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Access to an intimate preshow soundcheck party with Silversun Pickups
Limited edition lenticular Physical Thrills poster: autographed by Silversun Pickups
Specially designed Silversun Pickups tote bag
Commemorative VIP laminate with lanyard
Limited availability
SILVERSUN PICKUPS
Feb 20 @ 8:00 pm
The Orange Peel
Ages 18+
Silversun Pickups release their sixth album, Physical Thrills, produced by Butch Vig via their label, New Machine Recordings. Brian Aubert of the band shares about the album: “This record is alive. It sits somewhere in between a collection of songs and an imaginary friend. A friend that from March of 2020 to April of 2021 would not only introduce itself to me but keep me company through that time of intense isolation. A friend that would remind me that in this instance, the whole world was feeling the same way as well. A comforting, playful, sometimes frightened, often delighted friend. A friend that was finally introduced to Butch Vig, once we got vaccinated, and blew through his studio like a tornado made of cotton candy, leaving little pieces of residue everywhere. But most importantly, this friend REALLY doesn’t give a fuck. I know. That sounds brash. I just mean it’s a thing that is truly free. And now, this little living head space no longer visits me. I visit it through this album. I hope you like it. My friend wouldn’t care. Little rascal.” Physical Thrills is available for purchase on all formats here.
The band also shares a track-by-track guide to the album via Consequence, who says of the album: “Helmed by legendary producer Butch Vig (Nirvana, Garbage), the new LP sees the veteran quartet finding new avenues to push the envelope within their well-established sound. The record feels universally current…depicting the paradoxical bittersweetness that comes with significant change.” Read it here.
Silversun Pickups recently shared “Alone On A Hill”, the latest single and video. Bassist Nikki Monninger’s vocals are featured on the song and video, revealing, “This song exposes a side I didn’t know I had in me. It felt freeing, especially with everything going on in the past couple of years. I’m grateful everyone gave me so much support during the recording process as I am a bit timid when it comes to hearing the sound of my own voice. Bri just kept telling me to channel my inner Kate Bush.” Listen to the song here, and watch the Suzie Vlcek-directed video here. The band also shared the video for the first single from Physical Thrills, “Scared Together,” directed by Claire Marie Vogel. Watch it here.
Silversun Pickups recently announced their 21-date headlining tour in support of their forthcoming album, Physical Thrills (August 19th, New Machine Recordings). On the “Physical Thrills” tour, the band will perform in cities including San Diego, Los Angeles, Boston, New York City, Atlanta, and Nashville (full dates below). Tickets for all dates are now on sale here. Silversun Pickups have partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold will go to the PLUS1 x Noise For Now Reproductive Health Access Fund supporting access to reproductive rights and services for all.
Silversun Pickups’ sixth album Physical Thrills came together as a serendipitous accident during a dark time. The LA band began 2020 by touring in support of their record released the previous year, Widow’s Weeds; however, the pandemic halted those plans, with the guitarist and singer Brian Aubert, bassist Nikki Monninger, drummer Christopher Guanlao, and keyboardist Joe Lester finding themselves stuck at home. In that resting period, Aubert wasn’t focused on Silversun Pickups; instead, he channeled his energy into taking care of his son.
As much as his focus initially shifted from the band, he ultimately couldn’t escape the new melodies germinating in his head. “I would sneak off and start writing these songs, and I didn’t know what they’re for because I didn’t really think about Silversun on any level. I was just doing it to keep myself calm and keep myself company,” says Aubert. The songs were so different from what he’d previously written for Silversun Pickups that he initially thought he was writing a musical. There were “dream shanties,” gentler vocals, horror-inspired sounds, and other exciting new elements coming to mind.
When Aubert revealed the new material to his bandmates, they readily embraced the new direction—and so did producer Butch Vig. The band reunited with Vig, who first worked with Silversun Pickups on Widow’s Weeds, recording the album at the famed producer and Garbage-member’s home. Once Aubert made plans to visit Vig and play him what he had, the music began pouring out. He immediately began recording with Vig, having the rest of the band join later.
Physical Thrills was colored by the pandemic, but isn’t meant to be solemn; instead, Aubert explores his own comfort in the temporary, newfound isolation. There are tracks with shoegaze-infused distorted synths and guitar, like opener “Stillness (Way Beyond)”; bouncy, pop-tinged danceable tunes (“Empty Nest,” “Hereafter (Way After)”); pared-down ballads (“Alone On A Hill”); and a collection of “dream shanties,” as Aubert refers to them.
