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, May 21, 2022
Asheville Fitness Sampler
May 21 @ 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Highland Brewing Company

Asheville Fitness Sampler

Expect FIVE 25-minute back to back “tastes” of fitness + health and wellness experience stations. Take one or all five classes! No rules. Not strict. Have fun! We are teaming up with Highland Brewing – meet us in The Meadow for an INCREDIBLE day!

Swag bag for the first 50 sign ups!!

Made Possible By our incredible sponsor (and your fave chiros) Radius Chiropractic

The Schedule:

9:00am: Doors Open. Come into the market area and explore!

9:30am: Barre Classic with Marissa of Pure Barre Asheville

10:00am: Full Body Functional Agility with Preston of Asheville Fit Tribe

10:30am: Soul Power Dance with Misa Terral

11:00am : Hip Hop Fitness with Illysa of Dance Club Asheville

11:30am Yoga Flow with Ruth Morrow

Post workout eats & hydration by Loco Bowls & Smash NC

Experience Stations

(All included with the cost of a ticket)

Neuro Assessments with Radius Chiropractic

Mini acupuncture sessions with East Acupuncture & Wellness Boutique

Trail tips & mini coaching with Tera Pruett

Chair Massage by Hand and Stone Massage & Facial Spa

Movement Coaching with Samantha Nivens

Essential Oil Experience with Kristin Linde

Mineral Status Quiz with Calle of ReNourished Co

1:1 Clarity Sessions with Bloom Embodied Wellbeing

Matcha Latte Samples from Matcha Nude

Shopping 

Botanical Tortoise Co

Kai Leia Clay Studio

Zyia with Katie Nix

Hey Girl Clay

Tours: Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site
May 21 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
The Thomas Wolfe Memorial

Old Kentucky Home -The Thomas Wolfe Memorial

American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

Considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks.

House tours are offered daily at half past each hour. Last tour leaves at 4:30 pm.
Group tours by reservation.

Adult – $5.00
Student (ages 7-17) – $2.00
Adult Group (10+) – $2.50 each
Student Group – $2.00 each
6 & under – Free

Hours of Operation

9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday – Saturday
Sunday & Monday: CLOSED
Closed State Holidays

Biltmore Blooms Tour
May 21 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

April 1st through May 26th, 2022

Escape to Biltmore for a unique spring getaway. Immerse yourself in waves of color as Biltmore Blooms transforms our gardens and grounds. Savor complimentary wine tastings at our Winery. All this and more—an array of outdoor activities, shops, and restaurants, and of course, the timeless beauty of Biltmore House—is yours this spring at Biltmore.

Saluda Arts Festival
May 21 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Downtown Saluda

After a two-year hiatus, the Saluda Arts Festival returns to Saluda’s historic downtown, the event will feature approximately 85 artists from the Carolinas and Tennessee, children’s’ activities, and live music on Main Street in downtown Saluda

 

 

 

Enjoy a Complimentary Dessert in May
May 21 @ 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza

During the month of May, buy one entrée and get a free dessert at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Biltmore Park. Mention that you saw this offer in the Town Square Reminder email newsletter and enjoy warm, friendly service over scratch made wood fired fare either in the dining room or on the spacious patio.

Brixx Biltmore Park

Goat Yoga at the Breweries
May 21 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Whistle Hop Brewing Company

Goats+yoga+nature+beer=SO MUCH FUN!

Come join us as we breathe, move, play and drink beer. What better way to enjoy Asheville than goat yoga at the breweries? After an hour of yoga and pictures, take your token and wander into the brewery for a free beer of your choice. Lots of options for people under 21 or those choosing not to drink alcohol!

Vietnamese Street Food Cooking Class
May 21 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Asheville Mountain Kitchen

This event is open for kids and adults, or just adults. Come spend quality time with your kiddos. Learn how to make two of the most popular Vietnamese dishes. Bhan Mi and Pho

I guarantee you that once you make these dishes, you will repeat them over and over again. Its not as complicated as you may think. It is ultimately delicious.

