30 Days Out, November 2023 #2: Mannheim Steamroller, Shake ‘em on Down Fest, Sunn O))), Amanda Anne Platt
Blues, blues-rock, doomstonersludge and a heapin’ helpin’ of holiday cheer are on the slate for the coming 30 days in Asheville. Off we go!
Artist: Mannheim Steamroller
Venue: Harrah’s Cherokee Center
Date: Thursday, Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Door: $41+
There are but a handful of (touring and/or recording) artists whose image is completely wrapped up in the winter holidays. Founded in 1974, Mannheim Steamroller is most assuredly among the most well-known. Counting compilations – of which there have been more than a few – Mannheim Steamroller has released some two dozen Christmas-themed collections. (We won’t even get into their albums focusing on other holidays, nor their Fresh Aire series.) The Omaha. Nebraska based outfit combines new age, rock (of a sort) and, well, holiday themes.
Event: Samantha Fish’s Shake ‘em on Down Tour
Venue: Salvage Station
Date: Friday, Dec. 1, 8 p.m.
Door: $30 advance / $35 day of show
With a lineup that in some ways recalls the Rolling Thunder Revue, Mad Dogs and Englishmen and similarly ambitious package tours, this one is notable for the name at the top of the bill: the inimitable Samantha Fish (interviewed here and here, and reviewed elsewhere on this site. Also on the bill are Jesse Dayton, Jon Spencer and Eric Johanson (his latest is reviewed here). Helluva blues-leaning lineup right there.
Artist: Sunn O)))
Venue: The Orange Peel
Date: Sunn))day, Dec. 3, 8 p.m.
Door: $35 advance / $40 day of show
If you dig brown-note, uber-heavy rock that makes pioneers like Black Sabbath seem comparatively lightweight, Sunn O))) is – or should be – your thing. Doom, drone, stoner, sludge: take your pick of labels, but make sure you bring earplugs, and if you have teeth fillings, best to budget time and funds post-show to have them replaced. These guys shake the building to its foundations. Also on the bill: Jesse Sykes w/Phil Wandscher. Sunn)))day! Sunn)))day!
Artist: Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters Holiday Spectacular IV
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m.
Door: $17 advance / $25 day of show
Hometown heroes host happy holiday hang number four. What more do you need to know? Interviews with Amanda are here, here and also here.
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 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.