30 Days Out, November 2021 #1: The Record Company, Cloak, Carolina Waltz, Squirrel Nut Zippers
The warm weather has left us, taking with it the opportunity for outdoor shows. It remains to be seen how the remaining vestiges of the pandemic will affect the live music scene. Here in Asheville, we lost several music venue (and untold number of artists) over the last 20 months, so fingers are crossed that things go well for those who’ve survived these tough circumstances. Support your local (as well as touring) artists.
Artist: The Record Company
Venue: The Orange Peel
Date: Thursday, Nov. 4, 8 p.m.
Door: $25
Drawing equal amounts of inspiration form classic blues and protopunk artists like the Stooges, The Record Company makes music that’s much more creative than its band name might suggest. is much more creative. I interviewed them more than five years ago, and they’ve only improved since then. JJ Wilde opens.
Artist: Cloak
Venue: The Odditorium
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 10, 9 p.m.
Door: $10 advance, $12 day of show
Yep, the picture of this Atlanta group tells you a lot of what you’ll need to know. I’m pleased to see The Odditorium made it through the rough patch of 2020-21. This intimate (maybe that’s not quite the right word) venue occupies a special place in the Asheville music scene, and we’d be far worse without it. I wrote about The Odd awhile back. The three-band bill also features Demiser and Subhollow.
Artist: Carolina Waltz
Venue: Salvage Station
Date: Sunday, Nov. 28, 8 p.m.
Door: $18 advance / $25 day of show
It was quite a few years ago – nearly 20, I suspect – when I saw another all-star tribute to The Last Waltz. That one (at Stella Blue, the site of the current Asheville Music Hall) featured Rick Richards of the (Georgia) Satellites, and it was quite impressive, with a rotating cast of musicians (as each song required) re-creating the classic farewell concert by The Band. This one features local and regional musicians, led by Josh Daniel.
Artist: Squirrel Nut Zippers
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 30, 8 p.m.
Door: $25
You’re seriously missing out of your mental image of Squirrel Nut Zippers doesn’t extend beyond the ‘90s left-field hit “Hell.” This retro band is, from my perspective, Americana in its truest sense, exploring American musical forms of the past in a thrilling, faithful-yet-irreverent manner. Leader (and musical renaissance man) Jimbo Mathus – who was just in town for a solo show – is a musical treasure, a fact reinforced by his (and SNZ’s) recent induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. This performance is the Zippers’ annual Holiday Show; I wrote about that event two years ago.
Get that booster when you can!
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 since 2018). The 4500-plus 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 -- more than 30 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: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.