Goat Yoga at the Breweries
May 21 @ 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Whistle Hop Brewing Company

Goat yoga at the breweries! Enjoy Asheville in a new way… Come join us as we breathe, move, play and drink beer. After your yoga class with lots of pictures, take your token, wander into the local brewery and grab a free beer of your choice! Family and kid friendly! Lots of drink options for those under 21 or choosing no alcohol.

Getting Real: A Spring Gala Benefiting SeekHealing
May 21 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Making Whole

Join us for a curated evening of world-class fare and connection with proceeds benefiting SeekHealing, an Asheville-based 501(c)3 nonprofit, working to reduce deaths of despair by improving social health.

For more information, including the menu for the evening, check out the ticket page listed here or visit seekhealing.org/gala

Asheville Art Museum’s GALA
May 21 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

 

The Asheville Art Museum’s annual Gala will be held on Saturday, May 21 from 6 to 10pm. This is our biggest event of the year, bringing together some of the Museum’s most dedicated supporters and celebrating all the Museum has to offer—from world-class exhibitions to engaging programs for children, teens, and adults. You’re invited to join us for an evening of rejuvenation with delightful company, exhibitions, dinner and beverages, an incredible live auction featuring art and experiences, and more!

6–7pm | Cocktail hour with live music, hors d’oeuvres, and specialty beverages. Enjoy Museum tours, special exhibitions, and the auction preview.
7–8pm | Seated dinner with live band and exquisite food and beverages.
8–9pm | Live auction featuring incredible art and innovative experiences.

Dress: Black Tie or Creative Attire

Dumpstaphunk • Rebekah Todd
May 21 @ 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Pisgah Brewing
Dumstaphunk Live At Pisgah Brewing 2022


Dumpstaphunk stands out amongst New Orleans’ best, cementing themselves as one of the funkiest bands to ever arise from the Crescent City. Born on the Jazz & Heritage Festival stage, and descended from Neville and Meters family bloodlines, these soldiers of funk ignite a deep, gritty groove that dares listeners not to move. Their performances combine ingenious musicianship through complex funk, rock, and jazz arrangements accompanied by soulful melodies and Big Easy traditions.

The band just released their 4th studio album Where Do We Go From Here on April 23, 2021 featuring Marcus King, Trombone Shorty and Chali 2Na, and is now available on double bronze vinyl, CD and all digital platforms. Dumpstaphunk culled material from many different sources over the past few years, creating during downtime and rare off tour cycle stop-gaps at various studios in New Orleans: some songs were born on-the-spot in the studio, others as a drum beat or a groove at sound-check. A few were simply covers that were already in the band’s live repertoire. The songwriting was largely collaborative, with all band-members contributing their own respective stylistic nuances.

For the past 17 years, Dumpstaphunk has earned its reputation as the most well-regarded next-generation New Orleans live powerhouse, the type of band whose live shows attract sit-ins from legends like Carlos Santana, Bob Weir and Trombone Shorty. Alongside Hall, Daniels, Alex Wasily, Ryan Nyther and drummer Deven Trusclair, cousins Ivan and Ian Neville have built upon their family’s iconic NOLA legacy as they’ve transformed Dumpstaphunk into the city’s pre-eminent 21st-century funk-fusion export, resulting in recent career highlights like their July 2019 opening gig for the Rolling Stones on their home turf at the Superdome.

Dueling baselines from Tony Hall and Nick Daniels III set off one of the dirtiest rhythm sections on the planet, while Ivan Neville lights up the Hammond B3 keys and cousin Ian Neville’s funky guitar riffs send the groove into overdrive. Dumpstaphunk tosses around lead vocals and four-part harmonies the way Sly & the Family Stone did, but with three studio albums under their belt, Dumpstaphunk stands on the merit of their own material.

