Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”
From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).
Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.
An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.
Subscribers who have received seat assignments may now purchase additional single tickets for the 2021-2022 Broadway season through their account or by calling the Peace Center Box Office Monday – Friday between 9:30 am – 5:30 pm.
*Seat locations are based on currently available inventory. Additional tickets for Hamilton performances are not included. Please stay tuned for more information on when they will become available for purchase.
Steve Kelly and the Cherry Cherry Band is considered the “Premier Neil Diamond Tribute!” Neil Diamond’s music is timeless and ageless. His classic songs evoke memories that every crowd will enjoy. Steve Kelly and the Cherry Cherry Band are an award winning tribute experience that has performed over 600 shows to sold out houses around the U.S and Canada. A seasoned performer, Steve Kelly’s shows are high energy and replicate the same live show Diamond performs himself. Steve’s infectious positivity, love of music, and dedication to the fans are evident from the warm greeting prior to the show, to the post show farewell. Don’t miss this uncanny performance as The Cherry Cherry Band deftly delivers all of Neil Diamond’s greatest hits.
Join us Friday April 8th for Govinda with Pathwey, ToneVizion, & Medisin. Visuals by Hexadecibal.
Full Visual Audio experience provided by Your Allure.
Powered by BASSBOSS
21+ / Doors 8PM / Show 9PM
Turn the Dallas Asheville into a giant game board with this fun scavenger hunt adventure. Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a two and a half-hour city tour. Guided from any smart phone, teams make their way among well-known and overlooked gems of the city, solving clues and completing challenges while learning local history. Start when you want and play at your pace. Price is per team, not per person. Find details and Redeem your ticket as a Prepaid Code online at www.UrbanAdventureQuest.com.
Dates: July 11 – 16, 2022
Application: Available now through MyBMC
Cost: A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets. Spots are limited and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Please note: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all students, faculty, and summer staff for the 2022 season. Please see our FAQ page for more information.
Program Summary
Brevard Music Center (BMC) presents The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programming, a six-day intensive seminar and think-tank on orchestral programming intended for professionals and influencers in the orchestral field. Presented by Brevard Music Center in partnership with Bard College, the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the South Dakota Symphony, the University of Michigan School of Music, and Project Director Joseph Horowitz, The Brevard Project takes place July 11-16, 2022. The central goals of The Brevard Project are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire.
Curriculum
The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programing complements Brevard Music Center’s week-long “Dvořák’s Prophecy” festival from July 11-16 and is inspired by Joseph Horowitz’s acclaimed new book Dvořák’s Prophecy and the Vexed Fate of Black Classical Music. Part think-tank, part seminar, this inaugural Project gathering equips practitioners and scholars alike to begin to answer questions about the dense nexus of culture and race, of historical, political, and moral reckonings surrounding the story of American orchestral music. The central goals of this program are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire. The Brevard Project is designed for conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and engaged orchestra Board members.
Moving forward requires a fresh and closer look at our musical past – and to the lagging formation of an American symphonic canon. A new narrative of American classical music will be proposed that explores timely and topical issues that impact present and future orchestral programming. Why did our repertoire remain so stubbornly Eurocentric? What can we learn from this history? What can be mined from the treasure trove of long-hidden indigenous and Black music that can help to pave the future?
Classroom sessions will be highly interactive, drawing upon first-hand accounts of humanities-infused approaches to programming and community engagement. Topics of exploration include creating a “new paradigm” for American orchestral repertoire, rethinking the concert experience, and redefining the role of the music director. Participants will be challenged to envision programming and organizational initiatives to promote symphonic events grounded in the American experience, past and present.
The Faculty
A remarkable faculty has been assembled for this groundbreaking exercise.
*virtual participant
Joseph Horowitz, Project Director
Leon Botstein, President, Bard College; Music Director, American Symphony; Founder, Bard Festival and The Orchestra Now
Lorenzo Candelaria, Dean, Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University
Mark Clague, Music Historian, University of Michigan
JoAnn Falletta*, Music Director, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Christopher Gibbs*, Music Historian, Bard Conservatory; Artistic Co-Director, Bard Festival
Delta David Gier, Music Director, South Dakota Symphony
Blake-Anthony Johnson, CEO, Chicago Sinfonietta
Keith Lockhart*, Artistic Director, Brevard Music Center
Douglas McLennan, Founder/Editor, ArtsJournal
Jason Posnock, Chief Artistic Officer, Brevard Music Center
Jesse Rosen, Former CEO, League of American Orchestras
Larry Tamburri, CEO, Newark School of the Arts (former CEO, Pittsburgh and New Jersey Symphonies)
The Performers
Lara Downes, Pianist, producer, arts advocate
Sidney Outlaw, Baritone/pedagogue, Ithaca College
George Shirley, Tenor/pedagogue, University of Michigan
Enrollment Information
Conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and Board members are all encouraged to apply for The Brevard Project.
