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.
Benoit is one of the featured musicians in the Sony Picture Classics 2022 movie JazzFest: A New Orleans Story, Frank Marshall & Ryan Suffern’s documentary on the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
“With a grin on his face and sparkle in his eye from all the love he was receiving he grabbed his trusty Thinline Telecaster and without a seconds hesitation ripped into an absolutely blistering introduction to “Why Are People Like That”, wrote Splice Magazine in a recent live review of Benoit’s live show. “His band laid out a perfect beat for Tab to weave his six string magic. Tab’s vocal delivery was spot on, but his playing was otherworldly. There was no denying who was the master guitar player on tonight’s bill.”
More About…Tab Benoit
Comedy Open Mic at Asheville Music Hall in downtown Asheville. Every Weds. 8pm. Doors and comic sign up at 7pm. Free
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.
Use code 10000PEELS
Code valid 4/14 10am – 10pm
 |
Saturday – November 19
Use code PEELINDIGO
Code valid 4/14 10am – 10pm
Saturday – September 10
Use code RABBITJUNGLE
Code valid 4/14 10am – 10pm
Volunteer at
TFAC events this spring!Email Sharol at [email protected] or call 828-859-8322
T-F 10AM – 4PMUshers & Bartenders
needed for the following events.EVENTS
- April 16: Livingston Taylor concert on main stage
- April 21-24: Enchanted April community theater on stage
- April 28: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
- May 8: Ranky Tanky concert on main stage
- May 5: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
- May 12: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
- May 19: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
- May 26: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
Tuesday, June 14th, and Thursday, June 16th
Option 1: Beginner Clawhammer Banjo with Amy Buckingham
Option 2: All- Instrument Jam Sessions with Mallory Carter & Will Trakas
Monday, June 13th, and Wednesday, June 15th
Option 3: Introduction to Improvisation for all instruments with Carson Moore
* *Sessions are $30 for one, $50 for two, $65 for three, and $72 for all 4**
Queer Music Exploration with Kayla Lynn – Students will explore guitar, bass, drums, singing and piano with a focus on learning music by artists from the LGBTQ+ community. Students will have the chance to interact with their peers and share their experiences through music
The Rhythmic Arts Project (TRAP) will be meeting at the Enka-Candler Library on April 14 and May 26 at 4 p.m. TRAP curriculum engages children and teens with intellectual and developmental disabilities, along with typical children and teens. TRAP embraces rhythm as a method to learn basic life skills, as well as teaching reading, writing and arithmetic.
TRAP classes enhance the mind, body, and spirit through playing drums and percussion instruments. Parents, caregivers and children of all ages and abilities are welcome.
If you have your own percussion instruments, feel free to bring them! This class is free, but registration is required. To register, please email [email protected] or call 828-250-4758.
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6:00pm – 8:00pm
Open mic comedy every Thursday from 6-8pm at Ginger’s Revenge Tasting Room.
Rotating hosts each week Clay Jones, James Burks and Katy Hudson
No cover
Signup starts at 5:30, and signup order will not necessarily be show order. Each comic gets 5 mins of stage time
A native of Durham, NC, Jeremy Loeb embraced his lifelong love of piano when he launched his second career as a musician. Now living in Asheville, Loeb specializes in French and Chinese piano music. Support for Thursday Night Live is provided by an anonymous donor.
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
On select Thursdays, local musicians enliven our spaces with music to complement your visit. As you stroll the galleries, a variety of tunes adds new dimensions to your viewing experience.
A native of Durham, NC, Jeremy Loeb embraced his lifelong love of piano when he launched his second career as a musician. Now living in Asheville, Loeb specializes in French and Chinese piano music. Support for Thursday Night Live is provided by an anonymous donor.
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
On select Thursdays, local musicians enliven our spaces with music to complement your visit. As you stroll the galleries, a variety of tunes adds new dimensions to your viewing experience
“…lilting at its start and then heavy in moments. Ion rich melodies drift[ing] above murky psychedelic guitar parts that hint at both slack-key tunings and beach party horror films.” -Alli Marshall (Mountain Xpress).
Although the band is tagged most often as surf- influences can be heard from Santo and Johnny to Hawkwind. It’s WEIRD reverb-dolloped instrumental music to feel good and bad to.
