Sidney Barnes Still Stands on Solid Ground
Sidney Barnes has lived a life most of us cannot fathom. His tales of back-in-the-day involve a long list of music legends. He was asked by Maurice White to be the singer for a group that would become Earth, Wind & Fire. He passed a bottle of Southern Comfort ... read more
Strada Offers Italian Street Food
Growing up in Nutley, New Jersey, Anthony Cerrato came from a strong Italian heritage. Not only did that include his Italian ancestry but the town had a substantial Italian community. “We grew our own grapes,” Anthony says. “We made our own wines. I ... read more
Bill Boyd Finally Follows His Dream
At a young age, individual creativity didn’t lead to the happiest of paths for Bill Boyd. He enjoyed art, but his elementary school paintings were not exactly what his teacher considered normal. “I used big, bold strokes,” Bill says. “I painted dark images ... read more
Artist Breaks Into Asheville Art Scene
Life can alternately be exhilarating and overwhelming. Allison Weeks Thomas understands that. As an artist still new to Asheville, she constantly juggles her creative pursuits with family life, while still settling in after the move. “I don’t get a whole lot of sleep,” Allison ... read more
-
Asheville's Blue Ridge Rollergirls BRRG is Asheville's skater-owned and skater-run nonprofit women's flat track roller derby league. Right now, the group is an apprentice league in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), ut team members hope to get their full ... read more
-
Asheville Celebrates Mardi GrasIn a Mardi Gras miracle, the precipitation stopped right before 3 p.m., just as parade participants were lining up at Pack Square. By the time the parade got underway, the sun actually peeked out a few times from behind the thick, gray clouds ... read more
-
Happy Times at the Josh Ritter ShowJosh began on stage solo with an acoustic rendition of Come and Find Me from his 2001 album Golden Age of Radio. His band then joined Josh. A superb collection of talented professionals, the group includes Zack Hickman ... read more
-
Hickory Nut Gap Farm: The Next GenerationFor decades, children have left their family farms in search of their fortunes, eager to explore the world beyond the dusty dirt roads and planted fields. One fourth-generation farm, however, is nearing its centennial milestone with ... read more
ActionFest returns to Asheville beginning April 12 with the Regional Premiere of Solomon Kane at 8:30 p.m. While most of the films will be screened at The Carolina Cinemas at 1640 Hendersonville Road in Asheville, the opening film will be screened at the ... read more
ActionFest: 30 Seconds of Action Film Challenge
Billed as the film festival with a body count, ActionFest returns to Asheville in 2012 as does The 30 Seconds of Action Film Challenge.The folks at ActionFest are looking for your action short where you write, choreograph, and shoot an exciting action sequence be ... read more
Greensky Bluegrass Comes to Asheville
Greensky Bluegrass has been building its accolades of late. Now on its fourth album, Handguns, the band continues to impress critics and perform at major festivals as well as smaller clubs. Consisting of Anders Beck (dobro), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave ... read more
Asheville is known for its stunning natural beauty, arts, music, and food. Yet Asheville is also a dancing town. And though Asheville’s vibrant dance scene might come as a surprise to new visitors, hundreds of committed Asheville dancers show up to dances each ... read more
Plant Grows Into Healthy Business
In the summer of 2011, Plant opened as the only all-vegan restaurant in Asheville. With starter dishes as creative as a "cheese plate" made from tree nuts and entrée items as rich as the smoked portobello steak, the menu has convinced vegans and meat-eaters ... read more
Gypsy Photographs on Display at UNC Asheville
“The Heroic Present: The Gypsy Photographs of Jan Yoors,” a new exhibition hosted by UNC Asheville’s Center for Diversity Education, is now on view through April 16 in the Karpen Hall lobby on the campus. The exhibition features photographs taken before and after ... read more
ACS Captures the Stars and Moon
On March 10-11, the 100+ member Asheville Choral Society (ACS) performed with a children’s choir, two guest soloists, and a full orchestra. The program’s “themes of light and dark” were made all the more dramatic with the sun shining through the rose window for Sunday's ... read more