Capacity is limited. A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets for the week. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply now through MyBMC.
Old Kentucky Home -The Thomas Wolfe Memorial
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
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.
Time Slots: 11am – 1pm – 3pm
• Donut Decorating
• Egg Decorating
• Easter Basket Craft
• Flower Pot Craft with Plant
• Peeps Milkshake Treat
• Easter Themed Finger Foods
• Easter Bunny Available for Photos!
$35.00 per ticket
(Includes entry for 1 child & up to 2 adults)
Reservations required. Buy your tickets now!
Be sure to print and save your receipt, it will serve as your ticket.
Details:
- 90 minute tour with beverages/light food pairings*
- Reservation only
- 21+ up
Designated drivers don’t need a reservation, but must accompany a ticketed guest.
*If you have an allergy or accomodation request, please note these while placing your reservation, or email [email protected] with your needs.
Attire + Footwear
- Closed-toe shoes with hard soles required
- This tour is exposed to the elements. Please check the weather in advance and be prepared!
Accessibility
There are elements of the tour that are not wheelchair accessible. Please reach out directly to [email protected] for information and accommodation.
Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”
From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).
Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.
An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.
Subscribers who have received seat assignments may now purchase additional single tickets for the 2021-2022 Broadway season through their account or by calling the Peace Center Box Office Monday – Friday between 9:30 am – 5:30 pm.
*Seat locations are based on currently available inventory. Additional tickets for Hamilton performances are not included. Please stay tuned for more information on when they will become available for purchase.
Steve Kelly and the Cherry Cherry Band is considered the “Premier Neil Diamond Tribute!” Neil Diamond’s music is timeless and ageless. His classic songs evoke memories that every crowd will enjoy. Steve Kelly and the Cherry Cherry Band are an award winning tribute experience that has performed over 600 shows to sold out houses around the U.S and Canada. A seasoned performer, Steve Kelly’s shows are high energy and replicate the same live show Diamond performs himself. Steve’s infectious positivity, love of music, and dedication to the fans are evident from the warm greeting prior to the show, to the post show farewell. Don’t miss this uncanny performance as The Cherry Cherry Band deftly delivers all of Neil Diamond’s greatest hits.
Almost born on the airplane from Columbus, OH to Philly, Paul Edelman has cultivated a passionate, loyal following with original, arresting and reverent music.
Edgy and misty, from a holler to a whisper, Edelman’s songs and performances have been making folks feel that they’ve truly discovered something special, and he’s earned universal respect from peers as well.
Veteran of some of the biggest Philadelphia tickets of the day – The Butcher Holler Boys, Naked Omaha, The Boxcars, and The Jangling Sparrows, Paul has shared bills with Scott Miller and Mic Harrison both of the V-Roys, Robert Earl Kean, James McMurtry, Drive-by Truckers, Neko Case, Big Sandy, Langhorne Slim, Patty Larkin, The Sadies, Cordero, The Bottle Rockets and Grayson Capps among many others.
Paul has worked with some of the industries greatest names, he has recorded with Jimmy Johnson (founder Muscle Shoals Studio), Nashville Session Staple drummer, Martin Parker (Ricky Scaggs, Allison Krauss, Patti Loveless) And Keyboardist Steve Fordham ( Mavis Staples).
Paul relocated to Asheville, NC in 2008 where he quickly grabbed winner of the 2009 Flat Rock Music Festival songwriter competition and has released five full length albums including his latest. TELECOASTER.
Next to Normal
book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt
Next to Normal, with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt, explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness. Winner of three 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Score and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize, Next to Normal was also chosen as “one of the year’s ten best shows” by critics around the country, including The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone and The New York Times.
Dad’s an architect; Mom rushes to pack lunches and pour cereal; their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens, appearing to be a typical American family. And yet their lives are anything but normal because the mother has been battling manic depression for 16 years. Next to Normal takes audiences into the minds and hearts of each character, presenting their family’s story with love, sympathy and heart.