Dumpstaphunk has performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival every year since 2001 and continues to tour all over the world. Most recently, before the pandemic the band supported The Rolling Stones in New Orleans, as well as toured with George Clinton & The Parliament Funkadelic for his farewell tour. They have performed on hundreds of festival stages likeJamCruise, Dead & Company’s Playing in the Sand, Lockn Festival, NYC’s Summerstage, and Byron Bay Bluesfest, and you never know who may appear as a guest on stage with the band on any given night. Guest appearances have included Santana, Bob Weir, John Oates, Lucas Nelson, Deen Ween, Blackbyrd McKnight, Jerry Harrison, Marcus King and Nicki Bluhm.



REBEKAH TODD:  WEBSITE  |  INSTAGRAM  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER 

Growing up in the small town of Benson, North Carolina, Rebekah Todd has been surrounded by music for as long as she can remember. At 11 years old, Rebekah’s father, a musician himself, gave her a black acoustic Washburn guitar and taught her to play. Flooding the house with sounds of classic rock and folk, her father played everything from Pink Floyd to the Righteous Brothers, leading Rebekah to instantly find her musical niche somewhere between melodic soul and alternative folk-rock. Growing into her soulful voice and musical style, the singer-songwriter started to pull inspiration from a wide range of musical genres, citing passionate singer/songwriters like Lauryn Hill and Susan Tedeschi as her inspiration and shaping the music she writes and performs today. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from East Carolina University in 2012, Rebekah has been devoting her life to writing and touring. Currently based in Wilmington, North Carolina, Rebekah is a gifted performer with a natural, soulful, and effortless voice and two releases under her belt, releasing her debut EP, Forget Me Not, in 2011, first LP, Roots Bury Deep, in 2014 and most recent full length, ‘Crooked Lines’ in February 2017.  Todd has received countless awards and recognition including 2013 Carolina Music Awards “Best Female Musician”, 2016 winner of Floyd Fest “On The Rise” Competition, 2017 Wilma Magazine’s Woman to Watch, 2018 Encore Magazine’s “Best Female Musician” and much more.

Todd is currently writing a new album set to be released and toured with her full band, Rebekah Todd & The Odyssey in 2022.

The Quebe Sisters
May 21 @ 8:30 pm
Isis Music Hall--The Main Stage

With over fifteen years of touring to date, The Quebe Sisters have delivered their authentic triple fiddle and three-part harmony sound to the concert halls and festivals of North America and Europe.

Grace, Sophia, and Hulda Quebe front an innovative Progressive Western Swing band of archtop guitar, upright bass, fiddles and sibling harmony. The Dallas-based five-piece presents a unique Americana blend of Western Swing, Jazz-influenced Swing, Country, Texas-Style Fiddling, and Western music.

“We differentiate our music as ‘Progressive Western Swing’ from simply ‘Western Swing’ because we aren’t trying to sound just like Bob Wills,” Grace Quebe explains. “Instead, we continue his vision, playing the style he pioneered in an authentic way by incorporating new genres and songs, interpreting them using our own unique voice through Country instrumentation.”

Reserved Seat Tickets are available with Dinner reservations – You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 for Reserve Seat Tickets and to make dinner reservations.

General Admission Tickets are available for the main stage balcony only. Seating in the balcony is first come, first serve. Dinner service is NOT currently being offered for general admission tickets.; drink service is available at the downstairs bar on the main floor.

Currently, Only General Admission Tickets are available on line

Come enjoy an evening of live music, food and drinks at the Isis Music Hall.

Sunday, May 22, 2022
Goat Yoga at New Origin Brewing Company
May 22 all-day
New Origin Brewing Company

Come join us as we breathe, move, play and drink beer! It’s a new way to enjoy our little mountain town of Asheville. After an hour of yoga and pictures, take your token and wander into the local brewery for a free beer of your choosing. Options available for under 21. This is a kid friendly and beginner class!

Biltmore Blooms Tour
May 22 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

April 1st through May 26th, 2022

Escape to Biltmore for a unique spring getaway. Immerse yourself in waves of color as Biltmore Blooms transforms our gardens and grounds. Savor complimentary wine tastings at our Winery. All this and more—an array of outdoor activities, shops, and restaurants, and of course, the timeless beauty of Biltmore House—is yours this spring at Biltmore.

