live shows Archive
19 Nov 2018
Carry That Weight: The Heavy Mountain Festival
For many years, Asheville, N.C. has been an important part of the thriving folk/roots music scene. But in recent years the city has also become an incubator for many other musical styles. With a goal of supporting and spotlighting the regional scene for a particularly thunderous brand of rock, Asheville musician and nascent promoter Ray
14 Nov 2018
Asheville Moth GrandSLAM: Slam-dunk Stories
The oral tradition predates the written word by thousands of years. Throughout history, storytelling has provided both a creative outlet and a focus for community. The Appalachian narrative tradition has remained especially vibrant; to wit, the International Storytelling Center is based in nearby Jonesborough, Tenn. And in Asheville, gatherings and competitions in which people share
19 Oct 2018
Victory Boyd: From Subway to Festival Stage
Victory Boyd was “discovered” busking Stevie Wonder songs on the streets and in the subway stations of New York City, and that discovery led to a recording contract not only for her, but for her entire family including her father and eight siblings. The singer-songwriter was a featured performer at the fourth annual LEAF Downtown
02 Oct 2018
The Byrds’ Sweetheart of an Album, 50 Years Later
In the 1960s, the Byrds pioneered folk rock. The chiming electric 12-string guitars on the 1965 singles “Turn! Turn! Turn” and “Mr. Tambourine Man” influenced a generation of musicians. Soon thereafter, the group moved in a more psychedelic and even jazz-influenced direction, exemplified by 1966’s “Eight Miles High.” But thanks to personnel changes and creative
21 Sep 2018
Concert Recap: Matthew Sweet at the Visulite Theatre, Charlotte N.C. May 25, 2018
After a couple albums’ worth of searching for his signature style, Nebraska-born Matthew Sweet struck creative and commercial gold with his 1991 album Girlfriend. Sweet’s winning voice and thoughtful lyrics were joined not only by his enduring melodic sense – the man has a knowing way with a sharp melodic hook – but by some
30 Jul 2018
In Zelda’s Words: Terpsicorps Dance Company
While researching for a new ballet about Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald — the sometimes-Asheville-based writer and artist couple who, in many ways personified the jazz age — Heather Maloy experienced a realization. “Scott was horrible to Zelda in a lot of ways. But he was way more supportive than most men would have been.” As
19 Jul 2018
A Noisy Celebration in Asheville
Asheville, N.C.-based inventor Tony Rolando founded Make Noise in 2008 to develop and sell analog synthesizer modules. The company has thrived and grown and moved into development of complete modular systems. Make Noise celebrated its 10th anniversary with a wide array of events, including panel discussions, dance parties, hands-on exhibits and a concert showcase at
24 Apr 2018
Tesla Quartet: Alternating Current Works and Classics
In 1945, Austrian composer Hugo Kauder’s “String Quartet 4” had its American debut at Black Mountain College, the experimental liberal arts institution that flourished from 1933 to 1957. Its faculty included some of the era’s most prominent thinkers, including Buckminster Fuller and Merce Cunningham. Today, a string quartet is inspired by the work of another
08 Apr 2018
San Jose Winter Jazz Fest 2018
The 2018 edition of the popular San Jose Jazz Fest took place February 15-28. Here’s a rundown of some of the most interesting acts who were on the bill. Ronnie Foster Trio – Organist Foster released a string of well-regarded soul-jazz albums on Blue Note and Columbia in the 1970s. His 1972 debut, The Two
23 Mar 2018
Steep Canyon Rangers: Serving the Songs
As the 20th century approached its end, a group of college students began getting together informally to play bluegrass. None of them could have imagined that they’d still be together in 2018, performing concerts backed by members of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. In support of their 13th and latest album, Out in the Open, the