***Advisory: This show has flashing light effects that could trigger people with epilepsy.
Trigger Warning: there is heavy focus on mental illness, electroshock therapy, and a suicide attempt in this show. Audiences are advised. Due to sexual situations and adult language, this show is not recommended for audiences under 16.
To attend a Brevard College Theatre performance in person, you must agree to follow COVID safety protocols of presenting identification and proof of vaccination at the Box Office. You must also wear a mask at all times inside the Paul Porter Center for the Performing Arts.
CAST
Diana: Talley Sugg
Gabe: Eli Hughes
Dan: Kristian Michels
Natalie: Naomi Firebaugh
Henry: Scott Douglas
Dr. Madden/ Dr. Fine: Jamie Glison
Co Directors: Abbey Toot & Andrea Boccanfuso
Music Director: Dan Toot
Music Accompanist: Richard Riccardi
Intimacy Coordinator: Abbey Toot
Scenic Design: Teila Vochatzer
Lighting Design: Andrea Boccanfuso
Costume, Hair & Makeup Design: Ida
Sound Design/ Sound Op (Mixing): Will Young
Sound Assistant: Gavin Martin
Production Stage Manager: Grace Dempsey
Rehearsal Stage Manager: Andrea Boccanfuso
Assistant Stage Manager: Rowe Davis
Technical Director: Logan Taylor
Props Supervisor/
Hair & Makeup Application Mgr: Emma Harris
Dressers: Oli Mason
Emma Harris
Sarah Hajkowski
Scenic Charge: Gabe Bernhard
Wardrobe Supervisor: Gwyn Jennings
Video Manager: Sarah Hajkowski
Master Electrician: Patrick Miller
Light Board Operator: Cassandra Dayton
Sound Assistant: Anna Ervin
Video Crew/ Run Crew: Bryan Barboza
House Manager: Seth Chepes & Oliver Morgan
Box Office Manager: Taylor Sparrow
Care Group Organizer: Oli Mason
Care Group Organizer: Sarah Hajkowski
Costume Construction Crew: Gabe, Will, Taylor, Grace
Cosmic Charlie has taken the Grateful Dead experience to a new level with “Dark Side Of The Dead”.
Dark Side Of The Dead is a hybrid show featuring the music of both the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd. The centerpiece of the show is a live performance of Pink Floyd’s legendary “Dark Side Of The Moon” album.
The album is performed start-to-finish, by the Cosmic Charlie “big band” that includes two drummers, 4 keyboards, backup singers & saxophone. Before and after the Dark Side album performance, Cosmic Charlie will offer up two heaping helpings of it’s signature high energy Grateful Dead.
Darko Butorac, conductor
Lisa Smirnova, piano
Dramatic works encircle one of Mozart’s most beloved works for piano: Brahms’ darkest overture composed in response to one of his liveliest and the mysterious Enigma Variations, said to be inspired by Elgar’s friends, family, and an unknown lost love. Embrace the drama, delve into the mystery, delight in the darkness.
Brahms Tragic Overture
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20
Elgar Enigma Variations
Neal Francis
On his new album In Plain Sight, Neal Francis offers up a body of work both strangely enchanted and painfully self-aware, unfolding in songs sparked from Greek myths and frenzied dreams and late-night drives in the depths of summer delirium. True to its charmed complexity, the singer/songwriter/pianist’s second full-length came to life over the course of a tumultuous year spent living in a possibly haunted church in Chicago. The result: a portrait of profound upheaval and weary resilience, presented in a kaleidoscopic sound that’s endlessly absorbing.
The follow-up to Francis’s 2019 debut Changes—a New Orleans-R&B-leaning effort that landed on best-of-the-year lists from the likes of KCRW, KEXP, and The Current, and saw him hailed as “the reincarnation of Allen Toussaint” by BBC Radio 6—In Plain Sight was written and recorded almost entirely at the church, a now-defunct congregation called St. Peter’s UCC. Despite not identifying as religious, Francis took a music-ministry job at the church in 2017 at the suggestion of a friend. After breaking up with his longtime girlfriend while on tour in fall 2019, he returned to his hometown and found himself with no place to stay, then headed to St. Peter’s and asked to move into the parsonage. “I thought I’d only stay a few months but it turned into over a year, and I knew I had to do something to take advantage of this miraculous gift of a situation,” he says.