Ouroboros Boys have had the distinct honor of sharing the stage with national acts such as Agent Orange, Man or Astroman, Southern Culture on the Skids and Kid Congo Powers (The Cramps) AND have served as the house band for several regular “tiki night” events in and around Asheville. The current lineup includes Lowell Hobbs (Tongues of Fire) and Tony Plichta (Tony and the Haircuts, Night Beers, USX) in addition to founding members Sean Dail and Nicholas Marshall.
The Krektones blend the surf swagger of the Ventures and the scorching guitar of Link Wray with the exotic sounds of Martin Denny to make a swaying beat that’s pretty much impossible to stand still to. Featuring Jason Krekel on lead on guitar, Dave Gay on bass, Lance Wille on the bongos and special guests John James on steel and keys with The Wave Machine (Scott Kinnebrew of Sounding Arrow) on percussion.
The Krektones have shared the stage with such luminaries as Tav Falco, Dick Dale and Quintron. Don’t miss this night of tiki-surf-guitar psychedelia!
Reverend Finster is an all acoustic tribute to the music of R.E.M. featuring songs from the 80’s IRS Records catalog. Based in Asheville, NC, its members are Andy Eubanks (guitar & vocals), Didier Rubio (acoustic bass), Ari Schantz (snare drum), and Sam Lyons (fiddle, guitar, mandolin, & vocals). Sharing the love of early R.E.M., Reverend Finster strives to bring the nostalgia of R.E.M. and the Athens, GA music scene in the 80’s through non-traditional acoustic interpretations of their music.
Reverend Finster derived their name from the great Georgia folk artist, the Reverend Howard Finster, who collaborated with lead vocalist Michael Stipe on the cover art for R.E.M.’s second album Reckoning, and also filmed the video for ‘Radio Free Europe’ at Finster’s Paradise Gardens estate in Summerville, GA. Reverend Finster’s sets include select songs from each of the IRS albums from Chronic Town to Document with a few choice sing-alongs from the albums Green, Out of Time, and Automatic for the People.
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.
Slice of Life Comedy presents the return of comedy nights at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge in Asheville, NC. Come join us at Asheville’s most popular comedy open mic/showcase hybrid. Slice of Life Comedy has been producing quality, premier comedy shows at the Orange Peel for over 10 years.
Pulp Lounge is located in the Orange Peel’s basement at 103 Hilliard Ave, around the corner from the Box Office entrance
Hosted by one of Asheville’s beloved comics, Cody Hughes
Featuring Morgan Bost
Morgan Bost is one of Asheville’s very favorite comics. She’s opened for Rob Delaney, Michael Palascak, and has performed multiple time upstairs on the Orange Peel Mainstage. Morgan and her brand of comedy are smart, even when she is regaling dumb things she’s done in the past…
Show Time:
April 7 & 14, 8p
(Doors at 7:30p— music from Buzz Radio Asheville “All Asheville Music and Comedy, All the Time”)
Ticket: $13 for members/ +$2 for annual membership.
Tickets at theorangeperl.net and door.
FB Event:
Craft Drink specials & snacks available
[Comics sign up to perform at door. Performing comics get in free (+free year membership). New-to-venue performers get 3-5m. Regular comics get as much time as available. Look for light, check with Cody when you get there for time and lineup]
Contact Michele Scheve at [email protected] for more info/any questions or sign up early or request a future feature comedy (paid 20m) spot.
*Pulp is one of Asheville’s finest craft cocktail lounges, located underneath The Orange Peel. This self acclaimed Bourbon bar has 284 different fine bourbon/whiskey selections, which we’re almost sure it’s the most in the entire state. Bourbon connoisseurs from thousands of miles can’t believe their eyes, but don’t worry, The Pulp has a little bit of everything.
Exploding into the American progressive roots scene in 2018 with their #1 Billboard Reggae album Defy Gravity, THE ELOVATERS have quickly become a household name for lovers of Sublime, Jack Johnson, Slightly Stoopid, G. Love, Stick Figure, The Movement, and more. Their music has been featured on CBS’ Hawaii Five-O and their song “Boston” was played during the World Series Parade when the Boston Red Sox won in 2018. Their 2020 follow-up EP Double Vision was voted EP of the year by Reggae 360, and programmed into heavy rotation on SiriusXM’s “No Shoes Radio,” “Margaritaville,” and “The Spectrum.” Their 2021 full-length album Castles was produced by Johnny Cosmic. They are currently touring in North America. https://theelovaters.com/
Into The Fog brings their progressive take on bluegrass music to ISIS Music Hall in lovely Asheville, NC!