Enjoy a Complimentary Dessert in May
May 22 @ 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza

During the month of May, buy one entrée and get a free dessert at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Biltmore Park. Mention that you saw this offer in the Town Square Reminder email newsletter and enjoy warm, friendly service over scratch made wood fired fare either in the dining room or on the spacious patio.

Brixx Biltmore Park

ACCESS THE GROOVE: A Benefit Concert for Access ETSU
May 22 @ 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
The Grey Eagle

ACCESS THE GROOVE: A Benefit Concert for Access ETSU

ccess the Groove – Celebrating Disability and Neurodiversity is a benefit concert, art fair, and inclusive community gathering on May 22nd from 1-5 pm at the Grey Eagle Music Hall in Asheville, NC.

 

The event will feature performances by a stellar lineup of musicians from Johnson City and Asheville with and without disabilities including Jordan Scheffer and Chinobay, Mad Mike Martinez , Will Gott, DIYabled, and Lavender Latte.

 

A variety of artists, entrepreneurs, and local agencies that act toward disability justice, equity, and inclusion will also be on-site selling wares and sharing information about their work. Vendors include Open Hearts Art Center, Madam Clutterbuckets Neurodiverse Universe, DIYabled, Austin Shreds, Bo Fisher, FIRST Resource Center, Access ETSU, and more.

 

Proceeds will help support Access ETSU, a new inclusive higher education program for students with intellectual disabilities at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. In addition to raising crucial funds for program sustainability, Access ETSU will also be congratulating their first-ever graduate and second-ever full cohort of incoming students.

 

The Grey Eagle Taqueria will be open during the event, offering authentic and fresh Latin-American cuisine. There will also be a raffle with lots of local goodies available.

 

If you would like to perform, vend, or contribute to the raffle, please contact Daniel Scherer-Emunds ([email protected]).

 

Accessibility: The Grey Eagle building is ADA compliant and we always do everything we can to make sure that every guest we have is comfortable. For specific accessibility questions or needs, please contact [email protected].

 

It’s a suggested minimum donation of $15 for entry, but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.

Art League of Henderson County – Focus on Fiber
May 22 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Johnson Farm

The Art League will host a meeting for members and guests at the Johnson Farm on May 22 from 1 – 3 pm. Tours of the farm, demonstrations by the Heritage Weavers and Art League Fiber artists will take place throughout the meeting. Ice cream will be served. All are welcome.

Jazz Sunday Jam
May 22 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
One World Brewing West

Jazz Sunday at One World Brewing West is a modern jazz jam held every Sunday afternoon from 1-4pm. Previously known as Jazz Monday, the jam has been running non stop since July, 2018 at the West Asheville brewery and is hosted weekly by The Fully Vaccinated Jazz Trio, consisting of Ray Ring on guitar, Jason DeCristofaro on drums, piano and vibraphone, and Connor Law on bass. Jazz Sunday typically features a guest artist for a short set and then welcomes jazz musicians of all levels to sit in for the remainder of the afternoon on One World’s spacious outdoor stage.

Wild Walk: A Behind the Scenes Tour
May 22 @ 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
WNC Nature Center

Cougar

See the WNC Nature Center like never before, behind the scenes!  The tour includes learning about how we feed and care for the animals (including the predators, such as the mountain lion), an animal enrichment session, and exclusive interactions with the keepers that care for our animals.  Tickets include admission for the day and takes place mainly outdoors.

The tour is for ages 14 and up. Masks are encouraged indoors, and required when are near the animals.

*Cancellation policy: Cancellations must be made 1 week prior to the event for a full refund.  If the event is cancelled due to weather or COVID related concerns, full refunds will be issue

Sunday Jam Hosted by Spiro + Friends
May 22 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Pisgah Brewing
Pisgah Sunday Jam

Join us for Sunday Jam Hosted by Spiro and Friends!

The taproom is open from 12:00 to 9:00 PM with music beginning at 6:30.

Bring your instrument! Sign-ups at the stage!

