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.
Wolfpen Branch is a new band comprised of several familiar faces in the Bluegrass music scene. Awarded “Best Bluegrass” by Appalachian Arts & Entertainment, 2022, the high energy, Kentucky-made bluegrass quintet combines the regions most powerful singers and number-one songwriters. Featuring three part harmonies and a raucous instrumental approach, Wolfpen Branch serves up original songs with a heaping helping of groove.
Tickets on Sale now – Please Call the Venue
Reserved Tickets for the Lounge are available with dinner reservations only :::: There is a $20 minimum in food and beverage purchases per person with your dinner reservation :: Seating will be limited :: You MUST call venue (828-575-2737) to make a dinner reservation and purchase your tickets.
Sarah Potenza is a critically acclaimed singer and songwriter with a nationwide fanbase. She competed on NBC’s The Voice, and America’s Got Talent. In 2021 her rendition of “Worthy” on her sophomore album “Road to Rome” hit number one on the iTunes Blues Charts. “The songstress delivered a stunning rendition of a song called “Worthy” that is such a perfect summation of her life and her goals and her message” – Entertainment Tonight. The album received rave reviews from Rolling Stone, Billboard, American Songwriter, and NPR. Potenza, was named amongst the top three acts seen at SXSW by Rolling Stone Magazine.
Katie Kadan is a singer, songwriter and piano player from Chicago, IL. She was a fan favorite on season 16 of The Voice, where she finished in third place. The press raved about her, Billboard said, “Katie has a gift.” And John Legend said she,“deserves more than the voice, she deserves Grammys.” Katies self titled album is out now, and you can catch her touring many cities across the USA.
Come enjoy an evening of live music, food and drinks at the Isis Music Hall. Reservations are highly recommended.
Reserved Seat Tickets are available with Dinner reservations – You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 to make dinner reservations and secure those tickets.
General Admission Tickets are available for the main stage balcony only. Seating in the balcony is first come, first serve.
Currently, Only General Admission Tickets are available on line
Reserved Seat Tickets are available with Dinner reservations – You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 to make dinner reservations and secure those tickets.
General Admission Tickets are available for the main stage balcony only. Seating in the balcony is first come, first serve. Dinner service is NOT currently being offered for general admission tickets.; drink service is available at the downstairs bar on the main floor.
You must call the venue at 828-575-2737 for Reserve Seat Tickets and to make dinner reservations.
Kate Lambert with Uptown Farms in Missouri takes you through the important components of how to strategically market your agricultural products.
Discover how to differentiate your brand, differentiate your product, communicate your value and nurture your customers and prospects. Walk away with product and personal branding questions to answer and apply to your operation right away!
Here at Justus Orchard, we grow thornless Navaho Blackberries that are sweet and easy to pick.
We are open for U Pick Blackberries 7 days a week starting early July, exact dates are subject to weather conditions that year. Keep reading for some wonderful Blackberry Health facts and picking and storing tips!
Why should you buy fresh blackberries?
Because they are delicious and nutritious!
Blackberries are plump blue/purple berries that can be picked off bushes or trailing vines in the summer months. Although blackberries are good for the whole season, berries picked at the beginning of the season provide the best selection. Later in the season, blackberries can become smaller and less fully developed, but still juicy.
Not only do blackberries have a mouth-watering taste, they’re also appealing to your health. For the best health benefits and the lowest calorie intake, reduce the amount of added sugar and whipped topping. Recent research finds eating berries can stave off the cognitive decline and memory loss with age by enjoying 2 or more servings per week. Along with this health benefit, there are many other benefits to this plump blue/purple berry:
- High Fiber – Blackberries have 37 calories, 9 grams of carbohydrate, and 4 grams of fiber in every ½ cup!
- Loaded with Vitamin C – ½ cup provides 100% of the recommended Vitamin C for an adult, as well as providing a large amount of potassium
- Antioxidant – Blackberries have the highest antioxidant contents per serving of any food tested
- The content was 5.75 millimoles per serving more than that of other foods, meaning that blackberries may have a positive impact on health, athletic performance, and disease risk.