Tattooing from Fine Art Perspective
Robert Ashburn, owner and operator of Liquid Dragon Tattoo Studio for 25 years, can tell you anything and everything you ever needed to know about the tattoo business. His shop, located in the heart of downtown Asheville, provides ... read more
Now's the Time to Hear Now You See Them
The three-piece Asheville-based band Now You See Them has completed its first full-length album and eagerly waits its CD-release party at The Grey Eagle on April 20. The band isn't resting, though. It's staying busy with regular performances, including a ... read more
Tattoo Sideshow Artists Adorn West Asheville
During the month of March, we're exploring the art and culture of tattoos in Asheville. Continue to join us in this ongoing series. West Asheville is a true haven for the artist. Haywood Road offers a sense of bohemia lined with unique restaurants, boutiques ... read more
Bowerbirds Release New Album, Visit Asheville
Fresh off the release of its new album, The Clearing, the Bowerbirds come to Asheville as just the second stop on the band’s new tour. North Carolina-based Bowerbirds roll into The Grey Eagle Sunday, March 18, with fellow North Carolinians Mandolin Orange ... read more
Spencer Herr Follows His Heart
Spencer Herr always felt art was his calling. It was what excited him and the avocation for which he had skill. Like many, though, he thought art as a vocation seemed impractical. Spencer grew up in Arizona with his father a successful businessman and his ... read more
Lisa Zahiya Urges All to Just Dance
Lisa Zahiya, owner of Studio Zahiya, has spent her life honing a passion for helping women. She has a diverse range, performing and teaching in several folkloric and contemporary forms, including hip-hop, bhangra, and raqs sharqi, or ... read more
Roots Meet Rock: Leigh Glass and the Hazards
When locals run into Leigh Glass, they often call her the “country blues sweetheart.” There is nothing sweet or innocent, however, about the intensity of rock and roll, blues, and country sounds produced by Leigh Glass and the Hazards. When Glass starts ... read more
Nick LaFone has long known that art was at his core. Growing up in nearby Hickory, and always surrounded by the mountains, he felt a strong connection with the elements in nature. “For me it became a playground where I could connect,” Nick ... read more
Candles Illuminate a New Life Path
A little more than a year ago, Kasey Jackson worked as a psychiatric technician at Asheville's Mission Hospital. She enjoyed her job, and was always involved in the community and creative projects, from redecorating to helping her brother with his yurt ... read more
Royal Peasantry Offers More Than Just Fashion
Danielle Miller, CEO of More than Mammal, defines her Asheville-based clothing design and manufacturing company as “dedicated to the disappearing.” An evocative phrase, it suggests the zeal, responsible engagement, and the sense of transformative ... read more
With Valentine’s Day upon us, we know that yummy, rich chocolates and other sweets are a sure way to win favor with someone you like. Fortunately, Asheville and the surrounding areas offer some fantastic options to impress your significant other with ... read more
After finishing a fifth encore at England’s Bury Blues Festival in 2003, Chuck Beattie was filled with emotion. “I just couldn’t go back out,” Chuck says from his rehearsal space off of Hendersonville Road in Asheville. “I was too emotional. It was very humbling.” ... read more
Many in the Asheville know The Green Sage Coffeehouse and Café, situated at the corner of Broadway and College Streets in downtown Asheville. The Green Sage has now opened a second location, this one south of town at 1800 Hendersonville ... read more
Beirut to Play the Peel December 5
The six-piece indie band Beirut comes to The Orange Peel in Asheville December 5. The group consists of Zach Condon (vocals, trumpet, ukulele), Perrin Cloutier ((accordion, piano), Nick Petree (drums, percussion), Paul Collins (electric bass ... read more
Duhks Headline Pisgah Brewery Concert
Through lineup changes and a recent hiatus for members to pursue other projects, the Duhks are nearing a decade as a band. The Canadian group with an eclectic sound will perform at Pisgah Brewing on Friday, October 7, in a show that begins at 7:30 p.m ... read more
Grove Park Inn Offers Music Series
