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.

Saturday, February 4, 2023
GREENVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ALL MOZART
Feb 4 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Center--Gunter Theatre

Edvard Tchivzhel, conductor
Virginia Metzger, oboe
MOZART Divertimento, K. 136
MOZART Oboe Concerto
MOZART Symphony No. 28

 

Virginia Zeblisky Metzger, a native of Long Island, holds an M.A. degree from the City University of New York, Hunter College, and a B.F.A. degree from the State University of New York, Purchase College.  Her major teachers include Ronald Roseman, Joseph Robinson, Joel Timm, and John Mack.

 

Ginny has held the position of Principal Oboe with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra since 1985.  In addition to her position with the GSO, she currently holds principal oboe positions with the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Hendersonville Symphony and the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium.  She previously held principal oboe positions with the Asheville Symphony and Brevard Chamber Orchestra, and has performed with many other regional orchestras, including the North Carolina Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, and Charleston Symphony. She has been featured as a soloist with various orchestras, including the Greenville Symphony Chamber Orchestra, Hendersonville Symphony, and Brevard Chamber Orchestra.

 

Before coming to South Carolina, Ginny was a founding member of the Kaiser Woodwind Quintet, a group which was sponsored by Carnegie Neighborhood Concerts and which performed throughout the tri-state area.    She also played regularly with the Amato Opera and New Amsterdam Symphony, and free-lanced with diverse musical organizations such as Scovasso Opera, Putnam Symphony, and Darien Dinner Theatre.  She spent the 1984-1985 season touring Europe with ‘Showboat’ before moving to Greenville.

 

In Greenville, Ginny has performed various chamber works in the Greenville Symphony’s ‘Spotlight Series’.  She has also performed with the Galliard Woodwind Quintet, the Bob Jones University Woodwind Quintet, and the Heritage Woodwind Quintet, and was a founding member of the French Broad River Woodwind Quintet.  With the Greenville Symphony Woodwind Quintet, she has played educational concerts in all of the elementary schools in Greenville County.

 

Ginny has served as artist-in-residence at the Greenville Fine Arts Center, and has taught oboe at Furman University.  Her reeds have been sold nationally through Covey Oboes in Atlanta.

THE ASHEVILLE JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Feb 4 @ 8:00 pm
White Horse Black Mountain

A very special evening featuring The Asheville Jazz Orchestra playing a variety of l jazz favorites !!!!

Dedicated to advancing and preserving the big band jazz tradition, the 17-piece Asheville Jazz Orchestra is western North Carolina’s premier big band. Whether they are playing a swing dance, club date, or formal concert, the AJO is the hardest swinging band in Asheville.

Since its founding the Asheville Jazz Orchestra has been directed by Dr. David Wilken. In addition to directing the AJO, he also plays trombone and also composes much of their material. He can also be heard playing traditional New Orleans jazz with the Low-Down Sires and conducting the Land of the Sky Symphonic Band.

Visit The Artists Website

FUNK’N DISCO FEVER! 70s + 80s Dance Party featuring DJ Oso Rey + DJ Solstice
Feb 4 @ 9:00 pm
The Orange Peel
Sunday, February 5, 2023
GREENVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ALL MOZART
Feb 5 @ 3:00 pm
Peace Center--Gunter Theatre

Edvard Tchivzhel, conductor
Virginia Metzger, oboe
MOZART Divertimento, K. 136
MOZART Oboe Concerto
MOZART Symphony No. 28

 

Virginia Zeblisky Metzger, a native of Long Island, holds an M.A. degree from the City University of New York, Hunter College, and a B.F.A. degree from the State University of New York, Purchase College.  Her major teachers include Ronald Roseman, Joseph Robinson, Joel Timm, and John Mack.

 

Ginny has held the position of Principal Oboe with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra since 1985.  In addition to her position with the GSO, she currently holds principal oboe positions with the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Hendersonville Symphony and the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium.  She previously held principal oboe positions with the Asheville Symphony and Brevard Chamber Orchestra, and has performed with many other regional orchestras, including the North Carolina Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, and Charleston Symphony. She has been featured as a soloist with various orchestras, including the Greenville Symphony Chamber Orchestra, Hendersonville Symphony, and Brevard Chamber Orchestra.

 

Before coming to South Carolina, Ginny was a founding member of the Kaiser Woodwind Quintet, a group which was sponsored by Carnegie Neighborhood Concerts and which performed throughout the tri-state area.    She also played regularly with the Amato Opera and New Amsterdam Symphony, and free-lanced with diverse musical organizations such as Scovasso Opera, Putnam Symphony, and Darien Dinner Theatre.  She spent the 1984-1985 season touring Europe with ‘Showboat’ before moving to Greenville.

