Americana Archive
01 Mar 2021
30 Days Out, March 2021 #1: Chelsea Lovitt, Aditi and Jay, TV Girl, The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers
Live music is coming back! Who knew? To be sure, it’s not everywhere, and when it’s indoors it’s subject to social distancing protocols – we’re not out of the woods just yet – so if you’ve had your shots, mask up and go go go support the return of live music. Three of these four
06 Feb 2021
Vince Herman and Drew Emmitt Play the Music of the People
This interview was first published in December 2019 in Bold Life Magazine. Since forming in the late 1980s, Leftover Salmon had earned a place as a darling of the jam band and music festival scenes. Though nominally a bluegrass band, the Boulder, Colorado-based sextet makes music that draws from a wide variety of American musical
15 Jan 2021
30 Days Out, January 2021 #2: Travis Book Happy Hour, Sons of Ralph, Page Brothers, The Harrows
Happy New Year! Live music is back! Hey, just kidding. No, wait: it is, kinda. It’s back the way Brain Wilson was back with the Beach Boys all those times in the ’70s and ’80s. Which is to say, again: kinda. In this edition of 30 Days Out – the one-year anniversary of its appearance
01 Jan 2021
30 Days Out, January 2021 #1: Chuck Brodsky, Hustle Souls, Arcadian Wild, Derek McCoy Trio
Happy New Year! Even in normal times – a phrase that most certainly doesn’t apply to present day – the post-holidays winter months are the “secret season” in Asheville and its environs. The tourists (who are both an economic engine for the region and the bane of many local residents’ existence) largely stay away for
06 Dec 2020
Keller Williams Has Some (Musical) Property He’d Like to Sell You
This featured appeared previously in the December 2019 issue of Bold Life Magazine. — bk Keller Williams can do it all, and he’s astoundingly productive. The Virginia-based multi-genre guitarist has long been a fixture on the Western North Carolina music circuit; fans love the music on his more than dozen albums. Making music using looping
01 Dec 2020
30 Days Out, December 2020: Doom Flamingo, Unspoken Tradition, John Doyle, Mike Cooley
Live music is decidedly back, with restrictions. All of these shows – happening in the next 30 days in Asheville – feature limited seating and other restrictions, but they represent some of the best (and only) opportunities to witness live music. Two of the featured acts are Asheville-based; two are national acts doing some very
15 Nov 2020
30 Days Out, November 2020 #2: Samara Jade, G. Love, Amanda Anne Platt, The Krüger Brothers
We’re back to actual live shows, with restrictions. Livestream fatigue set in rather quickly, didn’t it? Turns out humans need to be together. But hey: we’ve gotta do it safely until a vaccine is ready. With that in mind, here are some highly worthwhile shows coming to Asheville in the next 30 days. Two locally-based
01 Nov 2020
30 Day Out, November 2020 #1: JJ Grey & Mofro, Russ Wilson, Empire Strikes Brass, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Is it November already? How did that happen? Things aren’t much better with regard to the pandemic, but we’re all continuing to find our way forward with regard to things like live music. The four artists covered below – two local to Asheville, two actually on tour – have found ways to bring live music
15 Oct 2020
30 Days Out, October 2020 #2: Pretty Little Goat, Natti Love Joys, Marcus King Trio, Jane Kramer
Welp … looks like we’re back to live, in-person concerts. After a fashion, that is. All of the shows spotlighted in this edition of “30 Days Out” are socially-distanced in one manner or another. One’s a drive-in show (concertgoers stay in or near their vehicle). Another is an outdoor lawn concert. Another is in a
01 Oct 2020
30 Days Out, October 2020 #1: Tom Paxton, Del McCoury Band, Papadosio, Frisson Ensemble
Since this pandemic seems to be hanging on (blame our inept current federal “leadership”), it’s up to performing artists, booking agents and music venues to find ways the at least approximate “normal.” They’re rising to that challenge in some positive ways. For this edition of 30 Days Out, I take a quick look at four