Built in true Southern, Old-World charm and venerated as one of the South’s most luxurious resorts is Asheville’s own Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. Since it’s opening in 1913 the resort has received worthy attention for its honorable guests including F. Scott Fitzgerald ... read more
Robert Gaston of Gaston Pictures Entertainment says he wasn’t looking to develop a film festival in Asheville. “We didn't choose it, it chose us in a way,” Gaston says. “We felt strongly there was a need for such an event here, but it wasn't until my partner ... read more
Chocolate Thrives in Black Mountain
For people across the world, chocolate is a standard found in delectable treats ranging from chocolate milk to chocolate fondue, chocolate martini to a chocolate sundae. For those who really love chocolate, it could almost be considered its own separate ... read more
Oktoberfest Returns to Downtown Asheville
The Asheville Downtown Association brings the third Annual Asheville Oktoberfest on October 8. Located on historic Wall Street, local breweries join together to celebrate the season. The event has quickly grown to become one of Asheville’s ... read more
A vacation is often a challenge in the current economy. Some folks opt for the "staycation"—taking a few days off work but staying home either to simply relax or to do projects around the house. Then there's the traditional vacation: taking the family ... read more
Get a Feel for Textures in Waynesville
Textures, located in downtown Waynesville, is not simply another art gallery. It is an exquisite collision of the spontaneous and the sophisticated, of the handmade and the manufactured. It all comes together to offer beautiful and ... read more
The ribs were hot and so was the weather at fifth annual Carolina Mountain Ribfest, held July 8–10 at the WNC Agricultural Center Fairgrounds in Fletcher near the Asheville Airport. Barbecue, music, and a carnival atmosphere prevailed ... read more
Sanctum Sully's Sound Entertains
Named after a Southern saying for a corn liquor that drinks down smooth, Sanctum Sully’s sound does just that. With a sound all its own and a slogan of traditionally untraditional, the group is not your dad’s bluegrass band. "We respect the idea of traditional ... read more
Cajun Cook-Off Gets Mardi Gras Enthusiasts Fired Up
Get your taste buds ready for a sampling of Asheville's finest Cajun cuisine at Asheville Mardi Gras' Fourth Annual Cajun Cook-Off and Art and Oddities Auction. This year's event takes place on January 21 at 2 p.m. This mouth-watering event is held at Tressa's Downtown Jazz and Blues on Broadway. The Cajun Cook-Off and Auction is open to the public and ... read more
As the calendar turns to 2012, Asheville Independent Restaurants (AIR) are reaching a milestone in completing an important stage in the green restaurant initiative. A significant number of AIR restaurants participating in the green restaurant certification, have either completed or are in midst of installations of solar panels for hot water usage ... read more
Kitty Love Brings Her Vision to Asheville Area Arts Council
Kitty Love, an Asheville resident for 16 years, has traveled a seemingly magical path of committed vision and passionate intention. On a blustery January morning, she sits at an intimate meeting table in the Asheville Area Arts Council artist's resource space, a small office area designated for artists to access free business resources such as meeting space and computers ... read more
Roots + Wings School of Art Flies High
Ginger Huebner’s dream of teaching art in Asheville has certainly taken flight. Roots + Wings School of Art, now about three years old, is based primarily at All Souls Episcopal Cathedral in Biltmore Village but also has roots at Ginger’s studio located in the Pink Dog Creative building at 344 Depot Street in Asheville’s River Arts District. As Roots + Wings School of Art continues ... read more
Alena Hennessey Comes Full Circle
Alena Hennessey believes that whatever you put your energy into, the universe responds. With a mom who’s an artist, Alena says she’s been drawing all her life. “I used to draw for hours,” she recalls. All of that artistic energy seems to be paying off for the Florida native who now has a studio in Asheville’s River Arts District. Alena says she loves what she does. Some may ... read more
Asheville's Red June Launches Tour