With such an exploratory record, the band members felt free to traverse new ground. Guanlao, who usually shies away from fills on drums, took inspiration from The Beatles documentary Get Back, throwing some into Physical Thrills, influenced by Ringo Starr’s work on Let It Be. Whereas for Monninger, this record allowed her to showcase her vocals at the forefront more than in previous work. Lester also took a larger role in composition on this record, writing the piano part for “We Won’t Come Out,” which became the backbone for the song. The making of Physical Thrills also allowed for whimsical moments, including Aubert creating a distinct tapping noise by incorporating the sound of drumsticks hitting Vig’s Grammy in “Hidden Moon,” and playfully pelting balloons at Monninger while she played “Hereafter (Way After)” on bass to create less tension.
While this record features such an eclectic mix of melodies, each song is interconnected with each other, meant to be experienced as a whole body of work. “All of our records are designed for people who want to listen to them all the way through and hopefully stick around with it,” says Aubert. “After a while, maybe you’ll catch on to the little things—not just the [pattern of] the dream songs, but maybe you’ll hear that, and you’ll hear a melody from the first song in the last song. There are crossover things happening.” Monninger adds, “We’ve been together for twenty-two years; it’s really interesting that we still love doing this. We know that we’re fortunate to still be together after all these years, seeking out the silver lining. I feel like we still have many more things to say, and we’re so happy with how this album turned out.”
ARTS Day is a gathering of artists and arts leaders from across the state to convene as peers and prepare for action, then meet with their elected representatives at the NC General Assembly to deliver a message about the ARTS that is simple, inclusive, and positive. But ARTS Day is more than a collection of speakers and meetings with lawmakers, it is the annual culmination of a movement. The mission of Arts NC is to unite people and communities to strengthen and celebrate a creative North Carolina, an idea that is embodied in our annual two-day conference.
DAY 1 – CONFERENCE DAY
9:00-11:00
Registration and Networking
9:30
Advocacy 101 – Nate McGaha, Executive Director, Arts North Carolina
Asheville Outlets to Host Food Is Love Food Donation Drive for MANNA FoodBank
Feb 21 all-day
Asheville Outlets
Asheville Outlets will again team with MANNA FoodBank to hold a Food is Love Food Donation Drive during the month of February 2023. The drive will focus on collecting healthy, nonperishable foods for distribution to those in need in western North Carolina. Items of need include low-sodium canned vegetables, canned tuna and chicken, low salt nuts, no sugar added fruits, shelf stable milk, whole grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, canola & olive oil, peanut butter, low sodium soups, canned and dried beans, and low sugar cereals Collection bins will be in the Asheville Outlets food court. Monetary donations can be made at MANNAFoodBank.org. For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.
Celebrate Black Legacy Month
Feb 21 all-day
Buncombe County Libraires
Join us throughout February as we celebrate Black Legacy Month with programs and events for all ages! In addition to the programs listed below, we will have special story times and exhibits at most of our libraries.
Bright Star Touring Theatre: African Folktales – February 1 at 4pm at the Weaverville Library (for children ages 3 and up)
Book Club: Jazz by Toni Morrison – Thursday, February 2 a 3pm at the Weaverville Library
Book Club: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett – Tuesday, February 7 at 6pm
Book Club: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict Tuesday, February 14 at 1pm at the Leicester Library
Book Club: Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland – February 16 at 2:30pm at the Skyland/South Buncombe Library
Book Club: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett – February 21 at 7pm at the Fairview Library
Black Experience Book Club: The Furrows by Namwali Serpell – February 23 at 6:30pm at the Noir Collective, co-sponsored by the East Asheville library
Drop by your local library and check us out. Email or call if you have any questions.
Our librarians have also put together a Black Legacy Month reading list for all ages.
Black Legacy Month Reading List 2023
Books for Adults
Adult Fiction
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
On Girlhood: 15 Stories from the Well-Read Black Girl Library edited by Glory Edim
What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harries
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois by Honoree Fannone Jeffers
How Long ‘Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemison
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Black Bottom Saints by Alice Randall
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
Adult nonfiction
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho
Carefree Black Girls: A Celebration of Black women in Popular Culture by Zeba Blay
The 1619 Project edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby*
The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee
All That She Carried by Tiya Miles
Please Don’t Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes by Phoebe Robinson*
You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin*
Counting Descent by Clint Smith
The Body Is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
Here For It by R. Eric Thomas*
Koshersoul: the faith and food journey of an African American Jew by Michael W. Twitty
*especially good on audio because the authors read their work!
