30 Days Out, April 2022 #2: Nova Omega, Pedro the Lion, Tuatha Dea, Drive-By Truckers
Two local acts and two acclaimed nationally-touring acts are the cream of the musical crop in Asheville’s live music scene across the coming 30 days.
Artist: Nova Omega
Venue: The Odd
Date: Friday, April 21, 8 p.m.
Door: $10
Drawing influences from heavy metal, progressive rock and modern rock, this Asheville five-piece combines passion and technique. The “Hard Rock adjacent” themed bill this night at The Odd also features The Welcoming, Counter and Life Without.
Artist: Pedro the Lion
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Tuesday, April 25, 8 p.m.
Door: $25
David Bazan led indie/slowcore trio Pedro the Lion from 1995 to 2006; even with a revolving-door lineup featuring Bazan as its only constant, the band’s thoughtful, topical music earned plaudits from fans and critics alike. Bazan turned his attention to a solo career under his own name after disbanding the group (I interviewed him during that period) but he reactivated the group with Erik Walters and Sean Lane, and that stable trio continues to this day. Erik Walters opens.
Artist: Tuatha Dea
Venue: White Horse Black Mountain
Date: Friday, April 28, 8 p.m.
Door: $25
Appalachian rock/Americana is the stock in trade of this large (six? seven? eight-piece?) and versatile outfit that combined Celtic flavors with sounds of the mountains. It’s a friends-and-family project, with spouses, nieces and such; that togetherness is a key to their appeal. Eireann’s Call opens.
Artist: Drive-By Truckers
Venue: The Orange Peel
Date: Friday, May 12, 8 p.m.
Door: $20
Who says Southern rock can’t be musically and lyrically ambitious? Certainly not Patterson Hood, the driving (heh) force behind this critic’s favorite. Hood is the thinking person’s musician, always good for incisive commentary, as my 2017 interview with him demonstrates. The band is also booked at the Orange Peel for another show on May 13.
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 since 2018). The 4000-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 is co-teaching 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: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.