Mixed by Grammy Award-winner Dave Fridmann (HAIM, Spoon, The Flaming Lips, Tame Impala), In Plain Sight finds Francis again joining forces with Changes producer and analog obsessive Sergio Rios (a guitarist/engineer known for his work with CeeLo Green and Alicia Keys). Like its predecessor, the album spotlights Francis’s refined yet free-spirited performance on piano, an instrument he took up at the age of four. “From a very early age, I was playing late into the night in a very stream-of-consciousness kind of way,” he says, naming everything from ragtime to gospel soul to The Who among his formative influences. With a prodigy-like gift for piano, Francis sat in with a dozen different blues acts in Chicago clubs as a teenager, and helmed a widely beloved instrumental funk band called The Heard before going solo. Along with earning lavish acclaim (including a glowing review from Bob Lefsetz, who declared: “THIS IS THE FUTURE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS!”), Changes led to such triumphs as performing live on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” sharing the stage with members of The Meters at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and touring with such acts as Lee Fields & The Expressions and Black Pumas.
Recorded entirely on tape with his bandmates Kellen Boersma (guitar), Mike Starr (bass), and Collin O’Brien (drums), In Plain Sight bears a lush and dreamlike quality, thanks in large part to Francis’s restless experimentation with a stash of analog synths lent by his friends in his early days at the church. “My sleep schedule flipped and I’d stay up all night working on songs in this very feverish way,” he says. “I just needed so badly to get completely lost in something.” In a move partly inspired by Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy, In Plain Sight takes its title from a track Francis ended up scrapping from the album. “It’s a song about my breakup and the circumstances that led to me living in the church, where I’m owning up to all my problems within my relationships and my sobriety,” says Francis, whose first full-length chronicles his struggles with addiction. “It felt like the right title for this record, since so much of it is about coming to the understanding that I continue to suffer because of those problems. It’s about acknowledging that and putting it out in the open in order to mitigate the suffering and try to work on it, instead of trying to hide everything.”
The opulent opening track to In Plain Sight, “Alameda Apartments” makes for a majestic introduction to the album’s unveiling of Francis’s inner demons. “I started writing that song maybe six years ago, before I got sober,” he says. “I was going through another breakup and getting kicked out of my place, and I had a nightmare about moving into an art-deco apartment that was haunted, where the walls were all shifting around.” A prime showcase for Francis’s piano work, “Alameda Apartments” simulates that dream state in its untethered melodies, luminous grooves, and lyrics that drift from despair to detached curiosity (e.g., “It remains to be seen if the ghosts are all right”). “The craziest thing is that I’d never encountered the name ‘Alameda’ in any time in my life prior to that dream,” says Francis. “It’s bizarre that I even remembered it, especially since you don’t dream very often when you’re getting fucked up.”
On “Problems,” In Plain Sight eases into a brighter and breezier mood, with Francis mining inspiration from early-’70s Sly & the Family Stone and the glistening soft rock of Mirage-era Fleetwood Mac. But in a stark contrast to the track’s radiant synth and rapturous harmonies, “Problems” centers on Francis’s exacting introspection. “It’s about being half-in and half-out of a relationship, and how untenable that is,” he says. “I wrote it at a time when I really couldn’t maintain a relationship, because I had too many issues with myself that needed to be addressed.”
Graced with a smoldering slide-guitar solo from the legendary Derek Trucks, “Can’t Stop the Rain” arrives as the first unabashedly hopeful moment on In Plain Sight. “I wrote that with my buddy David Shaw, who came up with the refrain and this idea that even though life’s going to throw all this shit at you, there’s still so many things to be grateful for,” says Francis. Propelled by the track’s cascading piano lines and wildly soaring vocals, that refrain takes on an unlikely anthemic power as Francis shares a bit of gently expressed encouragement: “You can’t stop the rain/It’s always coming down/It’s always gonna fall/But you’re not gonna drown.”