Picture books for families to share
My Heart Flies Open by Omileye Achikeobi-Lewis
Only the Best: The Exceptional Life and Fashion of Ann Lowe by Kate Messner
My N.C. From A to Z by Michelle Lanier
Shhh! The Baby’s Asleep by JaNay Brown-Wood
Curls by Ruth Forman
Fly by Brittany J. Thurman
Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth by Alice Faye Duncan
Build a House by Rhiannon Giddens
Bright Brown Baby, A Treasury by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renee Watson
Chapter books for older kids
Isaiah Dunn is My Hero by Kelly J. BaptistBlended by Sharon Draper
Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Tristan Strong Trilogy (Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Tristan Strong Destroys the World, and Tristan Strong Keeps Punching) by Kwame Mbalia
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood edited by Kwame Mbalia
Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson
Operation Sisterhood by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
The Door of No Return by Alexander Kwame
Books for teens
Quincredible by Rodney Barnes
The Legendborn Cycle (Legendborn and Bloodmarked) by Tracy Deonn
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Survive the Dome by Kosoko Jackson
Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther’s Promise to the People by Kekla Magoon
Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Okoye to the People by Ibi Zoboi
City of Asheville survey Fiscal Year 2023-24 Budget development
Feb 21 all-day
online
The City of Asheville wants to hear from you! We are kicking off our Fiscal Year 2023-24 (FY24, which runs July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024) budget development process by seeking feedback from the community.
The first way to engage is to participate in our budget priorities survey. This short survey should take less than ten minutes to complete and will ask residents to rank between City services and categories of capital investment to help guide Council and Staff as they make decisions about what to prioritize in the FY24 budget.
The survey is available in English, Spanish, Ukrainian and Russian starting on Monday February 6, 2023 and will close on Friday, March 3, 2023 at 11:59 pm.
The second way to engage is through a public comment session to be held during the regular meeting of the Asheville City Council on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 5:00 pm. Similar to other public comment sessions, residents may comment at the Council meeting in person, by voicemail or by email. Voicemail and email information will be released when the agenda for the February 28 meeting is published on Friday, February 24. You will be able to find more information on the Virtual Engagement Hub when the agenda is released.
Feedback received during the public comment session and from the survey will be compiled, analyzed, and presented to City Council during their budget work session on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Staff will also share results with the community, as well as updates on how community priorities are reflected in the FY24 budget when it is proposed in May.
Free Tax Help at the Library
Feb 21 all-day
various Buncombe County Libraries
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in cooperation with the IRS, NC Department of Revenue, Buncombe County Library System, and Council on Aging, Inc. will offer free tax preparations for taxpayers of low and moderate income, with special attention to those aged 60 and older.
You will need an appointment to speak with a tax help aide. At your appointment, you can drop off your tax documents and you’ll be given another appointment in about 2 weeks to pick up your paperwork and completed tax form.
How it works
Pick up a tax record envelope and instructions at Black Mountain, West Asheville, Weaverville, or Pack Library during library hours.
Complete the Intake/Interview Booklet in your envelope by answering all questions. Then sign and date the last 3 pages. Place all your tax forms and any information relating to your tax return in your envelope.
Make an appointment to drop off your Tax Record Envelope and meet with a Tax-Aide volunteer.
Schedule and appointments
Black Mountain Library
Mondays and Thursdays, appointments are available between 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
To make an appointment, either email [email protected] with your name and telephone number, or call (828) 669-8610 between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. You can pick up a tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents.
Pack Memorial Library
Wednesdays, appointments are available between 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
To make an appointment on Wednesday at Pack Library, email [email protected] with your name and phone number. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. If you don’t have access to email, the staff at the library can email AARP for you. You can pick up your tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents.
Saturdays, appointments are available between 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
To make an appointment for Saturday tax help at Pack Library, email [email protected]. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents. This tax help is provided by UNCA. Saturday tax help ends on April 1 and there will be no tax help on February 18.
Weaverville Library and Weaverville First Baptist Church
Thursdays, appointments are available between 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
To make an appointment for tax help at the Weaverville First Baptist Church email [email protected] with your name and telephone number OR call the Weaverville Library at 828-250-6482 with questions. If you don’t have access to email, the staff at the library can email AARP for you. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment at the Weaverville First Baptist Church. You can pick up your tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents.
West Asheville Library
Tuesdays, appointments are available between 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
To make an appointment at the West Asheville Library email [email protected] with your name and telephone number. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. If you don’t have access to email, the staff at the library can email AARP for you. You can pick up your tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents in 1 or 2 weeks.
Tax help will start on Feb. 1 and end on April 15.