- Blackberries contain anthocyanin’s, which gives it it’s glossy, dark color, and this powerful phytonutrient that’s been shown to protect the brain from oxidative stress and may even reduce effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
- Blackberries have been found to fight against cancers of the GI tract, such as colon cancer.
Hendersonville NC 4th Generation Orchard & Farm
The Justus Family has been growing delicious NC Apples in Hendersonville for more than Four Generations, our Fifth generation is now an active part of Justus Orchard as well. At our NC Apple Orchard, you will find U Pick or We Pick Apples, Blackberries, and Pumpkins Whether you choose to U Pick or We Pick, you can sample, mix and match to make sure go home with your favorite apples for eating or cooking. Review the apple varieties we grow and sell and their usual ripening times here.
We invite you to experience picking your own NC Apples, enjoy a day in the beautiful Western North Carolina Mountains, there is something for everyone and all ages. Tour the orchard picking apples, stop by the pond to see our ducks, visit the farm animals, let the kids take a ride on the Cow Train through the orchard, visit Apple House for pre-picked Apples, Honey, Jams, Jellies and Preserves and other homemade goodies. Visit the Bakery which offers our famous homemade Fried Apple Pies, Apple Cider Donuts, Apple Cider, Cider Slushies, Caramels, Apple Bread and more! You can also find fresh Mountain Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes and other local fall vegetables.
We look forward to having you visit one of the oldest U Pick or We Pick Apple Orchards in Western NC. We guarantee fresh apples, delicious baked good, beautiful views and wonderful hospitality!
RiverLink is honored to be the beneficiary of the community giving program at High Five Coffee in June and July! Stop by for a beverage and add a $5 donation at the register—100% of your gift goes to RiverLink! In addition, 10% of branded merchandise sales will support our efforts to restore the French Broad. Three locations to serve you: 13 Rankin Ave., 190 Broadway St., or (our favorite) the 2000 Riverside Drive location in Woodfin, offering coffee drinks, pastries and smoothies plus outdoor seating and walking trails on the bank of the river. Now that’s a coffee stop!
Of course, you can always donate directly from this newsletter. Thank you for considering a gift today!
The purpose of Coffee and Conversation is to have productive talk and dialogue that build communities, foster ideas of growth, solidarity, and networking. In essence, no matter what we do in our daily living, our mission with “Enjoy Your Life”, is to promote others through positive action and empowerment. There are mothers out there who need our support. As we meet during regular coffee and conversation meetings, we want to continue bringing our communities together by giving back. During this event, we want to encourage each of you to join us by donating towards the Maternal Giving Back Initiative. On the last Saturday of the month, we will conclude with packaging all essential items. Our primary goal is to assemble five baby baskets a month. Afterwards, will then deliver each basket to local hospitals for mothers in need.
Maternal giving back initiative
We understand there is serious need for mothers who exit the hospital with newborn babies. Our approach is to ensure that these mothers have a few basics essentials as they depart the hospital and settle in. Our goal is not to spend an exorbitant amount of money. However, we want to provide practical things that are thoughtful and meaningful. We think a heartfelt survivor kit would be awesome.
Some Examples are:
• Baby Books
• Travel diapers bags with changing pads
• Pacifier
• Nursing cover
• Receiving blanket
• Bibs
• Bottles and nipples
• Milk storage Bag
• Bottle warmer
• Bottle brush
• Wipes
• Diapers
• Swaddle blanket
• One piece of outfit
• Pajamas
• wicker basket to place items
Aprenda los conceptos básicos de la educación financiera del libro de finanzas más vendido en Estados Unidos, HowMoneyWorks.
El dinero es la herramienta más poderosa que tenemos para navegar en el mundo complejo que hemos creado, comprender cómo funciona realmente es fundamental. Aprenda los conceptos básicos de la educación financiera del libro de finanzas personales más vendido en Estados Unidos en 2020-21, HowMoneyWorks: Stop Being a Sucker con más de 500,000 copias impresas. ENTERPRISE es una clase GRATUITA de educación financiera de una hora y media. Cubre conceptos financieros clave y proporciona una guía para ayudarlo a lograr laseguridad e independencia financiera.
