30 Days Out, Aug. 2024 #2: Joe Medwick, Soul Asylum, Lucky Strokes, Ghost-Note
A great locally-based artist, an overlooked indie-rock legend, and two widely-touring acts who love playing Asheville (and come here often). Those are the highlights of music in the next 30 days. Here we go…
Artist: Joe Medwick
Venue: The Outpost
Date: Saturday, Aug. 17, 7 p.m.
Door: $20.79
Something of a musical Zelig, Asheville-based Joe Medwick has worked with an impressive who’s-who list of associates, most notably in the roots- and proto-roots categories. This gig is a tribute to two of those, Lowell George (Zappa, Little Feat) and Levon Helm (The Band). Guaranteed to be interesting and musically rewarding.
Artist: Soul Asylum
Venue: The Orange Peel
Date: Tuesday, Sep. 3, 8 p.m.
Door: $30
Soul Asylum never really got their due, though they certainly paid their dues. The alt-rock group fronted by guitarist/singer Dave Pirner briefly flirted with mainstream success and the then returned to the more-or-less underground status, though the quality of the music remained consistent; they deserved better. So do you, so go see ‘em. I interviewed Pirner just last year.
Artist: Lucky Strokes
Venue: Asheville Music Hall
Date: Thursday, Sep. 5, 8 p.m.
Door: $20 advance / $25 day of show
The New Mastersounds’ guitarist Eddie Roberts is something of a musical renaissance man. In addition to his main group, Roberts runs a label (Color Red) and involves himself in other rewarding musical projects. This is one of those, and it’s quite good, and a major departure from The New Mastersounds’ style. I reviewed The Lucky Strokes’ debut LP not long ago.
Artist: Ghost-Note
Venue: Pisgah Brewing
Date: Friday, Sep. 6, 7:30 p.m.
Door: $25 advance / $35 day of show
A supergroup made of players in funk, jam and soul, Ghost-Note doesn’t really sound like any of that. They’re a jazz group with a horn section. Tasty stuff indeed, and with a boundary-pushing, playful attitude (see photo of MonoNeon above for evidence). I interviewed the group’s percussionist Nat Werth in 2019.
See you at the show
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day for several years). The more than 5000 interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- some 40 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 30 Great Concept Albums is available now. Read even more about him here.