Calendar of Events

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.

Listen, breathe. The kick drum is thumping in an offset rhythm to your beating heart and the bass is thundering vibrations through your entire body, tuning you into the stage and every other person standing in the crowd. Lightning strikes in your mind as dueling guitar riffs peel away the fog and a keyboard bubble floats loftily like clouds over it all. Then come the lyrics, messages of connection and grace. Ease flows through the entire scene and you’re awoken by the tingle of resonance on your skin. Do you feel it? This is Iya Terra. Iya Terra means higher ground, which they seem to find everywhere. Whether it be the top of the latest charts or next year’s festival billing, Iya Terra is constantly climbing.

Bringing a modern-conscious approach to songwriting, Iya Terra crafts messages in love & respect. Currently based out of LA, and with members hailing from the west coast, SLC, and Vegas, their powerful rhythm section provides the heartbeat over which scintillating guitars and soothing vocals float melodies of universal resonance.

Iya Terra released their first EP in 2014, then a debut album “Full Circle” in 2015. Then came the album that aligned the stars, “Sacred Sound” debuted at #1 on the reggae charts and the band’s following has swelled ever since. Their third full length release and second reggae chart topping album “Coming to Light” followed in 2019. Kicking off 2021 with a new album Ease & Grace, they show no sign of slowing down. The new tunes are produced by EN Young and feature reggae hard-hitters Tribal Seeds, Trevor Hall, Mike Love, Bobby Lee of SOJA, Alborosie, and the legendary David Hinds of Steel Pulse.

But if Iya Terra wants you to know anything, it would be this: just breathe, set your mind at ease, you got your whole life to live. One step at a time, right here, right now, that’s exactly where you want to be. The rest of your life starts today, so come along. Every single word you say, let it be peaceful, meaningful. Speak from your heart, it’s yearning to be.

Revolutionary music may seem hard to come by in these times, but that doesn’t mean the revolution isn’t still brewing. Meet Hawaii’s Mike Love – who spreads his positive and powerful message across the globe.

Love developed a unique style and sound rooted in the spirituality and message-based music of reggae and Rastafari, while also fusing progressive and classic rock, soul, blues, flamenco, jazz, classical, and more. At the core of Mike’s music, is healing – he is an active social, animal and environmental rights advocate, using his music as a tool to educate and unite.

Love started playing guitar at the age of 15, and soon after began performing live as front man for 10-piece band Dubkonscious. He then furthered his talents as a composer/lyricist, arranger and also producer on the band’s album At the Foot of the Mountain.

He then began to hone what has now become an internationally recognized, power-packed, one-man-band style show, using looping, multiple instruments and an array of different vocal techniques and musical styles to create a full and powerful sound that belies the fact that he is on stage alone. Love’s solo performances have since taken him to some of the largest stages in the world.

December 2012 saw the release of Love’s first solo album, critically acclaimed The Change I’m Seeking. The album features his hit track Permanent Holiday, which went viral on YouTube and currently has more than 32 million views [2022], expanding his fan base to the furthest corners of the globe.

With the release of his second album Love Will Find a Way and follow-up companion album Love Overflowing, Love solidified the bond with his fans, exhibiting the evolution they have come to expect from his music.

Love has performed at festivals and on stages in the US, South and Central America, Canada, Europe, Guam, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines, both solo and with his band The Full Circle. He has shared the stage with the likes of Michael Franti, Rebelution, Steel Pulse, Groundation, Xavier Rudd, John Butler, Dave Matthews, Dub Inc., Trevor Hall, Nahko and Medicine for the People and Jack Johnson.

Notable festival plays include the Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival (Byron Bay AUS), Reggae Sunska (Bordeaux FR), One Love Festival (Auckland NZ and California USA), California Roots Festival (Monterey USA), Boomtown Fair (UK), Sziget Festival (Budapest EU), Woodstock Festival (Poland EU), Electric Forest (Michigan USA), Wanderlust Festival (Hawaii, USA) and many more.

Love releases his music independently on his own Love Not War Records label and is currently working on his highly anticipated fourth album, with singles set to release some time in 2022.

Ask her where she comes from and she’ll tell you “All directions.” It’s an apt description of a singer who defies boundaries; culturally, musically and spiritually. Known for their epic, high energy, thought provoking and uplifting live performances, with a new album dropping and global tour schedule, the international powerhouse band (Australia/Jamaica) delivers a raw energy and vibe, channeling a deep reggae influence in a New Era Style.