Doors 7pm // Show 8:30pm
About the band:
Winners of the 2021 MerleFest Band Competition, Into The Fog is a genre-jumping string band located in Raleigh, North Carolina. With its members having various backgrounds ranging from bluegrass, country, rock, to funk, Into The Fog creates a musical melting pot of sounds in an acoustic/jamgrass
setting.
The band is made up of Brian Stephenson on Vocals and Guitar, Winston Mitchell on Vocals, Mandolin and Dobro, Derek Lane on Vocals and Bass and Will Maxwell on Fiddle and Vocals.
The original iteration of the band was formed in Wilmington, NC late in 2017 around an opportunity to play in the band competition for the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Festival. That cross country trip was recorded by friend of the band and videographer Mason Godwin in his documentary Band #7:The Ride to Telluride.
After the Telluride trip, the band’s lineup restructured around the trio of Stephenson, Mitchell, and Lane.
The trio went on to play over 175 shows in 2019 making a name for themselves by frequenting breweries and venues throughout North Carolina and Virginia. By August they were looking to round out momentum through festival performances like Shakori Hills, Groove in the Garden, The Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival, and Floydfest along with opening slots for acts like Jon Stickley Trio and Sam Bush Band.
With their 14 track sophomore album Runnin’ Blind and Chasin’ Time due out in May of 2021 they are looking to make a statement about their sound and gear up for the next chapter of their musical journey.
“While purists might label label their sound as Newgrass, those in attendance respond to the gospel they are preaching and seem perfectly content with the foggy genre, since the sound is so clear”- Donna Davis(The Daily Reflector)
More about the band:
Music & merch: http://www.intothefogmusic.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Intothefogmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intothefogmusic/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/intothefogmusic
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.
Volunteer at
TFAC events this spring!Email Sharol at [email protected] or call 828-859-8322
T-F 10AM – 4PMUshers & Bartenders
needed for the following events.EVENTS
- April 16: Livingston Taylor concert on main stage
- April 21-24: Enchanted April community theater on stage
- April 28: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
- May 8: Ranky Tanky concert on main stage
- May 5: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
- May 12: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
- May 19: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
- May 26: Amphitheater concert (outdoors)
Tuesday, June 14th, and Thursday, June 16th
Option 1: Beginner Clawhammer Banjo with Amy Buckingham
Option 2: All- Instrument Jam Sessions with Mallory Carter & Will Trakas
Monday, June 13th, and Wednesday, June 15th
Option 3: Introduction to Improvisation for all instruments with Carson Moore
* *Sessions are $30 for one, $50 for two, $65 for three, and $72 for all 4**
The 34th season of Downtown After 5, presented by Prestige Subaru, returns Fridays to downtown Asheville the 3rd Friday of the month from April to September. DTA5 is held on North Lexington Avenue and events are free and open to the public.
The Asheville Downtown Association is excited to add an April date to the Downtown After 5 Concert Series this year.
The Fritz
The Fritz is a soul-driven psychedelic funk band hailing from right here in Asheville. The group’s aggressive approach to funk, soul and rock creates a sound that is uniquely their own. Their high-energy, danceable songs provide a platform for each member to shine. With powerful vocals, climactic solos, and tight grooves, The Fritz has built a devoted following and is captivating audiences everywhere.
Abby Bryant & The Echoes
Built around a powerful voice and hard-driving rock ‘n’ soul rhythm section, Asheville, NC’s Abby Bryant & The Echoes has secured a fast-growing foothold in the Southeast music scene. Listeners will find it hard not to hear similarities to some of the artists that inspire the two including currently touring acts Tedeschi Trucks Band, Grace Potter and Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds.
NON-PROFIT PARTNER:
Each summer the Asheville Downtown Association partners with five local nonprofits to sell wristbands at the event. The ADA has given more than $225,000 to area nonprofits through this program.
April’s Non-Profit is Asheville Mardi Gras! AMG is an ALL VOLUNTEER community based arts and culture group whose purpose is to strengthen community connections and promote creativity, frivolity & fun. Check out more about their organization at https://www.ashevillemardigras.org
Downtown After 5 is sponsored by Prestige Subaru, Budweiser of Asheville, Empire Distributors, Skyland Distributing Company, Go Minis, Ingles Markets, Gillespie Dental Associates, Explore Asheville, Crooked Tree Creative, Central United Methodist Church, Mellow Mushroom, The City of Asheville, Hemingways Cuba, Cambria Suites, Country Inn & Suites, 97.7 The Brew, Star 104.3, Rabbit Rabbit, Asheville Color & Imaging and Strada Italiano.