On the guitar-heavy and glorious “Prometheus,” Francis nods to the Greek myth of the Titan god who stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to the humans. As punishment, Prometheus spent eternity chained to a rock as an eagle visited each day to peck out his liver—which then grew back overnight, only to be eaten again the following day in a neverending cycle of torment. “That song came from the lowest ebb of quarantine, when Chicago was literally on fire,” Francis says. “It came to me while I was driving around all these abandoned streets in the middle of the night, and turned into a song about facing my problems with addiction and feeling like I’m chained to this set of compulsions.” Threaded with plainspoken confession (“It’s not in my nature to try to do better”), the track features a sprawling synth arrangement informed by the many hours Francis spent playing the St. Peter’s pipe organ. “I call that section of the song ‘The Pope,’” he says. “It’s this grand, powerful entry that’s sort of sinister, and then it just drops away.”
By the end of his surreal and sometimes eerie experience of living at the church—“I’m convinced that the stairway leading to the choir loft where I used to practice is haunted,” he notes—Francis had found his musicality undeniably elevated. “Because I was forced into this almost monastic existence and was alone so much of the time, I could play as often and as long as I wanted,” he says. “I ended up becoming such a better pianist, a better writer, a better reader of music.” Dedicated to a woman named Lil (the de facto leader of the St. Peter’s congregation), In Plain Sight ultimately reveals the possibility of redemption and transformation even as your world falls apart.
“When I started the process of writing these songs, I was so emotionally out-of-sorts and really kind of hopeless that I’d be able to come up with anything,” says Francis. “But then I sat down and started working, and embraced whatever inspiration came my way. Sometimes it felt like beating my head against a wall, but I tried to trust that it would lead somewhere. The whole thing was like a weird dream—this very strange time of terrible, wonderful isolation.”
Andrew Scotchie & the River Rats
High-Energy, Funk-ti-fied Rock n’ Roll band with a jam-band like in the moment spirit coupled with the fierceness of punk rock.
Asheville, NC based, Andrew Scotchie & the River Rats have been revered far wide for their engaging, interactive High-Energy, Funk-ti-fied Rock n’ Roll show. Couple the abilities and in the moment spirit of a jam-band with a punk rock fierceness and energy, and you’ll get a show that will have familiar songs but with a twist that offers a listener something only in that moment. Consistent studio recordings, year round touring from NY to FL and NC to ID, earnest songwriting and sharing bills with such greats as Sonny Landreth, Blind Boys of Alabama, Drivin N Cryin, Ghost Light, Eric Gales, Big Daddy Love and Bettye Lavette has made Andrew Scotchie & the River Rats one of the industry’s fastest growing Rock n Roll bands, and WNC’s best Rock band 4 years running. Rolling Stone’s Garret Woodward gave mention to the band in his coverage of Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam stating that the band is “starting to make a name for themselves on the national scene”. Find the band at all social media outlets, streaming services and at www.andrewscotchiemusic.com
Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”
From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).
Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.
An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.
Subscribers who have received seat assignments may now purchase additional single tickets for the 2021-2022 Broadway season through their account or by calling the Peace Center Box Office Monday – Friday between 9:30 am – 5:30 pm.
*Seat locations are based on currently available inventory. Additional tickets for Hamilton performances are not included. Please stay tuned for more information on when they will become available for purchase.
Fifteen-time GRAMMY® Award-winner Ricky Skaggs’ career is easily among the most significant in recent country music history. If Skaggs’ burgeoning trophy case full of awards wasn’t already enough evidence of that fact, consider that legendary guitarist Chet Atkins once credited Skaggs with “single-handedly saving country music.” His life’s path has taken him to various musical genres, from where it all began in bluegrass music, to striking out on new musical journeys, while still leaving his musical roots intact.
Born July 18, 1954 in Cordell, Kentucky, Skaggs showed signs of future stardom at an early age, playing mandolin on stage with bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe at 6 and appearing on TV with Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs at 7. He emerged as a professional bluegrass musician in 1971, when he and his friend Keith Whitley were invited to join the legendary Ralph Stanley’s band the Clinch Mountain Boys.
Skaggs then went on to record and perform with progressive bluegrass acts like the Country Gentlemen and J.D. Crowe & the New South, whose self-titled 1975 Rounder Records debut album was instantly recognized as a landmark bluegrass achievement. He then led Boone Creek, which also featured Dobro ace and fellow New South alumnus Jerry Douglas.
But Skaggs turned to the more mainstream country music genre in the late ‘70s when he joined Emmylou Harris’s Hot Band, replacing Rodney Crowell. He became a recording artist in his own right in 1981 when his Epic label debut album Waitin’ for the Sun to Shine topped the country charts and yielded a pair of #1 hits. Overall, his productive stay at Epic Records would result in a total of 12 #1 hits. Additionally, he garnered eight Country Music Association Awards–including the coveted Entertainer of the Year trophy in 1985.