The Nattali Rize debut album “Rebel Frequency” hit the streets in March 2017 to high acclaim, impacting worldwide charts & hearts! Her highly anticipated new album is dropping in 2020! But this is more than genre labels. The music, message & intention transcends, forget the borders and waters that divide us, the movement is to ignite the great remembrance of who we are, our collective power, what we can be, to end the systemic exploitation of the people and our planet, to break mental conditioning and find full freedom in this lifetime. Get ready to be moved!

Sunday, February 19, 2023, at 8:00 PM EST Use code “OPADAM” for Local Presale Code valid 8/18 10am – 10pm

Use code “ARISE” for Local Presale
Code valid 8/18 10am – 10pm

Use code “OPBETHS” for Local Presale Code valid 8/18 10am – 10pm

Monday, March 6, 2023, at 8:00 PM EST

The Jeb Rogers Band is an Asheville based 5 piece group that plays everything from a blend of soulful originals, hard hitting Rock and Roll, R&B and Americana. With instrumentation including guitars, drums, flute, harp and percussion, the JRB is sure to please and get you up out of your seat!

Since their 2000 formation in Kalamazoo, MI, the quintet—Anders Beck [dobro], Michael Arlen Bont [banjo], Dave Bruzza [guitar], Mike Devol [upright bass], and Paul Hoffman [mandolin]—have unassumingly progressed into a phenomenon on their own terms with the undying support of a devout audience. Rolling back and forth across North America on successive tours, they recently sold out 3 nights at Red Rocks, a feat unheard of in their genre. In 2019, All For Money marked their second #1 debut on the Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums Chart and third straight Top 3 entry. They’ve also earned critical acclaim from Billboard, Parade, NPR, and Rolling Stone who hailed them as “representing the genre for a whole new generation.”

As always, the band embraces tradition, while ushering bluegrass forward on their eighth full-length offering, Stress Dreams. “Greensky is and always has been very unique in our world,” observes Paul. “We put our love, energy, and focus into what we appreciate about our music. We come together as a band in a way that’s organic. We take a lot of pride in how we grow and challenge each other too. We’re maturing together. I think we get more Greensky all of the time.”

They took advantage of the time to become “more Greensky” in 2020. After touring ceased in the face of the Global Pandemic, the band hunkered down and compiled demos individually at first, sharing emails and voice notes. In July 2020, they got together for the first time in four months, dedicating rehearsals to the development of the new material. Once circumstances safely permitted, they recorded what would become Stress Dreams during a session in Gilford, VT, and two sessions in Asheville, NC. The band co-produced with frequent collaborator “and old friend” Dominic John Davis (Jack White’s touring and studio bassist) and “wizard engineer” and grammy-winning producer Glenn Brown. They preserved the hallmarks of their sound while widening its expanse.

“It didn’t feel like we were squeezing this project into the schedule,” says Mike. “The lack of gigs gave us the freedom to get together solely to work on this. It was a relaxed environment. There wasn’t the pressure of time; the songs got space to breathe.”

“For all of our records, we always take more time to explore and experiment,” Paul elaborates. “We finished ideas and kept going, thinking everything all the way through. We really put energy into each specific song and made it the best it could be.”

The single “Grow Together” blossoms into a patchwork of nimble banjo, acoustic guitar, and mandolin as the dobro (routed through a Marshall amplifier) teems with fuzzy heart. Meanwhile, Paul delivers an intimate live vocal performance capped off by the hook—“That we can grow old together, if we can find the time”— and an evocative electric guitar solo.

“It was the first tune I had written in a really long time,” states Paul. “My daughter was just born. When she was five weeks old, I sat down on the floor with her and spit this one out. It was an appreciation for my wife and what it meant to become a father. I had never been so moved in the studio as I was when we recorded it. A lot of my songs have come from an open place of serious personal emotions, but this one was different. Instead of fighting against weakness and pain, it’s romantic, happy, heartfelt, and uplifting.”

The opener “Absence of Reason” borders on mystical with its psychedelically-wrung whale moans on the dobro and JJ Cale-inspired fleet-fingered chicken-pickin’, making for what the guys agree is a “positive creative experiment.” Meanwhile, “guitarmonies” uphold the towering refrain of “Monument”—co-written by Anders and Chris Gelbuda.