– 5PM DOORS / 6PM SHOW
– ALL AGES
– OUTDOOR PATIO SHOW
– LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVED
COVID-19 POLICY: The Grey Eagle requires all patrons attending performances to provide proof of vaccination or negative test within 48 hours prior to the event. We strongly suggest you mask up while indoors and interacting with TGE staff. Patrons will need to provide physical or digital documentation of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test. Professional negative test results must be dated no more than 48 hours prior to the event. At-home testing will not be accepted.
“Tina & Her Pony deliver a gentle folk music that inexorably swells into a powerful wave. The songs themselves carry a gentle wisdom that invigorates the listener. Tina & Her Pony truly commit to a kind of chamber folk that feels as timeless as it does timely.” – Rachel Cholst, NO DEPRESSION
In a soundscape rich in folk and americana offerings Tina and Her Pony (Tina Collins and a rotating cast of band members) stand out with their clarity and freshness. Harmonies, arrangements, lyrics and captivating vocals combine to create something greater than the sum of the pieces which, taken individually, are deceptively straightforward. Their talents are honed sharper on their latest release, “Champion” (2017), which chronicles complex emotional landscapes with the kind of wisdom and honesty required from roots music in its most distilled and cherished forms.
But Tina has been upending expectations and convention from early on. Her distinctive vocals and songwriting are the product of both a conservatory education and her singular taste in female folk artists like Gillian Welch, Joni Mitchell and Kate Wolf. The pandemic brought much change and loss to Tina’s world, and these are reflected in her new songs, a collection of songs that will comprise her upcoming record, “Marigolds”.
“Even within the world of folk, Tina & Her Pony’s sound can’t be defined within a single culture or concept. What is undeniable, however, is the soul-stirring power of the music itself”. – Andria Brown, Folk All Y’all
Identifying as queer also plays an important role in how Tina approaches her unique blend of old time folk, newgrass, americana, and her essential musical and personal expression. In recordings as well as live performances, Tina always strives to provide the listener with a deep oceanic counterpoint to her earthy, time-honored musical approach. It’s an apt metaphor for the dark and the light of life, for the transformation of life’s joys and sorrows into songs that Tina & her Pony has strived to create since 2010. Tina counts through-hiking the Appalachian Trail as a formative musical and human experience, deepening her connection to that place and its musical traditions while also relishing places of fluidity in both art and expression and is constantly inverting expectations. Live performances weave a fascinating web of sound and intention that draws the audience in. Listening to Tina & Her Pony offers a window into an interior landscape that begs to be explored.
Live music returns to the Old Rock Cafe with our new music series: Playing for our Partners. Come enjoy an evening of good food and good music on the deck overlooking the Rocky Broad River and support a good cause, too. A percentage of proceeds from each event in the series will benefit one of our local non-profit partners. The July event will feature musician Walter Finley and will support the Chimney Rock Village CDA.
*This event is at the Old Rock Cafe, not inside the Park*
Bring your instruments, families, friends, lawn chairs and blankets and join us for good times at the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Stage. In 2022 Shindig on the Green, which features a stage show and informal jam sessions around the park, continues at its original location — formerly known as City County Plaza, now transformed into the new Pack Square Park. Locals and visitors alike come together downtown “along about sundown,” or at 7:00pm for those who wear a watch, until 10:00p.m. Concessions are available. Come experience the beautiful music and dance traditions of Southern Appalachia on a summer evening in the mountains.
Eats and Treats: Concessions are provided by The Hop Ice Cream Cafe, and there are plenty of other establishments nearby for food and drinks.
Parking: Parking is available in marked and metered spaces throughout downtown Asheville (free after 6pm) and the city’s municipal decks (evening rates vary). Very convenient to Shindig, Buncombe County’s Charlotte Street Parking Deck is directly across College Street from Pack Square Park and the Buncombe County Courthouse. Parking for buses is available at the Asheville Public Works Building parking lot at 161 S. Charlotte Street. This lot is vacant on Saturday nights. It is recommended that passengers unload at Pack Square Park before the bus is parked in the lot.
Dogs or Other Pets: Please leave your pets at home (unless it’s a service animal). The City of Asheville restricts pets from being present at outdoor special events. Pets, even the best behaved ones, are not allowed at Pack Square Park during Shindig.
Public Transit: There is a major transfer point on College St. for public transit. Check www.ridetheart.com for maps and schedules.. Route E1 provides Saturday evening service to and from the ART Station.
