30 Days Out, December 2024 #2: Asheville Symphony w/Direct From Sweden, Free Flow, Nora Brown, Dirty Logic
Pop, funk, Americana and whatever it is that Steely Dan does: those are the highlights of live music in the coming 30 days here in Asheville.
Artist: Asheville Symphony with Direct From Sweden
Venue: Harrah’s Cherokee
Date: Monday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m.
Door: $43 – $88
Every year around the holidays the Asheville Symphony stages a pop-oriented event that bridges classical and contemporary. This year the Symphony is teaming up with Direct From Sweden, a tribute act devoted to the works of Nordic superstars ABBA. Should be fun!
Artist: Free Flow Band
Venue: Shiloh & Gaines
Date: Monday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m.
Door: free (I think)
This group is an Asheville institution. The group brings its brand of funk and soul to Shiloh & Gaines for a New Year’s celebration. Mountain Xpress once called them “the guardians of funk,” and their music is designed for dancing. And yeah, no…I have no idea what’s happening with that band image above.
Artist: Nora Brown
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Sunday, Jan. 5, 8 p.m.
Door: $17.95
Roots musician Nora Brown is all of 18 years old, but she’s already a major sensation. Brown is a popular fixture on the festival circuit, gave a TED talk, appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, and she’s an in-demand instructor. 2022’s Long Time to be Gone is the third long-player from this remarkable artist. I interviewed her in 2021.
Artist: Dirty Logic
Venue: Wortham Center
Date: Saturday, Jan. 11, 8 p.m.
Door: $40
Awhile back, I invited bassist Jake Wolf to co-host an entry in my monthly Music to Your Ears discussion series. The topic was Steely Dan, something of which he knows a great deal. Wolf and his ten top-flight band mates tackle the demanding music of that band as Dirty Logic. For this show, they’ll play The Royal Scam and Aja albums in their entirety, plus some other hits. Don’t miss! Story coming soon, too.
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.