“‘Monument’ meant more once quarantine happened,” recalls Anders. “It’s about how our lives changed so much when we were locked up at home. We were trying to harness the feeling of everything being taken away in an instant. At the same 6me, the energy reflects the feeling of getting back on stage and playing in front of 10,000 people post-COVID.”

Penned by Mike, the eight-minute tittle track “Stress Dreams” leans into a fascinating 6/8 time signature underscored by piano and an ethereal mandolin-led crescendo.

“It was quite literally about having weird dreams,” says Mike. “There’s a circular pattern to being stressed and repeating your thought process. In our job, we operate with some level of predictability. Our schedule is booked out a year in advance. Once the Pandemic hit, we didn’t know when we would see each other and play again. Now we are playing again, but we don’t know if it’s going to be taken away in a moment’s notice. It gives added value to the present moment. To make music with my friends for five weeks was such a gift. A lot of the album speaks to this.”

The closer “Reasons To Stay” ends the album on a lighthearted and funky note with its surprisingly sexy climax as Paul assures, “You’re just made of reasons to stay.”

“It’s about the physical attributes of the person you’re spending the night with,” Mike goes on. “Paul sings it way sexier than I ever could. If my wife asks, it’s a love song,” he laughs. In the end, the story of Greensky Bluegrass just keeps getting better as well. “There’s a duality to this band,” Anders leaves off. “On one hand, we improvise and go outside the box on stage. The studio brings out our artistic side. We grow every time we make a record. I hope you hear and see the evolution.”

“We just can’t wait to play shows, hug our friends, and play music with other musicians we love
and respect,” Paul concludes. “Besides, we’ve got 13 new songs to add to the setlist!”

“Everyone has these little kingdoms in their minds,” says Chris Wood, “and the songs on this album all explore the ways we find peace in them. They look at how we deal with our dreams and our regrets and our fears and our loves. They look at the stories we tell ourselves and the ways we balance the darkness and the light.”

That balance of darkness and light is at the heart of Kingdom In My Mind, The Wood Brothers’ seventh studio release and their most spontaneous and experimental collection yet. Recorded over a series of freewheeling, improvised sessions, the record is a reckoning with circumstance, mortality, and human nature, one that finds strength in accepting what lies beyond our control. Thoughtfully honing in on the bittersweet beauty that underlies our doubt and pain, the songs grapple with the power of our external surroundings to shape our internal worlds (and vice versa) through vivid character studies and unflinching self-examination. The lyrics dig deep here, but the arrangements always manage to remain buoyant, drawing from across a broad sonic spectrum to create a transportive, effervescent listening experience that’s indicative of the trio’s unique place in the modern musical landscape.

“My brother came to this band from the blues and gospel world, and my history was all over the map with jazz and R&B,” says Chris Wood, who first rose to fame with the pioneering trio Medeski Martin & Wood. “The idea for this group has always been to marry our backgrounds, to imagine what might happen if Robert Johnson and Charles Mingus had started a band.”

Kingdom In My Mind follows The Wood Brothers’ most recent studio release, 2018’s One Drop Of Truth, which hit #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and garnered the band their first GRAMMY Award-nomination for Best Americana Album. NPR praised the record’s “unexpected changes and kaleidoscopic array of influences,” while Uncut hailed its “virtuosic performances and subtly evocative lyrics,” and Blurt proclaimed it “a career-defining album.” Tracks from the record have racked up roughly 8 million streams on Spotify alone, and the band took the album on the road for extensive tour dates in the US and Europe, including their first-ever headline performance at Red Rocks, two nights at San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore (captured on their 2019 release, Live At The Fillmore), and festival appearances everywhere from Bonnaroo to XPoNential.

On past records, the band — brothers Oliver and Chris Wood, and Jano Rix — would often write a large batch of songs and then deliberately capture them all at once, but when it came to making Kingdom In My Mind, The Wood Brothers began recording without even realizing it. At the time, the trio thought they were simply breaking in their new Nashville recording studio/rehearsal space, laying down a series of extended instrumental jam sessions with engineer Brook Sutton as a way to learn the lay of the land. Some rooms, they found, were spacious with natural reverb, others were tight and dry; some recording setups required a gentle touch, others encouraged blistering energy.

“We weren’t performing songs,” explains Oliver. “We were just improvising and letting the music dictate everything. Normally when you’re recording, you’re thinking about your parts and your performances, but with these sessions, we were just reacting to each other and having fun in the moment.”

