30 Days Out, December 2025 #1: Min Xiao-Fen and River Guerguerian, Dillon Fence, Thievery Corporation, Squawk
Two superb locally-based acts, and two touring groups who don’t often make it the mountains of WNC. Those are the highlights of live music in Asheville for the next 30 days. Buckle up.
Artist: Min Xiao-Fen & River Guerguerian
Venue: Ayurprana Listening Room
Date: Saturday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.
Door: $24.80
Acclaimed international star Min Xiao-Fen composed compelling soundtracks for motion pictures from China’s golden era of silent film. Teaming up with peerless world music percussionist River Guerguerian, she brings those soundtracks to life, performing as the vintage images flicker on a screen. A unique experience not to be missed, this set is ideal for the Ayurprana venue. I’ve interviewed MXF many times, and Guergurian a few as well.
Artist: Dillon Fence
Venue: Grey Eagle
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 17, 8 p.m.
Door: $27.06
Chapel Hill, North Carolina has given us many music artists of note. Yeah, there’s James Taylor, but I’m thinking more of alt-rock/college rock acts like Ben Folds Five, Superchunk and Southern Culture on the Skids. And Dillon Fence: while they only released three albums in the early ‘90s, those were fine albums that exemplified the alt genre. The band official broke up in 1995, but the members reconvene whenever they see fit to play some gigs. This is one of those times. For fans of Gin Blossoms and such.
Artist: Thievery Corporation
Venue: Orange Peel
Date: Thursday and Friday, Dec. 18 and 19, 8 p.m.
Door: $56.55
I first saw Thievery Corporation at the Echo Project Festival outside Atlanta way back in 2007. The band’s trademark mix of downtempo, electronica and chillwave was somewhat novel then, and they put on an impressive show. Now – approaching two decades later – the group’s approach seems a bit more conventional in context, but it remains every bit as pleasurable. They haven’t released new music in years, but that doesn’t have to be what a live show is about.
Artist: Squawk
Venue: Highland Brewing
Date: Thursday, Dec. 18, 7 p.m.
Door: $free
Launched in 2019, this Atlanta trio describes its music as drawing from ‘60s psych, jazz, funk, fusion and thrash metal. What I hear is tightly-arranged, muscular music with deep groove, top-flight turn-on-a-dime musicianship, and – this is where they stand apart from similar-minded practitioners – strong vocals. Most bands that attempt what Squawk does need several players to pull it off. Impressive, and well worth checking out live.
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.