Bring the following documents and tax forms to your tax help appointment. Photocopies are recommended:
Photo ID / Driver License for Taxpayer and Spouse
Social Security Cards for Taxpayer, Spouse and ALL dependents
Prior year Federal and State tax return
W-2 (Wages), W-2G (Gambling winnings)
Amounts of Stimulus Payments you received (EIP-3, IRS Letter 6475)
Amounts of Child Tax Credit Payment you received (IRS Letter 6419)
1099-B (Brokerage Statement, Sale of Stocks and Bonds), 1099-Ks
1099-G (Unemployment and State refunds)
1099-NEC (Self-Employment), 1099-MISC, PLUS itemized list of expenses
1099-S (Sale of Home), 1099-C (Forgiveness of Credit Card Debt)
1098- Home Mortgage Interest and Real Estate Taxes
1099-T (Education Credits) PLUS Student Account Statement
1098-E (Student Loan Interest)
1099-SA and/or 5498-SA (HSA = Health Savings Account) PLUS itemized list of expenses
1095-A (Health Insurance – Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance Marketplace)
Schedule K-1 (Form 1065)
Any other documents or information relevant to preparation of the tax return
Voided check for direct deposit of any refund to your checking / savings account
Need Help With Water Bills? New Water Assistance Program Could Offer Help.
Feb 21 all-day
online
If you’re behind on your water bill or afraid your water might get cut off, a new resource might be able to help you. On Jan. 4, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved more than $450,000 in federal funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). The initiative is aimed at preventing water disconnections and helping reconnect drinking and wastewater services.
The LIHWAP will be administered by Buncombe County-based Eblen Charities. The nonprofit will make payments directly to utilities on behalf of qualifying households. The program is slated to run through Sept. 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted.
Eligibility requirements
Households that currently receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Work First services, or those that received Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) services from Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021, are automatically eligible to receive this benefit if their water services have been cut off or are in danger of being cut off.
For additional eligibility information or to apply, please contact Eblen Charities at (828) 255-3066.
PRESERVATION GRANTS
Feb 21 all-day
online
The addition of preservation grants to our existing efforts in advocacy, technical support, preservation easements, and education, will allow us to reach a new and diverse audience. This program will allow us to support both large and small projects from downtown Asheville to our rural and under-served communities.
We look forward to helping with emergency stabilization projects and restorations of important places, to helping neighborhoods receive designations such as recognition on the National Register of Historic Places and to encouraging and supporting new and unique education and research opportunities. We want to be surprised and humbled by the projects our community asks us to support!
As our city faces the inevitable challenges of growth, PSABC’s voice and reach must expand. The important addition of this Preservation Grant Program comes in response to the needs of our community.
Preservation grants from $500 – $5000 will be offered to the public in three categories:
Bricks-And-Mortar
Rehabilitation, restoration and repair of structures that are 50 years of age or older
Some examples: Windows and doors • Exterior painting • Porches • Roofs and gutters • Electrical and plumbing • Hardscaping • Foundation • Original exterior or interior details
Public Education
Development of educational materials and programs that advance knowledge of our shared history
Some examples: Research and documentation • Oral histories • Installations specific to buildings, place history, and culture • Exhibitions • K–12 educational publications • Seminars and lectures • Documentary films
Planning, Survey and Designation
Planning and design for building rehabilitation and restoration projects, historic resource surveys and local or national designations
Some examples: Historic building condition reports • Engineering and rehabilitation plans • Feasibility studies • Historic resource surveys • Updates of previous surveys • Local and national historic designations
VOTE in the first annual UScellular Black History Month Art Competition
Feb 21 all-day
online
Members of Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County created original pieces of artwork and the finalists drawings that you will find attached were chosen by Club staff. The finalists’ artwork will be digitally displayed at UScellular’s Hendersonville location at 1900 Hendersonville Blvd.
The winners will be announced in March and prizes include gift cards in the following amounts:
Food Scraps Drop Off: Stephens-Lee Recreation Center
Feb 21 @ 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center
Food Scraps Drop Off
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in
two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Tutor
Feb 21 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
online w/ Literacy Together
ESOL tutors serve immigrant adults who want to learn English and/or prepare for the US Naturalization Exam. These students come to Literacy Together with a variety of literacy and English language skill levels. Tutors in this program work with their students two hours each week for at least one year and are supported by the program director throughout their tutoring commitment.