There was something undeniably alive and uninhibited about those performances, and after listening back, the band realized they’d never be able to recreate such spontaneous magic. So, like a sculptor chipping away at a block of marble, Chris took the band’s sprawling improvisations and carefully chiseled out verses and choruses and bridges and solos until distinctive songs began to take shape, songs that reflected influences and elements of the band (like Jano’s smoldering piano work and Chris’s affinity for Latin and African music) that had never shone through in quite the same way before. From there, the brothers divvied up the material that spoke to them most, penning lyrics both separately and together as they pondered what it takes to know contentment in our chaotic and confusing world.

The jaunty “Little Bit Sweet,” which was born from the band’s very first session, learns to appreciate the ups and downs in the circle of life, while the soulful “Cry Over Nothing” and hypnotic “Little Blue” playfully meditate on ego and perspective, and the funky “Little Bit Broken” celebrates the imperfections that make us human. Tracks like the bluesy “A Dream’s A Dream” and hypnotic “Don’t Think About My Death,” meanwhile, grapple with separating truth from fiction, ultimately coming to terms with the fact that our brains will always find new ways to blur those lines. Though the album advocates for acceptance, it’s not a passive brand the brothers sing about, but rather one rooted in strength and empowerment. To understand exactly what that means, look no further than album opener “Alabaster,” which paints a deeply empathetic portrait of a woman who’s broken free from the shackles of her old life and started over fresh.

“At the same time we were making this album, we were looking for some sort of philanthropic organization we could support with our music and in a bit of synchronicity, we came across this great group called Thistle Farms, which was based just down the street from our studio,” says Oliver. “Their goal is to help women who have been victims of sex trafficking or prostitution or addiction to get off the street and into safe housing where they can participate in therapy and job training. The work they were doing was so inspiring and it felt like such a fit with the kind of album we were writing that we teamed up with them to donate a portion of ticket sales from all our shows. It’s our way of using what we’ve got to do whatever good we can in the world.”

More than anything, it’s that mindset, that recognition that we’ve all been dealt our own particular hand of cards and life is in the way we play them, that defines Kingdom In My Mind. As Oliver sings on the captivating “Satisfied,” which finds its narrator wondering about the glories of the afterlife before ultimately deciding to make the most of his time on Earth, “I’ve got nothing left to be afraid of / Because I will be satisfied.” With an album this remarkable, The Wood Brothers have plenty to be satisfied about.

Beginning in May and running through September, these free outdoor shows will ramp up downtown fun on the third Thursday of each month, complete with craft beverages, food trucks and kids’ activities. Each concert will take place at the south end of Main Street, closing off the blocks between Allen and Caswell streets. 

As the premier live music event of Hendersonville, Rhythm & Brews brings in a variety of established acts as well as up-and-coming artists from around the nation. Whether you love soul, rock, bluegrass or the funky stuff, Rhythm & Brews will put a smile on your face and broaden your musical horizons. 

2022 Rhythm & Brews Concert Series Lineup: 

June 16: Erin & The Wildfire [[indie-pop soul]] with Hustle Souls [[soul/rock]] 

July 21: Melt [[soulful indie/jam]] with Pink Beds [[danceable indie-pop]] 

August 18: Alexa Rose [[americana/folk]] with Aaron Burdett [[singer-songwriter]] 

September 15: The Wooks [[upbeat bluegrass]] with The Greybirds [[classic-style rock]] 

Opening acts will kick off each evening at 5:30 p.m. followed by the headliner performance from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. 

For the youngest in the family, the Hands On! Kid Zone will provide kid-friendly activities. Meanwhile, adults can enjoy downtown Hendersonville’s first fully integrated beer and wine garden featuring locally crafted drinks from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Guidon Brewing Co., Oklawaha Brewing Co., Dry Falls Brewery, Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards, Flat Rock Cider Company and Bold Rock Hard Cider.  

All net proceeds from adult beverage sales will benefit the Friends of Downtown Hendersonville 501c3 nonprofit, whose mission is to identify, preserve and enhance the key factors that contribute to the authentic small town urban character of historic downtown Hendersonville. In the past year, the Friends of Downtown Hendersonville has supported downtown businesses with over $35,000 in direct business support through the façade and pivot grant programs. 