Sometimes music just doesn’t fit into a single genre. It rejects simplistic categories and instead melts qualities together. Listen to Red June, and you’ll understand. The group oscillates between bluegrass, folk, Americana, and country, dipping into the artistic backgrounds and musical passions of each member. John Cloyd Miller, Will Straughan, and Natalya Weinstein ... read more
There’s more to the Asheville music scene than bluegrass. On Saturday, July 16, The Nova Echo, with its post-electronic space sound, will take the stage at The Grey Eagle for an all-ages performance. Uh-huh Baby Yeah! from Louisville and Roland from Asheville will open for The Nova Echo, which artfully explodes with synth effects ... read more
Simple Life Revealed at Black Mountain Show
Annual festivals such as the Black Mountain Arts and Crafts Show remind us of the “good ol' days” filled with creative leisure and passed-down traditional skills. In these Arcadian environments, people could find consolation in their artistic designs and implementations. Where, however, do people have the time for such activities ... read more
Nonprofit Group Promotes Local Agriculture
With signs in nearly every downtown business window promoting local—as “the new black,” for instance—Asheville residents appreciate the significance of local small businesses. For Ashevillians, the concept of fresh produce and local food isn’t an exotic one either. But somehow, that message of where and how to obtain local produce must be heard ... read more
Singer-Songwriter Darrell Scott Plays In Asheville
"The Grey Eagle is a great listening room for me," Darrell said in a phone interview. "It's very relaxed. They've got good food. They've got good draft beers. It's just a casual no-big-deal kind of thing." The multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter offered compliments for our state’s audiences in general: "North Carolina audiences ... read more
Asheville Celebrates Mardi Gras 2011
Okay, we know Asheville isn’t as warm as New Orleans, but this was ridiculous. Asheville's Mardi Gras parade was set to start on Sunday afternoon, March 6. The morning began with a formidable wintry mix of snow, freezing rain, and rain. Parade organizers, however, said the parade would go on, rain (or apparently snow) or shine ... read more
Asheville Choral Society Spring Concert: Be Here Now
Even a surprise snowfall couldn’t chill the warmth in Central United Methodist Church on Sunday, March 6th. As if on cue, sunlight broke through the clouds and streamed through stained glass windows into the sanctuary, as the Asheville Choral Society, led by guest conductor, Dr. Melodie Galloway, took the stage for their spring performance ... read more
Asheville's Mad Tea Party Opens for Southern Culture On The Skids
Since Southern Culture on the Skids (sometimes referred to as SCOTS) is widely known as a wacky, kitschy band, it seems apropos that Asheville’s own wacky, kitschy rock duo Mad Tea Party opened the SCOTS’ March 18 show at The Grey Eagl. The Mad Tea Party—consisting of Jason Krekel and Ami Worthen - played a 15-song set ... read more
Pulp to Squeeze Out More Entertainment
The team at The Orange Peel had an idea for the building’s cavernous basement which had gone unused for years. Thus was born Pulp. Pulp has made a name for itself by offering entertainment separate from its big sister upstairs.Liz Whalen, Orange Peel’s marketing and special events manager, explains that Pulp is a separate entity and a private club ... read more
Lucinda Williams Plays to Packed Asheville Venue
Lucinda Williams has been performing for more than three decades. The Louisiana-born singer/songwriter released her first album in 1978, but it was not until her third album ten years later that she began to garner national attention. The self-titled release included the song “Passionate Kisses.” Even then, it took four years and the song being ... read more
“No one honors the men and women who put the action into action films, and it’s about time,” says ActionFest cofounder Aaron Norris. “For me, giving these unsung cinematic heroes the respect and recognition they deserve is the heart of what ActionFest is all about.” ActionFest 2 will honor 2010’s Machete from director Robert Rodriguez as “Action Film of the Year,” ... read more
Makin' It: Asheville's Town Mountain
The guys from Asheville-based band Town Mountain are feeling pretty good right now. They will celebrate the local release of their new CD, Steady Operator, with a big bash at Asheville’s Grey Eagle on Saturday, March 19, and they’ve recently been signed to Pinecastle Records, based in Columbus, North Carolina. Although Pinecastle will release ... read more