 

In Greenville, Ginny has performed various chamber works in the Greenville Symphony’s ‘Spotlight Series’.  She has also performed with the Galliard Woodwind Quintet, the Bob Jones University Woodwind Quintet, and the Heritage Woodwind Quintet, and was a founding member of the French Broad River Woodwind Quintet.  With the Greenville Symphony Woodwind Quintet, she has played educational concerts in all of the elementary schools in Greenville County.

 

Ginny has served as artist-in-residence at the Greenville Fine Arts Center, and has taught oboe at Furman University.  Her reeds have been sold nationally through Covey Oboes in Atlanta.

Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Feb 5 @ 3:00 pm
Jack of the Wood

 

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

http://www.jackofthewood.com/

Slice of Life Comedy Open Mic + Feature Comedy at Asheville Pizza
Feb 5 @ 6:30 pm
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co

What: Asheville’s Premier Standup Feature & Open Mic comedy
When: Sunday, February 5, 6:30pm (Come early to get your food and drinks!)
Where: Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co., Theater 2
675 Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville (onsite parking)
Tickets: $14
Comedy open mic. [signup at the door to get 3-5m. Free entry for performing comics, free pizza at comics table]
Hosted by Morgan Bost featuring Allison Shelnut, Jess Cooley and Larry Griffin
FB: https://fb.me/e/3Yb5s4IfD

BUSH, MARSHALL, MEYER, MEYER
Feb 5 @ 7:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

American music masters Sam Bush (mandolin/violin), Mike Marshall (mandolin) & Edgar Meyer (bass) join together with George Meyer (violin) for a special collaboration usually only heard on the summer bluegrass festival circuit! Expect to hear works from the genre bending Short Trip Home album of many years ago as well as new music written specifically for this tour.

Edgar’s son George is charting his own course in the musical world and represents the next generation of artists expressing their unique voices and perspective. He certainly has strong roots!

MEADE RICHTER AND THE SWINGBILLIES OF BOONETOWN
Feb 5 @ 7:30 pm
White Horse Black Mountain

The Swingbillies are a newly founded eclectic acoustic band based out of Boone, NC. They play improvised music through a repertoire of traditional and classical styles from around the world.

The group is centred around award winning, conservatory trained musicians, Meade Richter and Savash Altuntas on fiddle and guitar and regularly features guests on bass and percussion.

Guitarist, Savash Altuntas, grew up singing and playing Flamenco style guitar in his homeland of Turkey and moved to the US to study French horn at Oberman School of Music at the age of 18. Fiddle player, Meade Richter, started playing Old-Time fiddle as a child and quickly made a name for himself in NC as a contest fiddle player. He became one of the first people to earn a 4-year-degree in Bluegrass Music Studies and went on to earn a Masters in Jazz Violin at the prestigious Norwegian Academy of Music.

The two have teamed up in an effort to guide audiences through a musical trip around the world focused on traditional styles and classic composers, with an emphasis on improvisation and personal expression. The Swingbillies transport listeners to distinct settings through their instruments and voices while creating something new and unique.

Monday, February 6, 2023
Musical Theatre 3rd-5th Grades
Feb 6 @ 5:45 pm – 6:45 pm
Studio 52

February 6 – April 17 (Spring Break March 13-17)

MONDAY 5:45-6:45PM

Instructor: Zoe Zelonky

In this 10-week session discover the fun and fundamentals of musical theatre technique by integrating acting, singing, and simple choreography in the development of a Broadway repertoire. Students will learn proper vocal technique, story-telling through song, musical theatre-style choreography, and how to work within an ensemble. Apply your skills at the end of class performance for friends and family on Monday April 24 in the evening. With new material every semester, this class can (and should) be taken multiple times.

Dates: February 6 – April 17

Grades: 3rd-5th
Day/Time: Monday 5:45-6:45

Tuition: $190

    • Payment plans are available through the Box Office at 828.693.0731.
    • A $50 deposit is required to secure the student’s spot in the class. The full payment must be completed by the first day of class.

    • Students and families that register for more than one class are offered a $25 discount for each additional class. This offer applies to multiple classes for one student or family discounts for siblings.

    • *Need-based scholarships are available upon application.