New in 2021, R&B Super Fan Tent provides an enhanced experience with a shaded viewing area including beer, wine and light refreshments from Moe’s BBQ. Individuals can become R&B Super Fans by purchasing a season package sponsorship for $200. The package includes two sponsor tent tickets to each show and two R&B season t-shirts. Becoming a R&B Super Fan sponsor support will not only help sustain R&B, but other Downtown Program events including Hendersonville Farmers Market, the Bearfootin’ Art Walk, and more. Visit the event website for more information on how to become a Super Fan. The Super Fan Tent is supported by B Squared Realty. 

Looking for a fun volunteer opportunity? Lending your time at Rhythm & Brews is a great way to meet new people and get involved in a community event. Fill out the Volunteer Interest Form to get started. 

Rhythm & Brews Concert Series was started in 2013 by Friends of Downtown Hendersonville, a 501c3 nonprofit operated by the Downtown Division of the City of Hendersonville Community Development Department. For more information, visit downtownhendersonville.org.  

We are shamelessly drumming up attention for our exciting new program at Lake Julian Park. Starting Thursday, March 31, Buncombe County Recreation Services is hosting a drum circle on the last Thursday of every month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The only thing you need to bring is yourself and a drum, and then just let the rhythm and beautiful scenery do the work as you enjoy the beat and comradery of fellow percussionists.

All experience levels are welcome, and registration is not required. If you have any questions, please contact Park Ranger Zach Hickok at (828) 684-0376.

: Every Last Thursday until -Sept. 29 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Park shelter number 2, Lake Julian Park, 26 Lake Julian R

Adrianne Blanks is a singer-songwriter from Asheville, NC largely influenced by folk and vintage country.

Join us on Thursday evenings throughout the spring and summer for our free jazz hour. Host and composer, Michael Jefry Stevens will be joined by musician friends once a month for a live performance at the Enka Candler Library.

Program will be held in our community room. Masks are optional at this time, we ask you do what makes you feel comfortable. No registration required. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Enka-Candler Library.

RICHARD BARRETT AND FRIENDS: Thursday Night Residency (August)
Richard Barrett (of The Greenliners) hosts a weekly residency with some of the finest pickers in the area every Thursday in August from 6-8pm at the Grey Eagle’s new outdoor location – The Outpost at Asheville Adventure Company (located at 521 Amboy Rd, just past Carrier Park).

WEEKLY SPECIAL GUESTS:
8/4:  Ian Newberry & Christian Ferri
8/11:  Robert Greer (of Town Mountain) & Jackson Dulaney
8/18:  Doug McElvy & Will Trakas
8/25:  Jay Franck

Stand Up Comedy is back in the Asheville Pizza Gameroom with the hottest comics in town. Hosted by Cody Hughes, featuring Petey Smith McDowell, Mario T & Jess Cooley

Comedy Open Mic sign up at door, free entry & pizza 3-5m

Contact Michele at [email protected] for more info

Stand Up Comedy is back in the Asheville Pizza Gameroom with the hottest comics in town. Hosted by Cody Hughes, featuring Petey Smith McDowell, Mario T & Jess Cooley
8p, $13
Comedy Open Mic sign up at door, performers get free entry & pizza 3-5m
contact Michele at [email protected] for more info

Visiting Asheville soon and looking for a fun way to fill your Friday night? The Asheville Drum Circle is a tradition unique to the area. While locals usually begin the beating of drums, tourists are welcome to join, dance, or simply take in the incredible atmosphere at any point.

If you’re looking for things to do in the area during your stay, this is a must! Here’s everything you should know about the Drum Circle.

The Asheville Drum Circle is a free event that’s open to all.

Call the Next Witness is a rock band hailing from Asheville, NC. We like to Rock! Our members are Liam McKay on guitar and lead vox, Kelly Menace on drums & vox and Maxxx Steele on bass & vox.

Music on Main is the annual Friday evening summer concert series at the Hendersonville Visitor Center. Each week, bring a chair, sit back and enjoy free live music! Every concert showcases a different band performing diverse line-up ranging from pop, oldies, rock, to contemporary music. The family-friendly event offers concessions such as hot dogs, ice cream, pretzels and lemonade for sale. Every Friday evening, the Carolina Mountain Car Club hosts a classic car show in conjunction with Music on Main. The car shows are located in front of the Wells Fargo between Barnwell and Caswell Streets, which will be closed to traffic.