Skaggs, of course, fit right in with young “new-traditionalist” ‘80s artists like Randy Travis and helped rejuvenate the country music genre after the worn-out “Urban Cowboy” period. But, Skaggs put his own stamp on the country format by infusing his bluegrass and traditional country music roots into the contemporary Nashville sound.
Skaggs’ 1997 album Bluegrass Rules!, released on his newly-formed Skaggs Family Records label, marked a triumphant return to bluegrass—which he’s solidified ever since with a series of GRAMMY® Award-winning albums, recorded with his amazing bluegrass band, Kentucky Thunder (8-time winners of the IBMA ‘Instrumental Group of the Year’). Skaggs’ label has also served as a home for similar bluegrass and roots music-oriented artists including The Whites.
In the past decade, he has been honored with inductions into the Gospel Music Association’s Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame. In 2018, a landmark year, Skaggs was also awarded membership into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame, the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and country music’s greatest honor, the Country Music Hall of Fame. Most recently, he was awarded the prestigious National Medal of Arts in 2020 for his contributions to the American music industry.
Ricky struck his first chords on a mandolin over 50 years ago, and he continues to do his part to lead the recent roots revival in music. Clearly, his passion for it puts him in the position to bring his lively, distinctively American form of music out of isolation and into the ears and hearts of audiences across the country and around the world. Ricky Skaggs is always forging ahead with cross-cultural, genre-bending musical ideas and inspirations.
Ian Noe draws on the day-to-day life of Eastern Kentucky on his debut album, Between the Country. Recorded in Nashville with unhurried production by Dave Cobb, these 10 original songs introduce a number of complicated characters, diverse in their own downfalls but bound together by Noe’s singular voice.
“I’ve always thought that Eastern Kentucky had a certain kind of sound, and I can’t really explain it any better than that,” he says. “What I was trying to do was write songs that sounded like where I was living.”
The lead track, “Irene (Ravin’ Bomb),” sets the tone for the album, telling the story of an alcoholic woman who fails to conceal her addiction from her family. Throughout the remaining tracks, family relationships are tested, bad decisions are inevitable, and more than a few people meet an untimely end. Titles like “Junk Town,” “Dead on the River (Rolling Down)” and “Meth Head” capture the dramatic situations faced by people in the region.
However, Between the Country is not necessarily an autobiographical album. Instead, Noe absorbed these harrowing experiences through people he’s met or stories he’s heard. Not yet 30, Noe was raised as the oldest of three children in Beattyville, Kentucky, where his parents still live in the house he grew up in. His father is a longtime youth social worker, while his mother has been employed by the same local factory for more than 20 years.
Noe learned to play guitar from his father and grandfather. As a young boy, he adored Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and spent years trying to emulate Berry’s way of playing guitar. Before long, Noe could pick country standards like “I Saw the Light” and “Wildwood Flower.” By his teen years, he gravitated to Bob Dylan and John Prine after discovering them through his family’s music collection. Neil Young soon became another favorite, along with Dwight Yoakam and Tom T. Hall, who hail from the same part of the state.
Noe says, “There’s a silence about Eastern Kentucky. It’s quiet, at least where I was raised. There are a lot of places you can go and write and listen to music and not be bothered.”
All through his childhood, his great aunt often asked Noe if he’d written any songs yet. By 15 or 16, he decided to try. A family friend, who was also a manager at the Dairy Queen where Noe worked in high school, offered to help him book a few shows and get some songs recorded. Although Noe considers them just bedroom recordings now, the discs gave him something to sell when he started playing coffee shops and other small stages around Winchester and Lexington, Kentucky, and a little bit in Ohio.
“For me it was a turning point just getting a few songs that I was happy with. I didn’t understand anything about making a record, or what that meant, when I was 15 or 16,” Noe admits. “It was the farthest thing from my mind, but once I got a couple of songs that I was satisfied with, I just kept going.”
After high school, Noe took an office job close to home instead of enrolling in college. In his early 20s, he relocated to Louisville, hoping to get a band together and write music, but he had to constantly work odd jobs as a subcontractor to make rent. After a year, he briefly returned to the office job back home before finding work on an Eastern Kentucky oil rig – which he considers the best job he’s ever had, outside of music.