DJ Morphonic and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Spears the KalimbaMan present ECSTATIC DANCE: World Edition, an ecstatic dance experience like no other featuring a DJ dance party with live musical artistry within a guided intentional experience.
Tickets $15 ADV & $20 Day of the show
Asheville’s own DJ Morphonic has become a highly sought-after Ecstatic Dance DJ due to his eclectic yet transformative mix of music from around the world.. In the Asheville area and around the south-east DJ Morphonic is widely known for rocking the crowd with his diverse and dance provoking song selections. In addition, DJ Morphonic (Maurice Legendre) is known far and wide for his beautiful and incredible sacred art concert backdrops that must be seen to be believed. DJ Morphonic is truly a gifted soul in the field of transformative and regenerative art and music..
Kevin Spears the KalimbaMan is an internationally renowned kalimba player and one-man ensemble who designs and uses electronic musical gadgets to create a literal one-man ensemble right before your eyes and ears. He has performed extensively in the U.S and abroad and has done what was once thought impossible on the kalimba, the traditional African instrument he has studied and played since the age of 10. Along with the kalimba, Spears masterfully uses iPads and pocket synths to play piano, strings, horns and world percussiion that is both mesmerizing and incredible to see.
Experience the music of these phenomenal artists as they come together for the first time for a night to remember..
Rumours is the country’s premier Fleetwood Mac tribute band. Based in Atlanta, GA, Rumours captures the energy of Fleetwood Mac at the height of their career by blending perfect harmonies, precise instrumentation, and a visually engaging stage show.
Rumours’ dedication to recreating the Fleetwood Mac experience has skyrocketed their popularity, garnering a loyal fan base. Playing to sold out audiences and packed houses at private engagements and major venues across the country including House of Blues, the legendary Daryl Hall’s Club, and a one week residency at Epcot for Disney’s wildly popular Sounds Like Summer concert series, Rumours has earned its place as one of the top tribute bands around today.
Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe in the ways of magic? Rumours does!
Pink Beds is a cerebral indie pop band formed in 2020 at the cusp of the initial lockdowns. Composed of four friends from Asheville, NC, they’ve cultivated a strong bond through a shared passion for lush soundscapes, artfully crafted tunes, and rhythms you can’t help but be moved by. The mélange of dream pop, new wave, lounge, and disco aims to create an ethereal listening experience with a combination of low-end groove, velvety guitar, silky keys, gritty synth, and catchy melodies.
Pink Beds comprises Aaron Aiken (Vocals & Guitar), Jackson Van Horn (Keys & Guitar), Ryan Sargent (Drums & Percussion), and Logan Hall (Bass).
Making good use of isolation, the group combined their songwriting abilities and production chops to manifest a lush, warm, and evocative sonic environment with their December 2020 debut LP, All I Have. From tracking and production to mixing and mastering, each stage of the process was kept entirely within the group.
Since the release of this album, along with two singles in 2021, the band has grown into a vital act to catch in a live setting, bringing their laser-focus and authentically crafted songs to a multitude of different regions across the US. The essence of Pink Beds, like its namesake, should be enjoyed with your own senses and a group of good friends.
“What started out as a casual jam to entertain a keg party has morphed itself into one of the most intriguing new musical acts in Western North Carolina.
Aiken, a Brevard native, now fronts an Asheville group that stands at the intersection of indie rock, psychedelic folk and cerebral pop. It’s a seamless blend, more so a vibrant flow, that harkens back to the sounds of early 2000s indie icons The Strokes and Keane, with a thick thread leading to the melodic camps of Tame Impala and Snow Patrol.”
— Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone Contributing Writer
Hustle Souls is an Asheville, NC-based soul band who blend dust-covered-vinyl nostalgia with modern sensibility; recently named a Music Connection Magazine Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands. Hustle Souls music has been called a “generation-jumping mashup of new school second line funk with old school vintage soul.” American Blues Scene and “intimate soul… with a Curtis Mayfield like warmth.” Bluestown Music. Roaring B3 organ, jubilant brass and ripping electric guitar are balanced with 3-part vocal harmony and a lust for songwriting that earned them spot in the 2020 International Songwriting Competition semi-finals and has been praised as “worthy of being included in that brilliant soul music canon, a heritage that features some of the greatest performers and writers that have ever graced this earth…” Aldora Britian Records. With relentless touring, sold out shows and major festival appearances it is no wonder why the band has earned a reputation as one of the East Coast’s most promising acts.