THE WAILIN’ JENNYS
Feb 6 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Center--Gunter Theatre

The Wailin’ Jennys are Nicky Mehta, Ruth Moody and Heather Masse – three distinct voices that together make a perfect vocal sound. Starting as a happy accident of solo singer-songwriters getting together for a one-time performance, the trio has earned their place as one of today’s most beloved international folk groups. Since releasing their first full-length album in 2004, the group has won a Juno Award (Canadian Grammy) for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year, a 2007 Folk Alliance Award for Contemporary Release of the Year, made frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor’s public radio show, and charted on the Billboard charts consistently.

Official Website

DURRY with Pink Beds
Feb 6 @ 8:00 pm
The Grey Eagle

– ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY

DURRY
Formed in 2020 in the depths of the pandemic, quarantined siblings Austin and Taryn Durry joined forces to make music together for the very first time. In 2021 their careers were launched by their tiktok viral track Who’s Laughing Now. Quickly gaining notoriety on social media and beyond, Durry is poised and ready to take on the music scene with their unique brand of Nostalgic Indie-Rock.

PINK BEDS

Pink Beds is a cerebral indie pop band formed in 2020 at the cusp of the initial lockdowns. Composed of four friends from Asheville, NC, they’ve cultivated a strong bond through a shared passion for lush soundscapes, artfully crafted tunes, and rhythms you can’t help but be moved by. The mélange of dream pop, new wave, lounge, and disco aims to create an ethereal listening experience with a combination of low-end groove, velvety guitar, silky keys, gritty synth, and catchy melodies.

Making good use of isolation, the group combined their songwriting abilities and production chops to manifest a lush, warm, and evocative sonic environment with their December 2020 debut LP, All I Have. From tracking and production to mixing and mastering, each stage of the process was kept entirely within the group. The essence of Pink Beds, like its namesake, should be enjoyed with your own senses and a group of good friends.

Along with two singles in 2021, the band released a live album in 2022, Live From Echo Mountain, from the fabled Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville, NC. After a productive 2022 securing a foothold in southeast markets, becoming a FloydFest On-the-Rise artist, and a Relix Magazine Sonic Showdown Finalist, the band is releasing a new album in the Spring of 2023.

Pink Beds comprises Aaron Aiken (Vocals & Guitar), Jackson Van Horn (Keys & Guitar), Ryan Sargent (Drums & Percussion), and Logan Hall (Bass).  “What started out as a casual jam to entertain a keg party has morphed itself into one of the most intriguing new musical acts in Western North Carolina.” Aiken, a Brevard native, now fronts an Asheville group that stands at the intersection of indie rock, psychedelic folk and cerebral pop. It’s a seamless blend, more so a vibrant flow, that harkens back to the sounds of early 2000s indie icons The Strokes and Keane, with a thick thread leading to the melodic camps of Tame Impala and Snow Patrol.”  — Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone Contributing Writer

SAMIA – HONEY TOUR
Feb 6 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel

Support:
Tommy Lefroy

Ages 18+

SAMIA VIP PASS

– One (1) GA ticket to the show
– One (1) Signed commemorative VIP Laminate
– One (1) Exclusive Tote Bag only available w/ VIP purchase
– Early Entry to the venue (‘Skip the Line’ 30 minutes prior to listed door time)
– Early access to the merchandise table
– Limited availability

Tuesday, February 7, 2023
TOM RUSH + MATT NAKOA Fingerpicking Master, Singer-Songwriter Duo
Feb 7 @ 7:00 pm
Brevard Music Center-Parker Concert Hall

The contributions to the music industry from guitarist/vocalist Tom Rush have spanned more than 50 years and touched the lives of such iconic performers as James Taylor, Garth Brooks, Joni Mitchell, and Jackson Browne. Coupled with award-winning songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, Matt Nakoa, this powerhouse duo will fill Parker Concert Hall with melancholy ballads and gritty blues dappled with a bit of humor, of which Rush often brings to the stage.

Sponsors: Alan and Nora Winchester

WHITE HORSE OPEN MIC
Feb 7 @ 7:00 pm
White Horse Black Mountain

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White Horse’s legendary Open Mic takes place each and every Tuesday at 7pm.

You’ll hear a variety of wonderfully talented folks on their way up. You never know what you’ll hear… original songs, covers, guitar, piano….. and often something quite surprising.

The signup sheet is placed on the bar at 6:30 and the first ten to sign in are the performers for the evening. Each gets 15 minutes or three songs.

It’s a lot of fun… especially since it’s FREE !!!!!