Soaked with oil after his 12-hour shifts, Noe never once considered what a career in music would look like. Yet through a mutual acquaintance, his original songs attracted the attention of an artist manager. Impressed with his raw talent, she sent him an email of encouragement, which ultimately led to a working relationship. Since that time, Noe has opened multiple dates for kindred spirit Colter Wall, tapping into an audience that appreciates the sincerity and austerity in Noe’s original songs, too.
Noe received another stamp of approval in February 2019 after singing at a John Prine tribute concert at the Troubadour in Los Angeles – with Prine himself in the crowd. Staged the night before the Grammys, Noe’s performance led to an offer to open three shows for his musical hero. As Noe puts it, “I’ve sat around my whole life thinking about what that would be like.”
Although touring is imminent, Between the Country serves as a potent snapshot of home. The black-and-white cover photo alludes to a lyric in the title track but Noe believes it also illustrates the album as a whole. It’s the same approach that Lucinda Williams employed on her landmark 1998 album, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, which Noe cites as one of his all-time favorites. “If you have a collection of songs where the subject matter is pretty much the same, and it’s coming from the same place, I think it’s important to have some kind of picture that reflects that. I’ve always felt that way,” he says.
Noe now lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky, about an hour north of Nashville, where his bandmates are based. After years of writing songs alone and playing solo acoustic sets, he now prefers touring with a band, making it possible to carry the overall mood of Between the Country out on the road as well. After all, he and Cobb recorded the album live on the floor, completing the sessions in two days. Amid these uncluttered arrangements and a relaxed vibe, Noe’s evocative voice truly stands out.
“I wanted a warm sound – that analog sound,” Noe says. “When we were getting the rough mixes going, that’s how it sounded, and that’s the direction it went in. You want people to be able to hear what you’re saying and what you’re singing about, and I think analog makes a good song stand the test of time.”
Turn the Dallas Asheville into a giant game board with this fun scavenger hunt adventure. Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a two and a half-hour city tour. Guided from any smart phone, teams make their way among well-known and overlooked gems of the city, solving clues and completing challenges while learning local history. Start when you want and play at your pace. Price is per team, not per person. Find details and Redeem your ticket as a Prepaid Code online at www.UrbanAdventureQuest.com.
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.
Time for another Asheville Drag Brunch! TWO SHOWS: Show times are at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and include admission, brunch, drag show, and a donation to the local non-profit organization OurVOICE.
The Grey Eagle boasts a full-service bar and brunch. The family-friendly drag queen entertainment promises to be sing-along top-notch fun with plenty of laughter and audience interaction. The show includes performances by an all-star cast of professional drag queens.
“Our shows are a blast and have sold out every time so get your tickets now,” show producer DIVINE says. “This event is a fundraiser, yes, but it is also an opportunity to showcase Asheville’s incredible local performers, restaurants, and dedication to helping the community.
Asheville Drag Brunch is held at different locations, showcases different drag queens, and the profits benefit local charities. So DRAG yourself to brunch every time!
Time for another Asheville Drag Brunch! TWO SHOWS: Show times are at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and include admission, brunch, drag show, and a donation to the local non-profit organization OurVOICE.
The Grey Eagle boasts a full-service bar and brunch. The family-friendly drag queen entertainment promises to be sing-along top-notch fun with plenty of laughter and audience interaction. The show includes performances by an all-star cast of professional drag queens.
“Our shows are a blast and have sold out every time so get your tickets now,” show producer DIVINE says. “This event is a fundraiser, yes, but it is also an opportunity to showcase Asheville’s incredible local performers, restaurants, and dedication to helping the community.
Asheville Drag Brunch is held at different locations, showcases different drag queens, and the profits benefit local charities. So DRAG yourself to brunch every time!
DRAG BRUNCH
Asheville Drag Brunch is the littlest big show in town! The event is designed to showcase local and guest drag queens, promote local restaurant businesses, and support local charities.
The show happens at multiple venues, is fast-paced family-friendly fun, and is designed to raise funds for non-profit organizations. These local groups rotate and are advertised with each individual show.
A ticket to brunch ensures a seat at a table or bar, the meal, and a beverage. Remember to bring tips for the queens as this is the main way they raise additional money for the local non-profit.