The Snozzberries are reviving their “Psychedelic Circus” show this summer on July 16th at Asheville Music Hall. The concert will be an immersive audiovisual experience, featuring projections, performers, interactive exhibits, and more fun surprises. The evening’s music will be provided by two Asheville bands, psychedelic warriors The Snozzberries and Appalachian funk-rockers Dr. Bacon. This interactive performance is not to be missed!
A limited number of discounted early-bird ticket will be available from Asheville Music Hall.
Poster artwork by Josh Levy.
THE SNOZZBERRIES
Combining hi-energy psychedelia, progressive rock, and deep-fried funk, The Snozzberries deliver a powerhouse, genre-bending sonic journey. The band is currently hard at work on their second full length studio album, “Return” with Grammy-nominated engineer Josh Blake at Asheville’s legendary Echo Mountain Recording. The album will also feature artwork by Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Josh Levy.
DR. BACON
Dr. Bacon is a 6 Piece touring Appalachian Funk, Grass and Rock & Roll band. Blending incredibly diverse instrumentation with broad, deep musical influences, allows the band to perform a plethora of widely accessible, danceable music. The Dr. Bacon Live Experience is truly a spectacle to behold, bringing the audience on a musical journey that lulls and spikes in energy, caressing ears with lush beauty and whipping crowds into a tribal romp, shaking booties and shedding inhibitions. This manic versatility ensures that no matter what genre of music you identify with most, you will hear something that resonates.
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Kate Lambert with Uptown Farms in Missouri takes you through the important components of how to strategically market your agricultural products.
Discover how to differentiate your brand, differentiate your product, communicate your value and nurture your customers and prospects. Walk away with product and personal branding questions to answer and apply to your operation right away!
RiverLink is honored to be the beneficiary of the community giving program at High Five Coffee in June and July! Stop by for a beverage and add a $5 donation at the register—100% of your gift goes to RiverLink! In addition, 10% of branded merchandise sales will support our efforts to restore the French Broad. Three locations to serve you: 13 Rankin Ave., 190 Broadway St., or (our favorite) the 2000 Riverside Drive location in Woodfin, offering coffee drinks, pastries and smoothies plus outdoor seating and walking trails on the bank of the river. Now that’s a coffee stop!
Of course, you can always donate directly from this newsletter. Thank you for considering a gift today!
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.
Established in 2010 in Napa Valley, Heritage Fire is an esteemed culinary event that celebrates pasture diversity and family farming. Touring nine cities across the United States, the smokey sister event of Cochon555 is dedicated to the art, science, and technique of cooking sustainably sourced or locally produced ingredients like fruits and vegetables, beef, pork, fish, and fowl prepared by the top chefs in the country. An event that demonstrates several unique cooking methods, Heritage Fire offers a culinary experience perfect for every palate. The all-inclusive event also features a bevy of wines, cocktails, and craft beers.
For more information, visit heritagefiretour.com.
Bob Sinclair and the Big Deals is a unique ensemble in the age of “already been done” acoustic bands. Showcasing their original songs, the group merges Southern story-telling, chamber music sensibilities and jazz-influenced melodies to create an original musical sound – elegant, but feisty and unfiltered. This band definitely distinguishes itself in the crowed acoustic music scene. The Big Deals have demonstrated that they are equally comfortable on the big festival stages of Merlefest and Possumfest or the intimacy of the listening rooms and theaters of the US.
Tickets on Sale now – Please Call the Venue
:Reserved Tickets for the Lounge are available with dinner reservations only :::: There is a $20 minimum in food and beverage purchases per person with your dinner reservation :: Seating will be limited :: You MUST call venue (828-575-2737) to make a dinner reservation and purchase your tickets.
