30 Days Out, February 2025 #1: Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Fantastic Negrito, Judy Collins, Michael Marcagi
Great artists from here (Asheville) and there (everywhere else), from now (Fantastic Negrito) and then-to-now (Judy Collins). Those are among the highlights for the the third 30DO of this new year. Let’s go!
Artist: Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Venue: Ayurprana Listening Room
Date: Sunday, Feb. 2, 2:30 p.m.
Door: $56.76
This kid-hop outfit has won many accolades for its knowing mashup of styles. Drawing from the deep talent pool that is the Asheville music scene, Skidoo has assembled a group that can do most anything, making it look fun and easy while doing it. This event is particularly immersive and interactive, as it’s a writing and performance workshop.
photo © Audrey Hermon Kopp
Artist: Fantastic Negrito
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m.
Door: $31.31
One of the most important and incisive artists to achieve prominence in the last few years, Fantastic Negrito makes a kind of modern rethink of the blues that is often not bluesy at all. “Blues” is far too restrictive a term to describe his music. It’s funky, melodic, full of thought-provoking content, and simply irresistible. He’s also a powerful and passionate performer.
Artist: Judy Collins
Venue: Wortham Center
Date: Thursday, Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m.
Door: $66.50
Judy Collins launched her musical career in 1961, but it was later that decade – and with the subsequent flowering of the singer-songwriter era – when she came to prominence. Collins even made commercial inroads in the 1970s with a series of well-regarded albums and singles. Often thought of as an interpretive artist, Collins released her first album of all original material, Spellbound, in 2022. That release received a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album.
Artist: Michael Marcagi
Venue: The Orange Peel
Date: Friday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m.
Door: $33.07
An alterna-indie singer-songwriter from Cincinnati, Marcagi initiated his solo recording career with single, “The Other Side,” in 2023. He followed that up with “Scared to Start,” a hit in ten countries. The tune was the single from his debut EP, American Romance, released in February 2024. His most recent single, “Midwest Kid” debuted two weeks ago. Ashley Kutcher opens.
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.