Calendar of Events

The week that guitarists Grace Repasky and Maggie Geeslin turned old enough to drive, Lunar Vacation was officially formed.

Repasky and Geeslin met in the eighth grade and began exchanging musical efforts almost immediately, but that blessed autonomy of first cars meant they could conquer Atlanta’s sprawling suburbs and play to their adolescent hearts’ desire. The pair forged a cluster of demos — just enough to fill a set — and took to as many stages as Atlanta could offer them. Local momentum building, they added classmates Matteo DeLurgio on synth and Connor Dowd on drums to sonically match their songs’ increasingly rambunctious spirit.

Upon high school’s end, Lunar Vacation released a pair of well-received EPs, Swell and Artificial Flavors, and landed support runs for the likes of Remo Drive, Sidney Gish, and SALES. The band nabbed infatuated fans across the US while racking up millions of streams on their independently released music. In more than one sense, Lunar Vacation had graduated.

Back in Atlanta, Geeslin was working in a record store (Criminal Records) when Daniel Gleason of the band Grouplove came in. Following a quick connection and hours of conversation, the members of Lunar Vacation felt Gleason could be one to color in the sound they’d been honing live — melodious guitars swirling atop propulsive, often psychedelic rhythm — and capture it in the studio. The band recorded “Unlucky” with Gleason and released it in early 2020, the song drawing attention as “swoon-worthy” from The FADER, “shimmering … wistful, sun-kissed indie-pop” from American Songwriter, and “equal parts Mac DeMarco and Snail Mail” from Paste Magazine. Lunar Vacation continued recording with Gleason in the producer’s chair.

While putting the finishing touches on their highly anticipated debut album, the band are thrilled to share new song “Shrug” via Keeled Scales, their first offering on the critically acclaimed indie label.

The song follows Repasky through an anxious conversation with herself. The melody is buoyant though agitated, its guitars warbling like questions marks and lyrics ringing distinctly relatable. Lines like This isn’t how I want to be / I didn’t know I could care that much and Invited but I’ll never show / Sit at home playing too much Wilco cut into a listener’s mind and vibrate there, like thoughts of one’s own. There’s a carefree sense of triumph in Repasky’s refrain: Why don’t you just shrug it off?

In “Shrug” as well as the songs to come, Lunar Vacation boast a celebratory sound, a reckless sense of ecstasy specific to fluid youth and rock solid friendship. In spite of life’s bits that inspire these songs — some darker than others — Repasky, Geeslin, DeLurgio, and Dowd reliably find the light in the thing. Drawing from early influences like Rilo Kiley and Tame Impala, and landing a little closer to contemporary favorites like Alvvays and Slow Pulp, Lunar Vacation make bright music replete with bliss.

Repasky suggested the band name Lunar Vacation to Geeslin at a show, leaning over at a loud moment to say it. It’s easy to imagine others finding out about the band in this same way.

FUTURE CRIB

A five-piece band of creatives based in Nashville, TN, Future Crib delivers dynamic performances that bounce between poppy make-you-wanna-dance tunes and experimental yet engaging tracks that prod at life’s shared realities. There’s a clear preference for good songs and exciting sounds over genre bounds and expectations, and this is evident on their upcoming album, Full Time Smile, set for release in September 2021. Over all, Future Crib creates music for everyone, inviting all to a fun, welcoming show where you can feel free to get down.

Blood donors of all types are urgently needed through the summer. Community members are urged to roll up their sleeves and donate blood. One donation can help up to three people. ‘Freedom Week’ at TBC was formed many years ago to anticipate and prepare for the decrease of blood donors in the summer months. This year, Freedom Week is June 26 through July 10. TBC will be thanking blood donors who give from June 26^th – July 10^th with a commemorative t-shirt and an eGift card valued at $20. The blood donation is priceless.

When temperatures rise, something as simple as a box fan can potentially save a life!

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

Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session 

Sundays

1 till who knows when?

Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.

Jack of the Wood

95 Patton ave

Asheville, NC 28801

(828) 252.5445

http://www.jackofthewood.com/

Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is one of the most popular and most recognized piano concertos of all time. This great work, plus one of Prokofiev’s most loved works, his “Classical” Symphony, are a fitting combination along with the intense and meaningful work Symbolon, commissioned by the New York Philharmonic and dedicated to Zubin Mehta.

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS
Brevard Sinfonia
Ken Lam, conductor
Kirill Gerstein, piano

SERGEI PROKOFIEV Classical Symphony
ELLEN TAAFFE ZWILICH Symbolon
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1

Auditorium seating is reserved.  Lawn seating is general admission.