Where the desert meets the forest is the land Haunted Summer inhabits – called by many things, the chaparral biome is the lush arid landscape of Los Angeles, that may have given rise to a rare musical harmony. Mixing LA-trademark harmonious psych-rock with an even more decadent stream of acoustic dream pop, song sorcerers & husband-and-wife Bridgette Moody & John Seasons create rapturously organic tracks from the truth of the heart.
Hailed internationally, their debut full-length Spirit Guides helped push a band with lots of momentum to the next level. The album accentuates the underwater qualities that blossom within their sound palette – a true shoegaze expedition through beautifully ambient lands. “Sour Grapes” is a blissful treasure of the rarest form, as are even some of the fuzzier & heavier tracks such as “Every Step” – amplifying the heat but keeping the air & pressure cool.
Haunted Summer’s 2nd LP “Whole”, recorded with producer Be Hussey, discovered a chillness & a lightness that breaks into a new realm of palatability. It is as peaceful as the quaintest dwelling, yet harmonically challenging & interesting in the abstract elevated moods that can entrance & take you over. The tones on “Whole” create a space that a folk orchestra would produce inside of a wooden dome, the resonate sounds of Topanga acts like Spirit, Linda Perhacs, America, Simon & Garfunkel & always some Brian Wilson percussion & arrangements. A pantheon of pure aesthetic melancholy, meant to harmonize the chaos.
“Whole” (due out in early 2022 via label LaunchLeft) was inspired by friends and fans the band had met while touring, and also by growth and loss. The title song “Whole (A Song for Taylor)” is about Bridgette Moody’s formative friend and former band mate who passed away in 2018. The album is a concept of reaching one’s full capacity through pain, loss and love, something that became even more relevant in the current climate we find ourselves in.
General Admission Tickets only. Seating in the balcony is first come, first serve. Dinner reservations can be made prior to the show by calling Isis Music Hall at 828-575-2737
We shed old skin in order to evolve and move forward. We let go of who we were in the past and embrace who we’re meant to be now. The Deslondes have taken such steps as not only bandmates, but as brothers. The New Orleans quintet—Dan Cutler, Sam Doores, Riley Downing, Cameron Snyder, and John James Tourville—have weathered ups, downs, and everything in between only to strengthen the bond between them.
Infusing everything from saxophone, flute, and synth to string arrangements and a full drum kit for the first time, the group naturally progress and evolve in real-time on their third full-length offering, Ways & Means . “The title reminds me of being young, getting into the music business, going through everything, and coming out of it,” Riley observes. “We’re taking a look right, left, and back at ourselves.”
“We were letting go of a bunch of old dynamics that left us burnt out,” adds John James. “However, we’re focused on being productive and on the other side.” The “other side” might just be their brightest yet. The Deslondes revealed their self-titled debut to widespread tastemaker applause during 2015. However, they really hit their stride on Hurry Home in 2017. Right out of the gate, Noisey proclaimed, “The Deslondes have found a comfortable sound to create art in, and it serves them well,” while Rolling Stone noted, “The Deslondes’ take on country relies on a gritty, grimy mix of early rock ‘n’ roll and lo-fi R&B.” In addition to praise from American Songwriter, Paste, The Boot, and more, the record closed out the year on Uncut’s “Favorite Albums of 2017.”
Then, the musicians opted to quietly take a break. In the meantime, Sam shared his self-titled debut as Riley also served up his solo album, Start It Over. Maybe it was something in the air, but 2021 seemed like the perfect moment for the boys to pick up where they left off. “I reached out to everybody individually,” recalls John James. “Dan’s got kids, and I’ve got kids. We’d been touring for a long time. Once I called, it seemed like everyone was really into it. We were excited about doing it again.”
“I was in Lawrence, KS visiting my folks at the height of the Pandemic,” Sam remembers. “I was walking down Massachusetts Avenue on a Sunday morning and wondering what I had left to give the world. Perhaps, I was experiencing a mild existential crisis from living off unemployment and facing the cancellation of my album release tours. Luckily, my phone rang. John James asked how I’d feel about making another Deslondes record with so much genuine enthusiasm it was contagious. We all owe it to him. Instinctually, a resounding ‘Hell Yes’ came out of my mouth.”
Missing the camaraderie, the guys congregated at old haunt The Tigermen Den. Together, they worked out the songs before they entered the Bomb Shelter with longtime producer Andrija Tokic. This time around, members brought in a host of ideas and agreed upon the process before recording.