Tutors complete an 8-hour training (which is currently conducted online) before being matched with students. They then receive follow-up support and the option to attend in-service workshops throughout their tutoring commitment. Tutors in this program can work with students for one (1) two-hour session each week or two (2) one-hour sessions each week. Tutoring sessions may take place online or in person. This program welcomes volunteers from over the world who are willing to tutor remotely. We now have tutors in Florida, New York, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Texas, the UK, and Germany!
Self-paced option: watch recordings of previous live training sessions on Zoom, complete classwork and homework independently, and meet with ESOL Director afterward for review/debrief.
January 17th,19th, 24th, and 26th from 10 am to noon (Online)
February 14th, 17th, 21st, and 24th, from 10am t noon (Online)
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in
two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
Come down the Pack Memorial Library and play with LEGOs!
Show off your building skills and make new friends with other LEGO maniacs.
Please leave your personal LEGOs at home, because we’ve got plenty.
School Age – (grades K-5)
Grand Opening + Ribbon Cutting: Hendersonville Toy Company
Feb 21 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Hendersonville Toy Company
Join us as we celebrate the Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting of Hendersonville Toy Company! More than just your average toy store, Hendersonville Toy Company offers a variety of toys, adult & youth games, and a great selection of books and stationary items!
**Please park at the Wells Fargo or Chamber of Commerce**
2023 Ribbon Cuttings are Presented by Duke Energy.
Every Tuesday 1/2 off bottles of wine at 131 Main Restaurant
Feb 21 @ 5:00 pm
131 Main Restaurant
Every Tuesday 1/2 off bottles of wine at 131 Main Restaurant
New Orleans Jazz Dinner
Feb 21 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Jargon
CELEBRATE MARDI GRAS WITH US!
This is one of our favorite times of the year, as we revamp our menu to reflect and celebrate Cajun and Creole cuisine on…
Monday, February 20th and Tuesday February 21st.
We will also have some amazing traditional New Orleans cocktails!
Please note that our regular menu will not be available.
COURTYARD reservations will include live music by Les Chats Violets starting at 6pm.
Buncombe Young Dems Monthly Meeting
Feb 21 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Buncombe Dems HQ
It’s Election time again, y’all!
Join us on February 21st from 6-8pm as we hold our annual rechartering meeting and elections for our Executive Board.
This meeting we’ll be electing new officers for positions of: President, Vice President, Secretary, Director of Communications, and Treasurer.
Anybody is welcome to attend our meetings but eligible members/voters are registered Dems or unaffiliated from the ages of 16-35.
Thelma and the Sleaze is an independent all-female, queer southern rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. The group is the brainchild of lead vocalist and guitar player Lauren “LG” Gilbert and features an evolving cast of A-team players to back her up for an unforgettable live experience.
LG is the embodiment of hustle. As the driving force behind Thelma and The Sleaze, she is the songwriter, the visionary, the take-no-shit-from-anyone front woman that is single handedly keeping rock and roll alive. Thelma and The Sleaze has been touring the US for years building a legion of fans, affectionally called her creepers. The growing social media presence, the hit podcast, the features with Yamaha Guitars are really all the result of her incredible songwriting, visceral guitar playing, and the guts to deliver on her vision of what Rock and Roll should be.
LG has also launched two successful seasons of their Podcast “Queen of Shit Mountain”. Each episode features legendary musicians such as Tanya Tucker, Brittany Howard, Juliana Hatfield, Kate Pierson, Lori Barber, Patty Schemel, Mary Ramirez and Margo Price.
ARTS Day is a gathering of artists and arts leaders from across the state to convene as peers and prepare for action, then meet with their elected representatives at the NC General Assembly to deliver a message about the ARTS that is simple, inclusive, and positive. But ARTS Day is more than a collection of speakers and meetings with lawmakers, it is the annual culmination of a movement. The mission of Arts NC is to unite people and communities to strengthen and celebrate a creative North Carolina, an idea that is embodied in our annual two-day conference.
DAY 1 – CONFERENCE DAY
9:00-11:00
Registration and Networking
9:30
Advocacy 101 – Nate McGaha, Executive Director, Arts North Carolina
Asheville Outlets to Host Food Is Love Food Donation Drive for MANNA FoodBank
Feb 22 all-day
Asheville Outlets
Asheville Outlets will again team with MANNA FoodBank to hold a Food is Love Food Donation Drive during the month of February 2023. The drive will focus on collecting healthy, nonperishable foods for distribution to those in need in western North Carolina. Items of need include low-sodium canned vegetables, canned tuna and chicken, low salt nuts, no sugar added fruits, shelf stable milk, whole grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, canola & olive oil, peanut butter, low sodium soups, canned and dried beans, and low sugar cereals Collection bins will be in the Asheville Outlets food court. Monetary donations can be made at MANNAFoodBank.org. For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.