Blood donors of all types are urgently needed through the summer. Community members are urged to roll up their sleeves and donate blood. One donation can help up to three people. ‘Freedom Week’ at TBC was formed many years ago to anticipate and prepare for the decrease of blood donors in the summer months. This year, Freedom Week is June 26 through July 10. TBC will be thanking blood donors who give from June 26^th – July 10^th with a commemorative t-shirt and an eGift card valued at $20. The blood donation is priceless.

When temperatures rise, something as simple as a box fan can potentially save a life!

Celebrate Independence Day with Patriotic Pops at Brevard Music Center. Hear the BMC Orchestra and Concert Band perform inspirational American music, traditional Sousa marches, and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture complete with the sounds of live cannon!

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS
Brevard Symphonic Winds
Kraig Alan Williams, conductor

PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture
Program to include traditional patriotic favorites

Auditorium seating is reserved.  Lawn seating is general admission.

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.

Blood donors of all types are urgently needed through the summer. Community members are urged to roll up their sleeves and donate blood. One donation can help up to three people. ‘Freedom Week’ at TBC was formed many years ago to anticipate and prepare for the decrease of blood donors in the summer months. This year, Freedom Week is June 26 through July 10. TBC will be thanking blood donors who give from June 26^th – July 10^th with a commemorative t-shirt and an eGift card valued at $20. The blood donation is priceless.

When temperatures rise, something as simple as a box fan can potentially save a life!

The final block party is held in conjunction with the Brevard Police Department and Transylvania County Sheriff’s Department’s National Night Out Celebration.

Attendees can expect a lineup of live music, delicious local food and children’s activities, creating a fun community gathering for all. The June events feature LEAF Global Arts and the July and August events feature our beloved Old Time Street Dances. Block parties will be held weekly from 6-8pm on East Main Street. Many downtown retail businesses and restaurants will also be open for the block party.

HOB and LEAF Global Arts invites everyone to experience a world without borders! From dance, to drumming to arts & crafts, LEAF’s performing artists will bring a new lineup of cultural art experiences and live music to the June block parties. Each week will feature a different band and the LEAF Easel Rider, a mobile arts & crafts lab.

LEAF performances will feature an eclectic mix of music that is different each week, ranging from blues and rock toNew Orleans style jazz.

LEAF resident artist Melissa McKinney kicks off the series on June 14^th. “We are so excited to bring the energy of LEAF Global to downtown Brevard,” shares McKinney, “connecting community is part of our mission and we believe downtown Brevard holds the same values. Music is the best way to bring people together.”

Old Time Street Dances, a long-time community favorite, returns to the Heart of Brevard at our July 5^th block party. The dances offer free, family-friendly fun that celebrates our Appalachian heritage and is sure to move your feet.

Old Time Street Dances in downtown Brevard are an 80-year tradition. This summer, Whitewater Bluegrass Co. returns to the stage as the host band to lead the crowds in a collection of square dance and contra-style dancing. Evenings will include classic songs, a chance for clogging and traditional Appalachian-called dance. Old Time Street Dances are geared toward participation at every age and skill level.

The Tuesday Night Block Parties are free and open to the public. For more information about LEAF, Old Time Street Dances and other upcoming events, follow Heart of Brevard on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter here.

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Heart of Brevard 501(c)(3) is a North Carolina Main Street Community, designated by the NC Department of Commerce and Main Street & Rural Planning Center.  Heart of Brevard is a recognized leading program among the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. All Main Street America™ programs meet a set of National Accreditation Standards of Performance as outlined by the National Main Street Center.

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS

BAX Elegiac Trio
Dilshad Posnock, flute
Margaret Snyder, viola
Allegra Lilly, harp

LANSKY Hop
Benjamin Sung, violin
Gwendolyn Dease, marimba

MAHLER Piano Quartet in A minor
Jihye Chang, piano
Karen Strittmater Galvin, violin
Erika Eckert, viola
Alistair MacRae, cello

BEETHOVEN Septet in E-flat major, Op. 20
Byron Tauchi, violin
Juliet White-Smith, viola
Pei-An Chao, cello
Daniel Tosky, double bass
Daniel Gilbert, clarinet
Susan Barber, bassoon
David Smith, horn

Auditorium seating is reserved.

Raised in Sumner County, just outside of Nashville, Benjamin Tod was primarily raised by his grandmother and grandfather. However, at age 7, his mother surprised him with a cheap electric guitar –then his competing father bought him a pawnshop classical guitar. With nobody to show him how to play, they were little more than toys. However, at 14, he and a friend each received a Fullerton parlor guitar from his friend’s father. The boys started getting interested in folk music and protest songs, which led Benjamin to the streets of Nashville to busk.