Food Truck: Dirty Gertie’s Taco Stand

Monday, May 23, 2022
Biltmore Blooms Tour
May 23 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

April 1st through May 26th, 2022

Escape to Biltmore for a unique spring getaway. Immerse yourself in waves of color as Biltmore Blooms transforms our gardens and grounds. Savor complimentary wine tastings at our Winery. All this and more—an array of outdoor activities, shops, and restaurants, and of course, the timeless beauty of Biltmore House—is yours this spring at Biltmore.

Enjoy a Complimentary Dessert in May
May 23 @ 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza

During the month of May, buy one entrée and get a free dessert at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Biltmore Park. Mention that you saw this offer in the Town Square Reminder email newsletter and enjoy warm, friendly service over scratch made wood fired fare either in the dining room or on the spacious patio.

Brixx Biltmore Park

BEABADOOBEE
May 23 @ 7:00 pm
The Orange Peel
Music Bingo Mondays
May 23 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm
Down Dog Yoga Studio and Dog Bar

Music Bingo Mondays

Join us every Monday night for Singo (Musical Bingo)!

Singo will run from 7-8:15 pm.

No reservations needed, just get ready for a good time and a chance to win some Down Dog prizes!

Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Tours: Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site
May 24 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
The Thomas Wolfe Memorial

Old Kentucky Home -The Thomas Wolfe Memorial

American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

Considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks.

House tours are offered daily at half past each hour. Last tour leaves at 4:30 pm.
Group tours by reservation.

Adult – $5.00
Student (ages 7-17) – $2.00
Adult Group (10+) – $2.50 each
Student Group – $2.00 each
6 & under – Free

Hours of Operation

9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday – Saturday
Sunday & Monday: CLOSED
Closed State Holidays

Biltmore Blooms Tour
May 24 @ 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Biltmore

April 1st through May 26th, 2022

Escape to Biltmore for a unique spring getaway. Immerse yourself in waves of color as Biltmore Blooms transforms our gardens and grounds. Savor complimentary wine tastings at our Winery. All this and more—an array of outdoor activities, shops, and restaurants, and of course, the timeless beauty of Biltmore House—is yours this spring at Biltmore.

Enjoy a Complimentary Dessert in May
May 24 @ 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza

During the month of May, buy one entrée and get a free dessert at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Biltmore Park. Mention that you saw this offer in the Town Square Reminder email newsletter and enjoy warm, friendly service over scratch made wood fired fare either in the dining room or on the spacious patio.

Brixx Biltmore Park

MANNA Live: Shopping with SNAP
May 24 @ 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
West Asheville Tailgate Market and Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube w/ MANNA

The live stream will take place at the West Asheville Tailgate Market and will highlight the benefits of the Double SNAP program.

Did you know that SNAP (formerly “food stamps”) can be used at many farmers’ markets? In fact, your SNAP dollars can DOUBLE at some markets! Join us from the West Asheville Tailgate Market and learn more as we go shopping with SNAP.

Paint and Sip @ 12 Bones Brewing
May 24 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
12 Bones Brewing

Paint this epic sunset over the iconic Blue Ridge mountains with us on Tuesday, May 24th, @ 6:00 pm! 🌄 We’ll be at 12 Bones Brewing to guide you step-by-step through this crowd-favorite landscape.

Belle + Sebastian MOVED TO THE ORANGE PEEL
May 24 @ 7:00 pm
The Orange Peel

 

RAIN OR SHINE

A Bit of Previous is the tenth studio album by Belle and Sebastian and their first full-length in seven years. This may be surprising to anyone following the recent life pursuits of the Glasgow 7-piece: The Boaty Weekender – a 3000 capacity star-studded four-day music festival on a cruise liner sailing the Mediterranean; a trilogy of EP’s; a soundtrack for the directorial debut of The Inbetweeners’ Simon Bird; a live album showcasing the band’s present-day iteration as savvy main stage entertainers; and in 2020 a collaborative project with fans called ‘Protecting The Hive’. But in all these idiosyncratic endeavours, as intrinsic to the band’s DNA as the stage invasion at the end of each of their shows, a full-length has eluded us.