Celebrate Black Legacy Month
Feb 22 all-day
Buncombe County Libraires
Join us throughout February as we celebrate Black Legacy Month with programs and events for all ages! In addition to the programs listed below, we will have special story times and exhibits at most of our libraries.
Bright Star Touring Theatre: African Folktales – February 1 at 4pm at the Weaverville Library (for children ages 3 and up)
Book Club: Jazz by Toni Morrison – Thursday, February 2 a 3pm at the Weaverville Library
Book Club: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett – Tuesday, February 7 at 6pm
Book Club: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict Tuesday, February 14 at 1pm at the Leicester Library
Book Club: Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland – February 16 at 2:30pm at the Skyland/South Buncombe Library
Book Club: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett – February 21 at 7pm at the Fairview Library
Black Experience Book Club: The Furrows by Namwali Serpell – February 23 at 6:30pm at the Noir Collective, co-sponsored by the East Asheville library
Drop by your local library and check us out. Email or call if you have any questions.
Our librarians have also put together a Black Legacy Month reading list for all ages.
Black Legacy Month Reading List 2023
Books for Adults
Adult Fiction
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
On Girlhood: 15 Stories from the Well-Read Black Girl Library edited by Glory Edim
What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harries
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois by Honoree Fannone Jeffers
How Long ‘Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemison
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Black Bottom Saints by Alice Randall
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
Adult nonfiction
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho
Carefree Black Girls: A Celebration of Black women in Popular Culture by Zeba Blay
The 1619 Project edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby*
The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee
All That She Carried by Tiya Miles
Please Don’t Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes by Phoebe Robinson*
You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin*
Counting Descent by Clint Smith
The Body Is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
Here For It by R. Eric Thomas*
Koshersoul: the faith and food journey of an African American Jew by Michael W. Twitty
*especially good on audio because the authors read their work!
Picture books for families to share
My Heart Flies Open by Omileye Achikeobi-Lewis
Only the Best: The Exceptional Life and Fashion of Ann Lowe by Kate Messner
My N.C. From A to Z by Michelle Lanier
Shhh! The Baby’s Asleep by JaNay Brown-Wood
Curls by Ruth Forman
Fly by Brittany J. Thurman
Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth by Alice Faye Duncan
Build a House by Rhiannon Giddens
Bright Brown Baby, A Treasury by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renee Watson
Chapter books for older kids
Isaiah Dunn is My Hero by Kelly J. BaptistBlended by Sharon Draper
Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Tristan Strong Trilogy (Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Tristan Strong Destroys the World, and Tristan Strong Keeps Punching) by Kwame Mbalia
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood edited by Kwame Mbalia
Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson
Operation Sisterhood by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
The Door of No Return by Alexander Kwame
Books for teens
Quincredible by Rodney Barnes
The Legendborn Cycle (Legendborn and Bloodmarked) by Tracy Deonn
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Survive the Dome by Kosoko Jackson
Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther’s Promise to the People by Kekla Magoon
Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Okoye to the People by Ibi Zoboi
City of Asheville survey Fiscal Year 2023-24 Budget development
Feb 22 all-day
online
The City of Asheville wants to hear from you! We are kicking off our Fiscal Year 2023-24 (FY24, which runs July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024) budget development process by seeking feedback from the community.
The first way to engage is to participate in our budget priorities survey. This short survey should take less than ten minutes to complete and will ask residents to rank between City services and categories of capital investment to help guide Council and Staff as they make decisions about what to prioritize in the FY24 budget.
The survey is available in English, Spanish, Ukrainian and Russian starting on Monday February 6, 2023 and will close on Friday, March 3, 2023 at 11:59 pm.
The second way to engage is through a public comment session to be held during the regular meeting of the Asheville City Council on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 5:00 pm. Similar to other public comment sessions, residents may comment at the Council meeting in person, by voicemail or by email. Voicemail and email information will be released when the agenda for the February 28 meeting is published on Friday, February 24. You will be able to find more information on the Virtual Engagement Hub when the agenda is released.
Feedback received during the public comment session and from the survey will be compiled, analyzed, and presented to City Council during their budget work session on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Staff will also share results with the community, as well as updates on how community priorities are reflected in the FY24 budget when it is proposed in May.
Free Tax Help at the Library
Feb 22 all-day
various Buncombe County Libraries
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in cooperation with the IRS, NC Department of Revenue, Buncombe County Library System, and Council on Aging, Inc. will offer free tax preparations for taxpayers of low and moderate income, with special attention to those aged 60 and older.
