30 Days Out, April 2025 #2: Ripe, Mystery Lights, Consider the Source, Rhiannon Giddens
You can’t keep a great city down. Big things are happening in Asheville. It was just six months ago that we sustained devastating and deadly damage from Tropical Storm Helene; cleanup and rebuilding continue, and the scars and aftereffects – economic, structural, emotional – will be with us for a very long time. But amid the tragedy – which included the loss of (among many other things) two beloved music venues: Asheville Guitar Bar and Salvage Station – new music venues are opening. Third Room looks to specialize in jam and EDM, and The Hatch Amphitheater will present an array of musical styles. Hatch had its soft opening yesterday, but when it’s fully up and running, look for coverage here. In the meantime, here’s some of what’s on in the coming 30 days.
Artist: Ripe
Venue: Third Room
Date: Saturday, April 12, 8 p.m.
Door: $31.89
Los Angeles-base Ripe formed in 2011, with their own take on funk-pop and alt-rock. They’ve released three albums: 2018’s Joy in the Wild Unknown and 2023’s Bright Blues, plus a 2023 live album Live from the MGM Music Hall at Fenway. While boasting a dance emphasis, the band also claims Miles Davis as an influence. Check ‘em out at one of Asheville’s newest music venues, and decide for yourself how to square that circle.
Artist: Mystery Lights
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Tuesday, April 22, 8 p.m.
Door: $25.10
Garage rock came about in the 1960s, inspired by the Rolling Stones and Yardbirds. It’s a decidedly American form, though its influence spread far and wide…and long. Here it is more than a half century later, and younger acts still find inspiration in the form, giving it their own spin. That’s what The Mystery Lights do, combining a classic approach that acknowledges a debt to the past while somehow making it original. And they’ve lasted far longer than most of the original crop: I interviewed them way back in 2016.
Artist: Consider the Source
Venue: Asheville Music Hall
Date: Saturday, April 26, 8 p.m.
Door: $16.50
Prog-fusion-metal trio Consider the Source is from New York City, but locals may be forgiven for thinking they’re an Asheville group: the instrumental band has cultivated a strong following here, and returns often. That doesn’t mean you should assume that a Consider the Source gig is so commonplace that you tell yourself, “I’ll catch ‘em next time.” They’ve very good at what they do. See them now and later.
Artist: Rhiannon Giddens
Venue: The Orange Peel
Date: Wednesday, April 30, 8 p.m.
Door: $61.58
The Carolina Chocolate Drops were an important and groundbreaking Americana band from Durham. The influential group more or less cased operations a decade ago, but its members have gone on to do great things on their own. The brightest stars among the band were Dom Flemons and Rhiannon Giddens. The latter has been nominated for and/or won countless awards (Grammy, Pulitzer… you get the idea), and her artistry is immense.
See you at the shows!
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.