During the glitter-adorned affairs, patrons howl, clap and cheer as the queens channel celebrities with spot-on lip syncing and sky-high heels. And wherever you look, there is cause for celebration. Lively groups of different genders, races and ages whoop it up for all sorts of special occasions, from birthdays to bachelorettes to anniversaries, and even divorces.
Details:
- 90 minute tour with beverages/light food pairings*
- Reservation only
- 21+ up
Designated drivers don’t need a reservation, but must accompany a ticketed guest.
*If you have an allergy or accomodation request, please note these while placing your reservation, or email [email protected] with your needs.
Attire + Footwear
- Closed-toe shoes with hard soles required
- This tour is exposed to the elements. Please check the weather in advance and be prepared!
Accessibility
There are elements of the tour that are not wheelchair accessible. Please reach out directly to [email protected] for information and accommodation.
The S&W Market is hosting a weekly Brews & Blues series featuring Mr. Jimmy & Friends. From 1pm-4pm every Sunday, there will be beer and mimosa specials in Highland Brewing’s Downtown taproom and great live blues in the building. Also enjoy delicious brunch specials from all vendors!
Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”
From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).
Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.
An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.
Subscribers who have received seat assignments may now purchase additional single tickets for the 2021-2022 Broadway season through their account or by calling the Peace Center Box Office Monday – Friday between 9:30 am – 5:30 pm.
*Seat locations are based on currently available inventory. Additional tickets for Hamilton performances are not included. Please stay tuned for more information on when they will become available for purchase.
Time for another Asheville Drag Brunch! TWO SHOWS: Show times are at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and include admission, brunch, drag show, and a donation to the local non-profit organization OurVOICE.
The Grey Eagle boasts a full-service bar and brunch. The family-friendly drag queen entertainment promises to be sing-along top-notch fun with plenty of laughter and audience interaction. The show includes performances by an all-star cast of professional drag queens.
“Our shows are a blast and have sold out every time so get your tickets now,” show producer DIVINE says. “This event is a fundraiser, yes, but it is also an opportunity to showcase Asheville’s incredible local performers, restaurants, and dedication to helping the community.
Asheville Drag Brunch is held at different locations, showcases different drag queens, and the profits benefit local charities. So DRAG yourself to brunch every time!
Time for another Asheville Drag Brunch! TWO SHOWS: Show times are at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and include admission, brunch, drag show, and a donation to the local non-profit organization OurVOICE.
The Grey Eagle boasts a full-service bar and brunch. The family-friendly drag queen entertainment promises to be sing-along top-notch fun with plenty of laughter and audience interaction. The show includes performances by an all-star cast of professional drag queens.
“Our shows are a blast and have sold out every time so get your tickets now,” show producer DIVINE says. “This event is a fundraiser, yes, but it is also an opportunity to showcase Asheville’s incredible local performers, restaurants, and dedication to helping the community.
Asheville Drag Brunch is held at different locations, showcases different drag queens, and the profits benefit local charities. So DRAG yourself to brunch every time!
DRAG BRUNCH
Asheville Drag Brunch is the littlest big show in town! The event is designed to showcase local and guest drag queens, promote local restaurant businesses, and support local charities.
The show happens at multiple venues, is fast-paced family-friendly fun, and is designed to raise funds for non-profit organizations. These local groups rotate and are advertised with each individual show.
A ticket to brunch ensures a seat at a table or bar, the meal, and a beverage. Remember to bring tips for the queens as this is the main way they raise additional money for the local non-profit.
During the glitter-adorned affairs, patrons howl, clap and cheer as the queens channel celebrities with spot-on lip syncing and sky-high heels. And wherever you look, there is cause for celebration. Lively groups of different genders, races and ages whoop it up for all sorts of special occasions, from birthdays to bachelorettes to anniversaries, and even divorces.
Steve Kelly and the Cherry Cherry Band is considered the “Premier Neil Diamond Tribute!” Neil Diamond’s music is timeless and ageless. His classic songs evoke memories that every crowd will enjoy. Steve Kelly and the Cherry Cherry Band are an award winning tribute experience that has performed over 600 shows to sold out houses around the U.S and Canada. A seasoned performer, Steve Kelly’s shows are high energy and replicate the same live show Diamond performs himself. Steve’s infectious positivity, love of music, and dedication to the fans are evident from the warm greeting prior to the show, to the post show farewell. Don’t miss this uncanny performance as The Cherry Cherry Band deftly delivers all of Neil Diamond’s greatest hits.
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