The Asheville Downtown Association is adding safety measures including credit card payments and hand sanitizing stations. The ADA will monitor Covid-19 cases and trends in Buncombe County and consult with local officials prior to each event.
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.
Hannah Kaminer is a folk/Americana artist based in Asheville, NC. Raised in small towns in western North Carolina, she fuses echoes of Appalachian traditions with wistful, Americana-style songwriting. Her clear, yearning voice and unusual melodies are a haunting pairing with lyrics about loss, love, and home.
Performing solo and with her band around the Southeast, Kaminer has released two full albums, Acre by Acre (2015) and Heavy Magnolias (2018). Both albums were supported by listeners through Kickstarter campaigns, and Heavy Magnolias was also funded in part by a Regional Artist Project Grant, from a coalition of NC arts councils. Kaminer co-produced Heavy Magnolias with GRAMMY-winning engineer Julian Dreyer.
Kaminer’s songwriting has been recognized in the finals of the MerleFest Chris Austin Songwriting Contest as well as in Asheville’s citywide Brown Bag Songwriting Competition, where she won Crowd Favorite and Grand Prize. She has been featured with the Women in Music Series, The Asheville Opry, Western Carolina Writers, Down East Folk Arts Society, and Xmas Jam by Day.
During the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Kaminer pivoted to produce a “Music for Quarantine” series, a platform for sending virtual concerts to loved ones in quarantine.
Widely recognized as that Asheville-dwelling vocalist chick with the banjo and all the feelings, Kathryn O’Shea can’t seem to figure out how to write a song that doesn’t make anybody cry. Carrying a gentle optimism in her “poignant lyrics” (Encore Magazine), her distinctive vocals have been described as a “husky, low-toned moan” (Greenville Journal) with “a timbre as dynamic as Florence Welch” (Immersive Atlanta). Her debut record January 9th is a “warm, intimate collection of tunes” (Mountain Xpress) that leaves listeners covered in their own tears and snot but somehow also deeply galvanized and ready to wake up and fight the good fight again tomorrow. Basically, if you’re in the market for a good cry, go ahead and sign up for her Patreon (patreon.com/kathrynosheamusic) where she can be found playing monthly livestream concerts, waxing poetic about the conundrum of being alive, and sharing mediocre photos of the moon.
Described as “a vibrant, wholly original, deeply personal young artist” by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Mike Reid, Laura exhibits a poetic and technical depth that has garnered comparisons to Joni Mitchell, Sufjan Stevens, and Nick Drake. She writes intimate folk music with classical influence that Asheville’s Mountain Xpress coined as “chamber-folk.” Along with being a singer-songwriter, Laura has a degree in classical guitar performance and studied classical piano from a young age. Laura views music as a bridge to human connection and vulnerability, as well as a powerful tool for fostering community. She has self-released two albums, Counting Eyes (2014) and Fall Away (2017), and an EP entitled Place to Be, recorded with multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer Daniel Shearin (River Whyless). Laura teaches private music lessons at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts and has an album coming out this spring with her duo WellSpring. Support and follow her at patreon.com/lauraboswell and lauraboswell.com.
Combining the iconic talents of legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle, and the infectious vocal and guitar licks of son Chris Pyle, PYLETRIBE pushes the creative boundaries with their percussion influenced style dubbed “southern fried tribal boogie.”
Pyletribe’s music is featured in Artimus Pyle’s new movie, “Street Survivors,” the true story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane crash, which debuted February 18, 2020. Along with guitarist Josh Chassner and bassist Matt Pike, PYLETRIBE has quickly established their live shows as a ‘must see’ for fans of all ages.
