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge

Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic every Wednesday 9:(ish)pm at The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall.

Fun and free show of hit-or-miss comedy where comics stop by to work on their material or try out new stuff. Anyone wanting to perform needs to sign up by 9pm, and will get five minutes on stage. The order of sign-up is not necessarily the order of the show.

https://www.facebook.com/events/3174166542609086/?event_time_id=3174166599275747

Pedro The Lion / mewithoutYOU
Aug 22 @ 1:00 am – 3:59 am
The Orange Peel

Pedro The Lion / mewithoutYou
Wed, Aug 21
Show: 9pm
Doors: 8pm
$25 – $28
Ages 16+

Tickets & Info: www.theorangepeel.net/event/pedro-the-lion-mewithoutyou/

Pedro the Lion has always been David Bazan, but it took a long time to get back there.

In August 2016, during what he now recognizes as his lowest point, Bazan was touring the country alone in an aging minivan and found himself in his hometown of Phoenix, AZ. In need of a break from the road, he spent a night off at his grandparents’ house instead of driving on to San Diego. Before leaving town the next morning, after realizing that even the most familiar places can become unrecognizable, Bazan gave himself the gift of a quick detour past the house he grew up in, and on the way, experienced a breakthrough — one that would lead him both forward and back to another home he had built many years before.

From the beginning, Pedro the Lion didn’t work like the bands Bazan had played drums in, where each player came up with their own parts. Instead, like scripting scenes of dialogue for actors to play with, Bazan recorded and arranged all of the skeletal accompaniments for his obsessively introspective lyrics and spare melodies. Each player would then learn their parts and, together as a band, they brought the skeleton to life. While bandmates played on a few recordings, Bazan often played all or most of the instruments himself.

“I found so much joy working this way,” Bazan remembers. “It came naturally and yielded a feeling and a sound that couldn’t have existed by any other process. At the same time, I was also aware that not everyone wanted to play in a band where the singer wrote all the parts and might perform them on the record. Someone even suggested it might not be a valid approach to having a band in the first place. Being insecure and wanting to find camaraderie, I became conflicted about my natural process.”

By 2002, after recording Control, the high rate of turnover in the band finally caused Bazan to ditch his “natural process” in favor of a collaborative writing process. When, after a couple more years, this move did nothing to stabilize turnover, Bazan was perplexed. In November 2005, Bazan decided to stop doing Pedro the Lion altogether.

Ironically, Bazan didn’t see “going solo” as a chance to revert back to his original process of writing and playing all the parts. For the next decade Pedro the Lion felt off limits, even forgotten, like a childhood home Bazan had moved out of. He pushed forward with releasing solo albums & relentless touring in living rooms and clubs, through every part of the US and beyond, sometimes with a band, but mostly on his own. It took a toll on his family and more acutely on himself. By the summer of 2016, he still hadn’t found the personal clarity or the steady collaboration he’d been seeking and was at the end of his rope.

“I had abandoned my natural way of working in the hopes of creating space for a consistent band to write with…and it hadn’t worked. So I got a rehearsal space, mic’d up drums, bass, and guitar, and really leaned into my original process again. It immediately felt like like home. Before long I realized it also felt like Pedro the Lion.”

In June 2018, with Bazan on bass, vocals, and arrangement writing, Erik Walters on guitar and backing vocals, and Sean Lane on drums, Pedro the Lion went into Studio X and Hall of Justice with producer Andy Park to create Phoenix , the first new Pedro album in 15 years.

The songs themselves are the result of mining your past for who you are now. On opening track “Yellow Bike,” Bazan encapsulates a core ache he’s been exploring since 1998’s It’s Hard to Find a Friend with the line:

My kingdom
For someone to ride with

Phoenix also deals with having to be better to yourself in order to be better to others on “Quietest Friend,” and harkens back to Control‘ s “Priests and Paramedics” with a story about EMTs facing a gruesome scene, and storytelling as coping mechanism, on “Black Canyon.” It bears witness to both what was around and what was inside, with the signature kindness and forgiveness that lightens Pedro the Lion’s darkest notes.

The result is a twisting, darkly hopeful introspection into home and what it means to go back, if you ever can. It is rock and roll wrapped in tissue paper, its hard edges made barely soft. Every melody is careful, a delicate upswing buoyed by guitar lines that hold each tender feeling together like string before ripping them apart to see what’s inside. It is an ode to the place he still loves despite how alien it can appear to him now. It is the story of a life from the beginning, but not a linear one. This life is a circle, and Phoenix goes back to that first point, to show that when we are looking for home we’ll eventually run into it again, whether it’s in the desert, in a rehearsal space, or on a stage.

www.pedrothelion.com

https://www.facebook.com/events/417462599048361/