The Dirt on Gardening: Potatoes
Early spring is the time to plant seed potatoes and many varieties thrive in this region, including Kennebec, Red Pontiac, and Yukon Gold. Potatoes are among the most productive and easiest to grow crops in the plant kingdom. They have sustained people around the world for hundreds of years and have been a traditional crop in Appalachia ... read more
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings Funk-Soul Revival
Harkening back to the live performances of James Brown and Ike & Tina Turner, the 54-year-old singer showed tireless energy as she danced and paced the stage in a set that lasted nearly two hours. Some singers are not entertainers, and some entertain a lot better than they can sing. Sharon Jones, however ... read more
Asheville's Blue Ridge Rollergirls Ready to Rock
They come from all walks of life: an elementary school teacher turned independent health coach, a pet store manager, a body piercer, an accountant. From their early 20s to well into their 40s, they are moms and sisters, wives and significant others. And they skate—fast and furious. They are the Blue Ridge Rollergirls (BRRG) ... read more
Old 97s: A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock and Roll
The Old 97’s are a Dallas-based band and one of the early alt-country pioneers. Formed in 1993, the group has more than a dozen albums and mixes a bit of twang with pop sensibilities. The show opened with Those Darlins, now based out of Nashville, and just getting ready to release its second album in a genre one might call country punk ... read more
Asheville Community Theater Presents Rent
There are pros and cons to being familiar with a Broadway musical before seeing a local production. On the one hand, you know when your favorite number is coming up, but on the other, you’re bound to compare everything to the recording you know. Fortunately the Asheville Community Theatre (ACT) version of Rent is so well cast and the performance quality so high ... read more
Yann Tiersen Performs In Asheville
Known for varied and sometimes unusual instruments and lots of electronics, Yann and the band offered The Orange Peel crowd a cacophony of sound in a set lasting just under an hour and a half. Some songs had no vocals, and most of those that did offered vocals as part of the overall sound and not something that was front and center in the music ... read more
By summer of 2012, Aaron hopes Frog Level will experience similar success to that enjoyed by River Arts District in Asheville. "They turned things around quickly down there," Aaron says. "There's no reason we can't do that here. We have a lot of talented entrepreneurs here in Frog Level and we're excited about the potential." ... read more
Asheville's Anti-Valentine's Day Pillow Fight
As the designated time neared, such a large crowd of people had gathered near the monument that it was clear something was going on. Many people had their pillows hidden, while others had theirs in plain view. Suddenly there was a scream and a few folks charged into the crowd and the pillow fight was underway. Organizers had asked ... read more
Josh Ritter Plays At The Orange Peel
Though in his mid-30s, the clean-cut, baby-faced musician from Idaho looks like he could be an extra from a Leave It to Beaver episode. His second song, and first with the band, was "Good Man" from his 2006 album The Animal Years. The audience was already singing along with Josh and completely engaged in the performance ... read more
Angie West Celebrates Birthday And CD Release At The Grey Eagle
During the show, the Asheville resident and Cullowhee native sang and went from piano to electronic keyboard to harmonium to banjo while being backed by her band that consists of Seth Kaufman on bass, Michael Libramento on guitar and keys, and Evan Martin on drums. The show marked the release of Angi's new CD, Opportunity Cost, from which she performed ... read more
Galactic and Orgōne at Asheville's Orange Peel
While snow fell outside, the temperature inside The Orange Peel Asheville Wednesday, February 9, rose with the hot music being played inside. The Los Angeles-based Orgōne opened the evening promptly at 9 p.m. by laying down some funky grooves reminiscent of late 1970s and early 80s funk-infused soul. The band came out and hit the crowd hard ... read more