A Bit Of Previous is a classic Belle and Sebastian album preoccupied with songs and melodies that won’t leave your head and lyrics that can make you smile and ponder and sometimes be melancholic. It’s an album self-produced and recorded by Belle and Sebastian (with contributions from Brian McNeill, Matt Wiggins, Kevin Burleigh and Shawn Everett) and their most hands-on since The Boy With The Arab Strap.

In some respects, A Bit Of Previous is also a first. It’s the first album the band recorded in their native Glasgow in 20 years (the last being 2000’s Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant). What started off as a pandemic necessity – having to ditch plans to record in California in spring of 2020 – became a refreshing change of pace. Unbeholden to restrictive and expensive studio schedules, it allowed for long walks through the streets and parks of Glasgow and spontaneous train journeys to nearby towns which embedded proceedings with a peculiar sense of place. The band upgraded their practice space to a makeshift studio, making some creative interior design choices to keep it pandemic safe.

A Bit of Previous is Belle and Sebastian taking on age and getting older and emerging all the more vital for it. ‘Young And Stupid’ is a stuttering acoustic rocker that without its lilting violin might be mistaken for a T. Rex song, the lyrics and nonchalant vocals facing the passage of time with wry ennui: “Now we’re old with creaking bones / Some with partners some alone  / Some with kids and some with dogs  / Getting through the nightly slog / Everything is fine when you’re young and stupid”. ‘Come On Home’, with its fireside piano and conversational exchanges between Murdoch and Martin, evokes a handing over of the generational baton with a call to “Give a chance to the old / Set the record straight on the welfare state / Give a chance to the young / Everyone deserves a life in the sun”.

While the arrangements are often playful, there is an underlying gravity. The deceptively feelgood, choir backed ‘If They’re Shooting At You’ reads like a poignant ode to defiance and survival: ‘If they’re shooting at you kid / You must be doing something right”. On Martin’s ‘Reclaim The Night’, a jaunty backbeat tells of a cross-generational everywoman trepidation that in 2022 is more pertinent than ever.

A Bit of Previous is also scattered with big, occasionally delirious pop moments. ‘Unnecessary Drama’ rips through a cacophony of overdriven riffs and a droning harmonica that borders on the unhinged and is one of the band’s heaviest outings since, well, ever. The 140+ bpm ’Talk To Me Talk To Me’ is ablaze with euro synths and keyboard horns as the voices of Murdoch and Martin intertwine on a breathless chorus. ‘Working Boy in New York City’ exists in a parallel universe where the band did in fact make it to California – such is the escapist bliss of its sloping flute and bittersweet funk.

On the other side of the spectrum are some of Belle and Sebastian’s most moving ballads. Tender finger-picked paean to a lover ‘Do It For Your Country’ and doo-wop-inflicted ‘Sea Of Sorrow’ showcase Murdoch’s tenor at its most bare and affecting, while Stevie Jackson contributes lovelorn country waltz ‘Deathbed of My Dreams’.

So what is a A Bit of Previous? It’s a bit of everything, and a lot of what makes Belle and Sebastian so special and enduring. It’s a band tackling the insight, experience and responsibility that come with getting older with humour and irreverence and lyrical exactitude and musical bravado. It’s one of the UK’s most beloved pop portraitists asserting themselves as an infallible source of energy and fun.

There’s a touch of Buddhism, too, a practice increasingly influential on Murdoch’s outlook in recent years and given a further manifestation via his popular weekly guided online meditation sessions. The album title is possibly a reference to the concept of reincarnation. As Murdoch notes in the liner notes:  “There is a firmly held belief in Buddhism that we have been reborn so many times and in so many guises that if we look around us, we are bound to see a person who has been our mother in a past life. And we are surrounded by people who have been our children. If we truly had that in our minds and in our hearts, we would drop the prejudice we had: our attitude to strangers and difficult people would alter emphatically.”