Meanwhile, Ashley Mae was spending more and more time in Nashville, where her mother worked the overnight shift at rock station WKDF. She’d already tapped into the small punk scene in Rapid City, South Dakota, where she grew up, but found an even deeper community in Music City. At 20, she taught herself to play fiddle, shedding as much of her classical violin training as she could. When she met Benjamin Tod at a punk show, introduced by a mutual friend, they bonded immediately.

At 17, they left Nashville together for a life of street performance, hopping trains, and scraping by on less than $300 a month. After four years of terrible gigs and almost no traction, Benjamin Tod decided in 2016 to abandon the band. “I’d been a hardly functioning drug addict and alcoholic for over a decade. I was sick of the lifestyle and it seemed like it was going nowhere,” he admits.

An invitation from the band Devil Makes Three came out of the blue in 2016. Benjamin Tod found out about it in a train-yard, about to hop a train from Asheville, North Carolina, to Knoxville, Tennessee. “Without that, Lost Dog never would have moved forward from that point,” he says.

Lost Dog Street Band gained traction through that tour, but when Benjamin Tod and Ashley Mae separated for a year and a half, the momentum evaporated. Instead of going back on the road, they filmed performance videos of songs from Benjamin Tod’s solo album, I Will Rise, and posted them to YouTube without much expectation other than promotional use. However, that decision proved to be the turning point, as curious listeners discovered the band and their ticket sales skyrocketed.

Those early fans especially will embrace the spare but spirited sound of Glory, applied to tracks like “Cost of the High,” which directly addresses the fallout of addiction, as well as “Hayden’s Lament,” where the choice is given between “getting dead or getting tough.” Right after the plaintive country ballad, “Losing Again,” Benjamin Tod brings out the banjo for “I Believe (Glory II),” which basks in the emotion of finally finding that glory.

Without touring in 2020, Benjamin Tod and Ashley Mae settled on a parcel of land in rural Kentucky that they bulldozed themselves, building a cabin with well water and solar panels. Every week, even now, Benjamin Tod says he takes account of his situation as a recovering addict.

“In society as a whole, there’s a real lack in examples of actual recovery,” he says. “There’s not a brutally honest take on how painful the process is, but how rewarding it is at the same time. Every step that you make helps encourage you to meet the next milestone. It’s like a punch in the face and the kiss on the cheek every day. It’s very personal for me, the concept of digging out of hell, because I had to do that in order to gain my own dignity back. Everything follows after that. You have to earn your own respect of yourself before you earn it from anybody else.”

lostdogstreetband.com

Blood donors of all types are urgently needed through the summer. Community members are urged to roll up their sleeves and donate blood. One donation can help up to three people. ‘Freedom Week’ at TBC was formed many years ago to anticipate and prepare for the decrease of blood donors in the summer months. This year, Freedom Week is June 26 through July 10. TBC will be thanking blood donors who give from June 26^th – July 10^th with a commemorative t-shirt and an eGift card valued at $20. The blood donation is priceless.

When temperatures rise, something as simple as a box fan can potentially save a life!

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.

Led by noted author and music journalist Bill Kopp, this monthly discussion series at Asheville Guitar Bar takes a deep dive into important records, artists and movements in music.

Hosted by the Asheville Guitar Bar, a discussion series provides deeper understanding and greater enjoyment of classic albums from rock, soul, blues and jazz. Led by Asheville author and music journalist Bill Kopp, Music to Your Ears is an interactive experience that shines a light on important music. Music to Your Ears is a 90-minute conversation, held at the Guitar Bar, a music magnet in Asheville’s historic River Arts District. The July 6 event focuses on 1972’s Trilogy, the fourth album from Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

One of progressive rock’s leading lights as well as one of its first supergroups, Emerson Lake & Palmer exploded onto the music scene with “Lucky Man,” the hit single from their self-titled debut album. Featuring the virtuoso keyboard work of pianist Keith Emerson, the group also pioneered use of the Moog synthesizer, a then-new instrument developed by Dr. Robert A. Moog (later of Asheville).

Emerson Lake & Palmer enjoyed a successful and high-profile run through most of the 1970s, but arguably their creative pinnacle was their fourth release, 1972’s Trilogy. Featuring a deft balance of both the band’s ambitious “prog” sensibility (including classical music themes) and a strong melodic approach (in the form of catchy singles like “From the Beginning”), Trilogy is simultaneously the band’s most stylistic varied record and its most accessible.

Released in a banner year for music — one that included some of the best-ever albums form David Bowie, the Moody Blues, Lou Reed and countless others — Trilogy made the point that progressive music could appeal to a wide audience.