Hank, Pattie and The Current + Brek
Feb 7 @ 8:00 pm
The Grey Eagle

– ALL AGES
– FULLY SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE

HANK, PATTIE AND THE CURRENT

Bluegrass visionaries Hank Smith (banjo) and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw’s (fiddle) innovative twist on traditional bluegrass music is a soulful brew flavored with classical, Motown, jazz, and pop influences. Joined by Billie Feather on guitar and Stevie Martinez on bass, this dynamic, North Carolina based group is performing in support of their fifth album, LETTERS, out now on Robust Records.

BREK

Brek is an acoustic band from Iceland that mainly plays original, folky music with influences from various sources. The band members focus on creating an interesting but cozy atmosphere in their playing. In addition there is a focus on the multifaceted use of the Icelandic language in the band’s lyrics. Brek released its self-titled debut album in the summer of 2021 and received the Icelandic Music Awards for Folk album of the year as well as being featured as Album of the week on Iceland National Radio – Rás 2 in early 2022.

Wednesday, February 8, 2023
PacJAM Registration Open for Winter Session
Feb 8 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Building Community One Tune at a Time
Pacolet Junior Appalachian Musicians (PacJAM) provides an opportunity for area youth and adults to experience community through the joy of participating in traditional music.
PacJAM offers sessions each fall and winter/spring semester, as well as an intensive day camp one week each summer for youth.
Students of all skill levels ages 6-late teens and adults are invited to join us for instruction in traditional music. Click here to learn more.
Our winter program will run every Wednesday from January 18 – March 22 from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM for Beginner & Intermediate students, & 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM for advanced students.
Proud recipients of the South Arts 2022
In These Mountains Projects Grant
Musical Theatre 6th-8th Grades
Feb 8 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Studio 52

MUSICAL THEATRE

6th – 8th Grades

February 8 – April 19 (Spring Break March 13-17)

WEDNESDAY: 5:00PM-6:00PM

Instructor: Lauren Hopkins & Ethan Andersen

Build on the fundamentals of musical theatre technique by integrating acting, singing, and basic choreography in the development of a musical revue. Expand on principles of vocal technique, music theory, knowledge of Broadway repertoire, expression of character through movement, and learn how to elevate performances by making specific and unique choices on stage. Apply your skills at the end of semester performance for friends and family on Monday April 24 in the evening. With new material every semester, this class can (and should) be taken multiple times!

  • Payment plans are available through the Box Office at 828.693.0731.
  • A $50 deposit is required to secure the student’s spot in the class. The full payment must be completed by the first day of class.

  • Students and families that register for more than one class are offered a $25 discount for each additional camp. This offer applies to multiple class for one student or family discounts for siblings.

  • *Need-based scholarships are available upon application.

French Broad Valley Jam
Feb 8 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Oklawaha Brewing Company

Join us for a weekly mountain music JAM with players in a round, where the session is focused on regional fiddle tunes and songs! You are welcome to come and listen or to learn and join in. This event supports the Henderson County Junior Appalachian Musician (JAM) Kids Program. Free but donations are accepted. Weekly event takes place at Oklawaha Brewing Company.

IRISH MUSIC CIRCLE
Feb 8 @ 7:00 pm
White Horse Black Mountain

The traditional music of the mountains of North Carolina traces its roots back to the Celtic music of Ireland and Scotland. Traditional Celtic music is still played on the porches and in the pubs of the Celtic lands… and also throughout the southern Appalachian mountains.

In true pub fashion, White Horse Black Mountain hosts a traditional Irish style session twice a month, on the second and fourth Wednesdays, starting at 7pm….

……..and there is NO COVER CHARGE.

Sessions are in many ways the heart and soul of Irish traditional music, a place for players to share tunes and socialize. It’s not a performance, but rather an informal situation in which listeners are welcome to participate, whether offering encouragement, singing along on a chorus, or asking questions about the music and instruments. White Horse sessions regularly draws players from as far away as Waynesville, Cullowhee, Rutherfordton and even Clayton, Georgia.

The sessions are hosted by Richard and Melinda Halford.

Drop by for a beer or a cup of tea and get uplifted by some great traditional tunes and a few new songs.

Come join us in a long musical tradition spanning hundreds of years.