CHRIS PYLE – Vocals, Guitar
ARTIMUS PYLE – Drums
JOSH CHASSNER – Guitar
MATT PIKE-Bass
Some music cannot be found on a map or within iTunes categories. Some music is so original it seems snatched from the great, invisible substrata that runs below all human activity, a sound aching to be born without a flag or fixed allegiance – free, questing, overflowing with immediate, tangible life. This is the music of Toubab Krewe, the vibrant Asheville, NC-based instrumental powerhouse that creates a sonic Pangaea that lustily swirls together rock, African traditions, jam sensibilities, international folk strains and more. While nearly impossible to put into any box, it takes only a few moments to realize in a very palpable way that one is face-to-face with a true original who recognizes no borders in a march towards a muscular, original, globally switched-on sound.
Formed in 2005, Toubab Krewe has tenaciously honed their craft through relentless touring and a fierce dedication to carving out something they can truly call their own. The fruits of this hard work can be heard on their latest release, STYLO, (March 2nd, 2018). What Justin Perkins (kora, kamelngoni, guitar, percussion), Terrence Houston (drumset), Drew Heller (guitar, organ), Justin Kimmel (bass, keys), and Luke Quaranta (djembe, dunun, sangban, kenkeni, kryn, karenye) have wrought on STYLO reflects the many miles and musical journeys that have transpired since their last studio album, TK2.
This is a band that actively draws inspiration from whatever source floats into their purview, something they’ve exhibited in their decade and a half of heavy gigging, including regular appearances at major U.S. festivals like Bonnaroo, High Sierra, Electric Forest, Wakarusa, Hulaween, and abroad at such legendary gatherings as the Festival In The Desert in Essakane, Mali, Shanghai World Music Festival, and Jam Cruise. Whether on their own or collaborating with luminaries like the Last Poets’ Umar Bin Hassan, Uncle Earl’s Rayna Gellert, or Weedie Braimah, Toubab Krewe has already earned the attention and respect of a broad musical community.
Toubab carries echoes of African greats like Ali Farka Toure, Orchestra Baobab and Salif Keita, no doubt picked up during the group’s travels to study and live in Guinea, Ivory Coast and Mali. But what truly differentiates Toubab Krewe from other Statesiders inspired by African music is how they innovate on what they’ve learned instead of simply recreating tradition. Toubab Krewe carves out a new trail honoring the African originators they admire by making something alive and contemporary.
ABOUT THE NTH POWER:
The Nth Power believes in the healing power of music. This all-pro alignment of sharp and seasoned musical vets delivers a transcendent blend of soul, funk, rock and rhythm and blues with multi-part vocal harmonies and songs that inspire audiences to dance, groove, make love or just stand there with goose bumps.
The band’s electric live performances have been flooring audiences ever since the group formed in New Orleans during an impromptu jam during Jazzfest nearly a decade ago. After an EP, studio album and two live albums, the band returned in 2021 in support of their second full-length studio release, Reverence, which was featured on the first-round nominations ballot for the 2022 Grammy Awards.
The Nth Power hails from diverse musical backgrounds, races and creeds, but the universal language of love and its power to change lives is the thread that binds them. The trio features drummer Nikki Glaspie, whose credentials include Beyonce, Maceo Parker, Dumpstaphunk and countless more; guitarist and lead vocalist Nick Cassarino, known best for his previous work with Jennifer Hartswick and Big Daddy Kane; and bassist Nate Edgar of reggae giant John Brown’s Body.
“It’s my dream team,” said Glaspie, “each one of us is a songwriter, so when we get together, everything becomes that much stronger.” Beyond raw skill, however, Glaspie cites a deep spiritual connection as the glue that binds them together. “Music is what brought us together, but it’s the spiritual bond that makes us play so in touch with each other,” she explained.
The Nth Power’s inspirational sets have floored audiences at music festivals like Electric Forest, High Sierra, Peachfest, North Coast Music Festival and Hulaween. They maintain New Orleans as their spiritual home, and the celebratory essence of that city’s music culture is audible in each performance – garnering high profile festival appearances and national acclaim from outlets like Relix, Modern Drummer, Huffington Post, Glide, Consequence, Okayplayer and Sirius XM.
Simply put, there is something pretty magical happening in this band, and they’re only just getting started. “Were going as far as you can go on the planet Earth and playing music,” explains Glaspie, “I don’t know how many times we’ve said it, we are so blessed.”
“Due to the ongoing response to COVID-19 and limitations of capacity, the Bela Fleck and the Flecktones show at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville, NC is being rescheduled to Friday, April 15th 2022. All tickets purchased for the original event will be honored for the rescheduled date. if you are unable to attend the future event date, please contact your point of purchase or click here.