Join music journalist and historian Bill Kopp for an evening of music and discussion as we take a deep dive into ELP’s Trilogy. With special guest André Cholmondeley (crew and instrument technician for Emerson Lake & Palmer and for solo tours by both Greg Lake and Carl Palmer), we’ll explore Trilogy and gain an understanding of its place in musical history.

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION SERIES
Music to Your Ears is Bill Kopp’s monthly discussion series hosted by Asheville Guitar Bar. On the first Wednesday of each month, music enthusiasts gather to discuss an important album, artist or musical movement. An interactive evening, Music to Your Ears isn’t a lecture; it’s a discussion led by experts and designed to enrich the listening experience.

ABOUT BILL KOPP
With over 500 bylines in Western North Carolina publications (Mountain Xpress, Bold Life, WNC Magazine and more), Asheville-based author and music journalist is an acknowledged expert on popular music. Author of two books — Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon and Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave — Bill Kopp writes for publications across the country and abroad. A contributing editor at Goldmine Magazine, he has authored more than 30 album liner note essays and conducted more than 1000 interviews. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance, and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts.

Multiplatinum selling pop super-group New Kids On The Block continues the party like nobody else can with the announcement of The MixTape Tour 2022, with their friends Salt-N-Pepa, Rick Astley and En Vogue as legendary special guests.

The four iconic acts will embark on The MixTape Tour 2022 July 6 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville! Tickets go on sale Friday, October 8 at Ticketmaster.com. For more information on VIP packages and NKOTB fan club pre-sales, please visit www.nkotb.com.

“We had a blast out on the first MixTape Tour in 2019 and can’t wait to take it to another level with our fans on the MixTape Tour 2022,” Donnie Wahlberg said. “Just like a mixtape, these shows are going to take audiences through all the emotions. To be able to have Salt-N-Pepa come back and now also have the iconic and legendary Rick Astley & En Vogue join the tour… we could not be more excited. Let’s GO!”

NKOTB will hit the stage on the MixTape Tour 2022 to perform fan favorite #1 hits like “Hangin’ Tough,” “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever),” and “Step By Step” while tour mates Salt-N-Pepa (“Push It,” “Shoop,” “Whatta Man”), Rick Astley (“Never Gonna Give You Up,” “Together Forever”) and En Vogue (“Don’t Let Go [Love],” “Free Your Mind,” “Give It Up, Turn It Loose,” “Hold On”) keep the party going with music that catapulted them to stardom and solidified their places in music history.

In 2021, Salt-N-Pepa received a Lifetime Achievement Award. 2022 will kick up with Salt-N-Pepa dedicating their Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

Over the past two years, Rick Astley has amassed million YouTube followers with a series of covers from his studio and become a major force on TikTok with 1.7 million followers. “Never Gonna Give You Up” was recently featured on the critically acclaimed series Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ and its video has been viewed more than 1 billion times.

En Vogue celebrated the 30^th anniversary of their first album Born To Sing on April 3, 2020, when it was reissued on Rhino Records, closed out the 2020 Billboard Music Awards with a performance of “Free Your Mind,” and launched their Funky Divas podcast. In March, they appeared with Salt-N-Pepa in Coming 2 America for a show-stopping performance of their hit song “Whatta Man” that was aptly titled “Whatta King” and was featured on the film’s soundtrack. In 2018, they released their album Electric Café, with a top 10 single (“Rocket”). Recent collaborations have included Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq and Chance the Rapper.

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About New Kids On The Block:

New Kids on the Block have sold more than 80 million albums worldwide — including back-to-back international #1 songs, 1988’s Hangin’ Tough and 1990’s Step By Step — and a series of crossover smash R&B, pop hits like “You Got It (The Right Stuff),”  “Cover Girl,” “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” “Hangin’ Tough,” “I’ll Be Loving You,” “Step By Step” and “Tonight.” The group which started with humble Boston beginnings grew to shatter concert box office records playing an estimated 200 concerts a year, in sold out stadiums throughout the world.  Since reuniting in 2007, NKOTB have toured consistently to sold out arenas, have sold nearly 4 million tickets and have doubled their crowd sizes. The Boston natives have been bestowed with their very own, “New Kids on the Block Day,” an honor not many can claim, and have played Fenway twice before. The group solidified their place in Hollywood with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame since reuniting and will continue representing Boston on their journey long into the future.

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS

MOZART Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, K. 478
Norman Krieger, piano
Nikki Chooi, violin
Scott Rawls, viola
Benjamin Hughes, cello

MOZART Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K. 330
Norman Krieger, piano

MOZART Quintet for Piano and Winds in E flat major, K. 452v
Norman Krieger, piano
Eric Ohlsson, oboe
Benjamin Adler, clarinet
Glenn Einschlag, bassoon
Elizabeth Freimuth, horn

Auditorium seating is reserved.