pop Archive
13 Aug 2025
San Jose Jazz Summer Fest Highlight Reel
Note: This roundup refers to an event that took place last weekend, Aug. 8-10. Celebrating its 35th year, the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest is an institution. When the festival […]
01 Aug 2025
30 Days Out, August 2025 #1: Hennies + Krause, Barrington Levy, The Remantlists, Pet Sounds Live
Wow. Unclassifiable modern music, dancehall reggae, a live concept album and a tribute to one of the greatest records ever made. Those are among the highlights in Asheville’s live music […]
16 Jul 2025
Five Johny Barbata Drumming Credits You Should Know
Johny Barbata would have celebrated his 80th birthday on April 1. The famed drummer retired from recording in 1987, but continued working as a musician. He passed away in May […]
15 Jul 2025
30 Days Out, July 2025 #2: Abacab, U.S. Christmas, Budos Band, Psycodelics, Amanda Anne Platt
The highlights of live music in the coming 30 days Asheville-wise lean in a decidedly progtastic, indiefied and psychedelicized direction, with a bit of country for flavor. Three of the […]
01 Jul 2025
30 Days Out, July 2025 #1: Glenn Miller Orchestra, Thelma & the Sleaze, Postmodern Jukebox
An act from the distant past, another that takes modern songs to that past, a lesbian Southern Rock band and one of the finest local-based artists WNC has to offer: […]
20 Jun 2025
Album Review: Pete Ham – Acoustic
The cache of previously unheard Badfinger-related music seems to never end. And far from that being a complaint; it’s all greeted with appreciation here. But it’s still fascinating that more […]
17 Jun 2025
Hundred-(plus)-word Reviews for June 2025: Rock/Pop
I launched my hundred-word review format years ago as both a way to provide coverage to deserving music and as an exercise in concise writing. This go-round I stick to […]
01 Jun 2025
30 Days Out, June 2025 #1: Peter Hook, Beach Boys, Sugar Bomb, Adrian Younge
Wowzers. I have a lot to say about the four spotlight acts that dominate the Asheville music calendar in the coming 30 days. Off we go! Artist: Peter Hook & […]
20 May 2025
Album Review: The Iveys – How Much is the Sky
Seasoned Badfinger fans know the broad outlines of the story: before they were rechristened by The Beatles, Badfinger were The Iveys. Under that name, the Welsh group even made an […]
16 May 2025
Album Review: Los Microwaves – What’s That Got to Do (With Loving You)
For every major-label act that made interesting music in the ‘80s (and likely in every other era as well), countless artists and groups toiled in relative obscurity, doing work every […]