30 Days Out, June 2026 #2: Daydream Creatures, Spoon, Slow Runner, Radio Free Eagle
This roundup of notable live music events in Asheville in the coming 30 days leans in a local direction. So should you; go see some live music and support these regional artists.
Artist: Daydream Creatures
Venue: Third Room
Date: Friday, June 19, 9 p.m.
Door: $18.69
The Asheville-based band fronted by three women – Loren Carty, Jessica Korn and Brooke Hendrickson– returns to the stage for a special show at a relatively new venue, Third room. Daydream Creatures’ visual aesthetic leans in a rock direction, while the band’s music’s character is more nuanced. I reviewed their excellent (if idiosyncratically-titled) Qalupalik, back in 2018. Julianna Jade opens.
Artist: Spoon
Venue: Orange Peel
Date: Sunday, July 5, 8 p.m.
Door: $56.70
How time flies. Austin-based rock band Spoon has been together since 1993. The band released its debut album, Telephono, in ‘96, some three decades ago. And I first saw them onstage in 2007. The band’s latest release is 2022’s Lucifer on the Sofa, an unsurprisingly critically well-received set. Critics noted the band’s effective balance of traditional rock values and modern sensibility.
Artist: Slow Runner
Venue: Ayurprana Listening Room
Date: Friday, July 10, 7 p.m.
Door: $7.17
Songwriter Michael Flynn leads Asheville-based Slow Runner. The band describes its sound as “Americana-adjacent” and notes that Flynn’s songs have been used in both television (Grey’s Anatomy, Shameless) and in commercials selling the virtues of automobiles and hair shampoo. Alrighty then! It’s good to hear that, seeing as sync licensing is about the only way musicians make any real money. Good on ‘em. Whym opens.
Event: Radio Free Eagle
Venue: Grey Eagle
Date: Saturday, July 11, 8 p.m.
Door: $18.45
R.E.M.’s debut single, the game-changing “Radio Free Europe” was released way back in 1981. The version most people know was recorded in 1983, as featured on Murmur, the band’s long-playing debut. In celebration of the influence and durability of that single (and of R.E.M. in general), a clutch of Asheville- and WNC-based bands are coming together for a one-night-only musical celebration. Proceeds benefit Asheville Middle School students’ trip to Washington D.C.
See you at the show!
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.