Thursday, February 9, 2023
Death Grips PRESALE
Feb 9 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
online

 

Death Grips

 

Rabbit Rabbit

 

Sun, Aug 13, 2023

 

Use code “DEATHRABBITS” for Local Presale
Code valid Thu, Feb 9
10am – 10pm

Skinny Puppy: Final Tour PRESALE
Feb 9 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
online
 

Skinny Puppy: Final Tour PRESALE

 

The Orange Peel

 

Sat, April 15, 2023

 

Use code “ORANGEPUPPY” for Local Presale
Code valid Thu, Feb 9
10am – 10pm

Voivod PRESALE
Feb 9 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
online

 

Voivod

 

The Orange Peel

 

Tue, May 9, 2023

 

Use code “OPVOIVOD” for Local Presale
Code valid Thu, Feb 9
10am – 10pm

tickets at Voivod Tickets | Asheville, NC | The Orange Peel (etix.com)

The Young (and not-so-young) Person’s Guide to the Orchestra with Igor Begelman
Feb 9 @ 4:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Rent School Edition
Feb 9 @ 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Asheville Performing Arts Academy

La Vie Boheme! Join the HS Company in the musical that shaped a generation of audiences and taught us all to measure our life in love.

Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent School Edition is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, it has become a pop cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages.

Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, Rent School Edition follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom and Angel. Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble. Benny has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends. Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical.

Please note, this performance is rated PG-13. This musical contains mature themes that center around the AIDS Crisis.

JOSHUA BELL, VIOLIN AND PETER DUGAN, PIANO
Feb 9 @ 7:30 pm
Peace Concert Hall

With a career spanning almost four decades, GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. Having performed with virtually every major orchestra in the world, Bell continues to maintain engagements as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, conductor and Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

Bell’s highlights in the 2022-23 season include leading the Academy of St Martin in the Fields on tour in South America to Sao Paulo, Bogotá, and Montevideo as well in Europe,  in Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. Joshua appears in guest performances with the Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Sofia Philharmonic, Franz Schubert Filharmonia as well as a European tour with pianist Peter Dugan. This season in the U.S., Bell will perform alongside the New York Philharmonic, as well as the San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Houston, Baltimore, and New Jersey Symphony Orchestras.

Bell has been named 2010 “Instrumentalist of the Year” by Musical America, a 2007 “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum, nominated for six GRAMMY® awards, and received the 2007 Avery Fisher Prize. Bell also participated in former president Barack Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities’ first cultural mission to Cuba, joining Cuban and American musicians on a 2017 Live from Lincoln Center Emmy-nominated PBS special, Joshua Bell: Seasons of Cuba, celebrating renewed cultural diplomacy between Cuba and the United States.

—–

Pianist Peter Dugan’s debut performances with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony were described by the Los Angeles Times as “stunning” and by the SF Chronicle as “fearlessly athletic.” He is heard every week across America as the host of National Public Radio’s beloved program From the Top.  Mr. Dugan has appeared as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician across North America and abroad.  In 2020, he joined acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell for At Home With Music, a national PBS broadcast and live album release on Sony Classical. This season Mr. Dugan continues his collaboration with Bell.

Prizing stylistic versatility as the hallmark of a 21st-century musician, Mr. Dugan is equally at home in classical, jazz, and pop idioms, and has collaborated with artists ranging from Jesse Colin Young, to Renee Fleming, to Paquito D’Rivera.  Mr. Dugan performs regularly in partnership with friends and artists who share a passion for expanding the world of classical music. The Wall Street Journal described Mr. Dugan’s collaboration with violinist and vocalist Charles Yang as a “classical-meets-rockstar duo.”

Mr. Dugan advocates for a classical music culture that is inclusive and welcoming to all, from a community’s concert halls and theaters to its schools and hospitals.  As a founding creator of Operation Superpower, a superhero opera for children, he has traveled to dozens of schools in the greater New York area, performing for students and encouraging them to use their talents – their superpowers – for good.

Tom Rush + Matt Nakoa Fingerpicking Master, Singer-Songwriter Duo
Feb 9 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Brevard Music Center-Parker Concert Hall

The contributions to the music industry from guitarist/vocalist Tom Rush have spanned more than 50 years and touched the lives of such iconic performers as James Taylor, Garth Brooks, Joni Mitchell, and Jackson Browne. Coupled with award-winning songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, Matt Nakoa, this powerhouse duo will fill Parker Concert Hall with melancholy ballads and gritty blues dappled with a bit of humor, of which Rush often brings to the stage.

Hear a message from Tom Rush about his upcoming performance in Brevard.

