30 Days Out, October 2024 #1: King Garbage, Richard Lloyd, Matthew Sweet, New Mastersounds
IMPORTANT NOTE: In light of the disaster in Western NC, please check with the venues. Some or all of these shows may be cancelled.
WOW. That’s a succinct summation of my take on the music calendar for Asheville over the coming 30 days. Three nationally-touring acts – and one based here but that rarely plays anywhere – top the list of hotly-anticipated local shows. All fall squarely into the can’t-miss category.
Artist: King Garbage
Venue: Jack of the Wood
Date: Friday, Oct. 4, 9 p.m.
Door: $10
King Garbage is the duo of Zach Cooper and Vic Dimotsis. The two are a self-contained musical unit: they both write, produce and play multiple instruments. Perhaps by design, their sound is difficult to pin down, spanning many genres from soul to rock to funk, all wrapped up in a hypnotic and psychedelic melange. As they told me for a feature I wrote last year, they’re focused these days on writing and recording; touring is not a priority. So this hometown show is something truly rare and special.
Artist: Richard Lloyd
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Sunday, Oct. 13, 8 p.m.
Door: $21.21
Richard Lloyd came to well-deserved fame as one of two inventive guitarists in groundbreaking ‘70s group Television. Some years later he provided some of the most bracing, breathtaking guitar leads of all time for Matthew Sweet (see below). He wrote a fantastic memoir a few years back. His solo work is stellar as well.
Artist: Matthew Sweet
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Thursday, Oct. 24, 8 p.m.
Door: $32.31
Paving the way for the power pop/indie rock vanguard in the ‘90s, Mathew Sweet has made (and continues to make) some of the best music of the era. As I write this, I’m listening to a, er, bootleg of demos for one of his albums. That collection underscores the sturdiness at the heart of his songcraft. And this tour finds Sweet setting aside the electric instruments in favor of an acoustic approach. That, too, will help bring out the core melodicism at the root of his music. I’ve written about and interviewed him on several occasions. Here’s a taste.
Artist: New Mastersounds
Venue: Asheville Music Hall
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 30 and Thursday, Oct. 31, 8 p.m.
Door: $30
I go on and on about these guys, and for good reason. Whether they’re playing live or on record, with or without a vocalist, the New Mastersounds make some of te most engaging, tuneful and just plain funky music you’ll find. Their quality assurance program is sterling: a massive body of work and not a duff one in the lot. However you get ‘em, you simply cannot go wrong. But live-and-in-concert may well be the best way, and now you have not one but two opportunities. I’ve interviewed them many times, and reviewed them even more. Start 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 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.