You will need an appointment to speak with a tax help aide. At your appointment, you can drop off your tax documents and you’ll be given another appointment in about 2 weeks to pick up your paperwork and completed tax form.
How it works
Pick up a tax record envelope and instructions at Black Mountain, West Asheville, Weaverville, or Pack Library during library hours.
Complete the Intake/Interview Booklet in your envelope by answering all questions. Then sign and date the last 3 pages. Place all your tax forms and any information relating to your tax return in your envelope.
Make an appointment to drop off your Tax Record Envelope and meet with a Tax-Aide volunteer.
Schedule and appointments
Black Mountain Library
Mondays and Thursdays, appointments are available between 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
To make an appointment, either email [email protected] with your name and telephone number, or call (828) 669-8610 between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. You can pick up a tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents.
Pack Memorial Library
Wednesdays, appointments are available between 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
To make an appointment on Wednesday at Pack Library, email [email protected] with your name and phone number. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. If you don’t have access to email, the staff at the library can email AARP for you. You can pick up your tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents.
Saturdays, appointments are available between 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
To make an appointment for Saturday tax help at Pack Library, email [email protected]. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents. This tax help is provided by UNCA. Saturday tax help ends on April 1 and there will be no tax help on February 18.
Weaverville Library and Weaverville First Baptist Church
Thursdays, appointments are available between 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
To make an appointment for tax help at the Weaverville First Baptist Church email [email protected] with your name and telephone number OR call the Weaverville Library at 828-250-6482 with questions. If you don’t have access to email, the staff at the library can email AARP for you. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment at the Weaverville First Baptist Church. You can pick up your tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents.
West Asheville Library
Tuesdays, appointments are available between 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
To make an appointment at the West Asheville Library email [email protected] with your name and telephone number. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. If you don’t have access to email, the staff at the library can email AARP for you. You can pick up your tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents in 1 or 2 weeks.
Tax help will start on Feb. 1 and end on April 15.
Bring the following documents and tax forms to your tax help appointment. Photocopies are recommended:
Photo ID / Driver License for Taxpayer and Spouse
Social Security Cards for Taxpayer, Spouse and ALL dependents
Prior year Federal and State tax return
W-2 (Wages), W-2G (Gambling winnings)
Amounts of Stimulus Payments you received (EIP-3, IRS Letter 6475)
Amounts of Child Tax Credit Payment you received (IRS Letter 6419)
1099-B (Brokerage Statement, Sale of Stocks and Bonds), 1099-Ks
1099-G (Unemployment and State refunds)
1099-NEC (Self-Employment), 1099-MISC, PLUS itemized list of expenses
1099-S (Sale of Home), 1099-C (Forgiveness of Credit Card Debt)
1098- Home Mortgage Interest and Real Estate Taxes
1099-T (Education Credits) PLUS Student Account Statement
1098-E (Student Loan Interest)
1099-SA and/or 5498-SA (HSA = Health Savings Account) PLUS itemized list of expenses
1095-A (Health Insurance – Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance Marketplace)
Schedule K-1 (Form 1065)
Any other documents or information relevant to preparation of the tax return
Voided check for direct deposit of any refund to your checking / savings account
Get Your Go Local Card
Feb 22 all-day
online
The Go Local Card celebrates the interdependence of our businesses to each other, public education and to the youth in our community.
Our community values equitable educational opportunities for everyone and the Go Local Card is an annual fundraiser for Asheville’s city public schools.
Since inception, we have raised nearly $220,000 for our schools. This program connects 4,000 children and their families to a healthy local economy and locally owned businesses that support their school.
… and cards are available for purchase at any one of these businesses through Aug. 2023
Need Help With Water Bills? New Water Assistance Program Could Offer Help.
Feb 22 all-day
online
If you’re behind on your water bill or afraid your water might get cut off, a new resource might be able to help you. On Jan. 4, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved more than $450,000 in federal funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). The initiative is aimed at preventing water disconnections and helping reconnect drinking and wastewater services.
The LIHWAP will be administered by Buncombe County-based Eblen Charities. The nonprofit will make payments directly to utilities on behalf of qualifying households. The program is slated to run through Sept. 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted.
Eligibility requirements
Households that currently receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Work First services, or those that received Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) services from Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021, are automatically eligible to receive this benefit if their water services have been cut off or are in danger of being cut off.
For additional eligibility information or to apply, please contact Eblen Charities at (828) 255-3066.