Tom Rush + Matt Nakoa Fingerpicking Master, Singer-Songwriter Duo
Feb 9 @ 7:30 pm
Brevard Music Center-Parker Concert Hall
Parker Concert Hall is Brevard Music Center’s state-of-the-art venue overlooking scenic Lake Milner. This season the hall plays host to a seventeen-concert series from October through May featuring a varied lineup of classical, jazz, vocal, and fusion artists. The series continues on Thursday, February 9, with Folk legend Tom Rush with multi-instrumentalist Matt Nakoa.
Kathleen Edwards
Feb 9 @ 8:00 pm
The Grey Eagle
– ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY

KATHLEEN EDWARDS
If you ask Kathleen Edwards, the best thing she ever did was quit. By 2014, the singer-songwriter had released four studio albums and amassed widespread critical acclaim. She had been touring since the release of her 2012 album, Voyageur, and the prospect of returning home—only to start writing her way toward another album, and another tour—felt impossibly daunting. She put her guitar away, at least for awhile: she moved back to her hometown of Ottawa and settled down in Stittsville, an old village on the western edge of town. A running inside joke with bandmate Jim Bryson about opening a coffee shop and naming it “Quitters” became reality. For years, the only new music she heard was playing in the background while she served her regulars at the shop, where she slowly started to fall in love with music again.

“I had no desire to write, no desire to play,” she says of what she refers to as her “working sabbatical.” “It allowed me all the time and space I needed to even just enjoy listening to music again. There were so many times where, if I was thinking about my own writing or playing, my heart just wasn’t in it. Opening a cafe gave me such a clean break from the weight of what I was carrying, I worked my ass off building a shop, I didn’t have to be ‘just a singer’ anymore.”

But in 2018, she received an unexpected phone call that changed that. Maren Morris, a longtime fan, invited her to Nashville for a songwriting session. Edwards accepted, and “Good Woman,” their collaboration, wound up on Morris’ 2019 album, GIRL. “It reminded me that writing and creating music is entirely my wheelhouse, and it was so easy to just jump back in and do that,” she says of her fortuitous time in Nashville. “Funny enough, the third person in the room for those two days was Ian Fitchuk, and [we] ended up starting the process of producing a record.”

Edwards will make her long-anticipated return to music with Total Freedom, her fifth studio album out August 14th via Dualtone Records. Written and recorded in Canada and Nashville with longtime collaborator/guitarist, Jim Bryson, and Grammy-winning songwriter/producer, Fitchuk, Total Freedom is both a return to form and a “hard reset,” one that empowered Edwards to write and perform entirely on her terms.

“I didn’t want to write songs that were going to keep me in a dark place on stage every night,” she says. “I didn’t have to carry a lot of the pressure of whatever course I was on previously… There’s a pressure sometimes to keep that ball rolling, and that’s what was so freeing about stopping altogether. I have this whole other experience now that grounded me and helped me rebuild my relationship with myself, and writing music. I’m entirely in control and deciding what my course of action is.”

“I finally had this exhale from a year that was really hard,” she says of the forces shaping Total Freedom. “I went through a scary experience, extricating myself from someone, and it was this wonderful moment of resilience when I finished the album. I am super resilient. I’m always finding ways to adjust what’s not working. I’m not gonna let someone take me down in the process. I think that calling [the record] Total Freedom was a reminder that I am a really strong person.”

MATT SUCICH

Vijay Iyer
Feb 9 @ 9:00 pm
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Described by The New York Times as a “social conscience, multimedia collaborator, system builder, rhapsodist, historical thinker and multicultural gateway,” composer-pianist Vijay Iyer is one of the leading music-makers of his generation.

His honors include a MacArthur Fellowship, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a United States Artist Fellowship, a Grammy nomination, and the Alpert Award in the Arts. His most recent album, a trio session with drummer Tyshawn Sorey and bassist Linda May Han Oh titled Uneasy (ECM Records, 2021), was named Best New Music in Pitchfork and was hailed by the New Yorker as “a triumph of small-group interplay and fertile invention.”

Friday, February 10, 2023
DSSOLVR’s 3rd Annual Valentine’s Emo Night
Feb 10 @ 6:00 pm
DSSOLVR

DSSOLVR is hosting its 3rd annual Emo Valentine’s Party,
On Friday, February 10th at 6:00pm. A free event that promises to bring back the energy and excitement of concerts like Warped Tour. The party will feature music from xZaneInsanex, food by Calico Pizza, an art pop-up by Heidi Failmezger of Remember Me Tattoo, and limited edition shirts and tour badges. Then on Sunday, the party continues with a viewing of the big game on our new 65″ TV’s and a 150″ projector, and food from Master of BBQ starting at 6pm.

See you in the pit,
XxDSSOLVRxX