“We came to some personal agreements about how everything was going to go down in advance,” Dan elaborates. “From experience, we realized what we liked and who was good at what. In terms of the studio, it was probably the easiest album we’ve ever made. Usually, we’re too busy touring to put a lot of thought into pre-production and ideas. This was definitely the most prepared we’ve ever been beforehand.”
The preparation shines on the likes of the first single “South Dakota Wild One.” On the track, harmonica wails over acoustic strumming. Simultaneously, Riley’s grizzled and gruff delivery simmers above a slow burning beat punctuated by a soulful lead.
“It’s a nostalgic song about getting into music, traveling, and running into the special people who were around then, but aren’t around now,” notes Riley. Elsewhere, the opener “Good To Go” saunters on airy electric piano towards a heavenly and hummable saxophone solo.
“If ‘South Dakota Wild One’ was the beginning of traveling and playing music, ‘Good To Go’ is where we’re at now,” Riley continues. “We’re still out here. We’re still good to go. The songs bookend each other.”
Then, there’s “Dunes.” A twang-y riff underscores a fifties-style melody as guitar echoes. “It’s about the arc of a love affair—a relationship that went wrong eventually,” Dan says. “It explores the symmetry of a relationship and how things come full circle in our life.” The dreamy “Five Year Plan” nods to Harry Nilsson with its dusty bliss, plinking keys, and cinematic orchestration. Album closer “Hero” takes flight on soaring slide guitar and wistful vocal delivery.
“I grew up in a real tight-knit family in the country,” Riley goes in. “We all pitched in to take care of my grandmother at the end of her life. We’re our own heroes to our families and friends. I needed to write the song to remind myself you can be your own hero. If it helps me, maybe it will help someone else.”
In the end, The Deslondes draw on their own familial union to forge a similar connection with listeners. “To us, this is family,” John James leaves off. “It’s a part of our lives. When you hear our music, I hope you feel like you’re hanging out with us. The band’s back together now, and it just feels good.”
“Riley, JJ, Dan, and Cam are my brothers,” Sam concurs. “We’ve all been through so much together. I don’t think any of us will have that experience with another group of people again in our lives. Sometimes, we drive each other crazy of course, but we’re family. I’d take a bullet for any of those geezers.”
Core classes include acting, dance and movement, music, costume design, improv, and physical comedy. Additional classes, daily activities, and instructors vary by session, so join us for one week or several! There will not be a final showcase for Youth Camp. Masks are currently optional for all students, regardless of vaccination status. Campers should plan to bring their own lunch, water bottle, and snacks from home.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP
Please do not purchase registration prior to applying for a scholarship. Applications must be received at least two weeks before the first day of the camp session for consideration.
RiverLink is honored to be the beneficiary of the community giving program at High Five Coffee in June and July! Stop by for a beverage and add a $5 donation at the register—100% of your gift goes to RiverLink! In addition, 10% of branded merchandise sales will support our efforts to restore the French Broad. Three locations to serve you: 13 Rankin Ave., 190 Broadway St., or (our favorite) the 2000 Riverside Drive location in Woodfin, offering coffee drinks, pastries and smoothies plus outdoor seating and walking trails on the bank of the river. Now that’s a coffee stop!
Of course, you can always donate directly from this newsletter. Thank you for considering a gift today!
Local Live, Jay Brown w/guests The Candellers and Mike Esposito,
Local Live, hosted by Jay Brown, features the best in up and coming talent. Usually two performers each week with an additional set from Jay. You can say “saw them when”
Join us every Monday night for Singo (Musical Bingo)!
Singo will run from 7-8:15 pm.
No reservations needed, just get ready for a good time and a chance to win some Down Dog prizes!
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Core classes include acting, dance and movement, music, costume design, improv, and physical comedy. Additional classes, daily activities, and instructors vary by session, so join us for one week or several! There will not be a final showcase for Youth Camp. Masks are currently optional for all students, regardless of vaccination status. Campers should plan to bring their own lunch, water bottle, and snacks from home.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP
Please do not purchase registration prior to applying for a scholarship. Applications must be received at least two weeks before the first day of the camp session for consideration.