PRESERVATION GRANTS
Feb 22 all-day
online
The addition of preservation grants to our existing efforts in advocacy, technical support, preservation easements, and education, will allow us to reach a new and diverse audience. This program will allow us to support both large and small projects from downtown Asheville to our rural and under-served communities.
We look forward to helping with emergency stabilization projects and restorations of important places, to helping neighborhoods receive designations such as recognition on the National Register of Historic Places and to encouraging and supporting new and unique education and research opportunities. We want to be surprised and humbled by the projects our community asks us to support!
As our city faces the inevitable challenges of growth, PSABC’s voice and reach must expand. The important addition of this Preservation Grant Program comes in response to the needs of our community.
Preservation grants from $500 – $5000 will be offered to the public in three categories:
Bricks-And-Mortar
Rehabilitation, restoration and repair of structures that are 50 years of age or older
Some examples: Windows and doors • Exterior painting • Porches • Roofs and gutters • Electrical and plumbing • Hardscaping • Foundation • Original exterior or interior details
Public Education
Development of educational materials and programs that advance knowledge of our shared history
Some examples: Research and documentation • Oral histories • Installations specific to buildings, place history, and culture • Exhibitions • K–12 educational publications • Seminars and lectures • Documentary films
Planning, Survey and Designation
Planning and design for building rehabilitation and restoration projects, historic resource surveys and local or national designations
Some examples: Historic building condition reports • Engineering and rehabilitation plans • Feasibility studies • Historic resource surveys • Updates of previous surveys • Local and national historic designations
The Learning Garden: A Hub of Gardening Education in 2023
Feb 22 all-day
Buncombe County Extension Office
After six years of hard work, the dream of using The Learning Garden as a hub for public gardening education is finally a reality. The Learning Garden, located at the Extension Office, 49 Mt. Carmel Road, is offering the public the opportunity to Visitand Learn in the garden on selected 2nd and 4th Thursdays, February – October. The Thursday in-person programs will consist of five garden-specific series. Visitors can walk around before or after the program and soak in our lovely gardens. Our gardens will open at 9:00 a.m. and all the demonstration programs run between 10-11:30 a.m. To ensure a good learning experience, attendance will be limited and registration will be required.
Dahlia Series February 23 – Getting Your Dahlias Ready for Planting August 3 – Disbudding Dahlias for Better Blooms October 26 – Dividing and Storing Dahlias
Dye Garden Series May 4 – Planning Your Dye Garden June 22 – Introduction to Natural Dyeing July 27 – Fresh Indigo August 24 – Botanical Printing: Printing with Leaves and Flowers September 28 – Dyeing with Hopi Black Sunflower November 9 – The Magic of Indigo
Rose Garden Series March 9 – Pruning Roses April 6 – Climbing Roses April 13 – Rose Pests and Pathogens May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses (Saturday Seminar)
Sun & Shade Garden Series May 11 – Planting a Native Butterfly Host Plant Garden June 29 – Foodscaping Edible Plants in Flower Beds August 31 – Dealing with “the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” Plants Sept 14 – Native Butterfly Life Cycles in the Fall Garden
Vegetable Garden Series March 23 – Building an ADA Compliant Raised Garden April 26 – Planting Root Crops: Leeks, Onions, Carrots, Parsnips May 25 – Planting a Seed Saving Garden June 8 – Common Vegetable Garden Pests July 13 – Kid Friendly Gardening August 10– Preserving Your Vegetable Harvest
In addition to the Thursday programs listed above, The Learning Garden will present a series of ninety minute (+/-) hands-on seminars covering various gardening topics. These in-person programs will be held at The Learning Garden on selected Saturday mornings, February – September.
Saturday Seminars February 18 – Tool Selection and Sharpening March 18 – Pruning Trees and Shrubs April 22 – Gardening for the Birds May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses June 17 – Pollinator Plants in The Learning Garden September 16 – Bulbs for All Seasons
Each of the programs in The Learning Garden will be announced individually through this blog and on our website two weeks before each program. Each announcement will include instructions on how to register. Mark your calendar and register to attend as many as you can.
VOTE in the first annual UScellular Black History Month Art Competition
Feb 22 all-day
online
Members of Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County created original pieces of artwork and the finalists drawings that you will find attached were chosen by Club staff. The finalists’ artwork will be digitally displayed at UScellular’s Hendersonville location at 1900 Hendersonville Blvd.
The winners will be announced in March and prizes include gift cards in the following amounts:
Rose Garden Series
Sun & Shade Garden Series
Vegetable Garden Series