Having a party for your birthday isn't that unusual. Having a birthday party combined with a concert and CD release event at Asheville's Grey Eagle is a bit more out of the ordinary.

Angi West celebrated her 30th birthday Saturday, February 12, with a concert that kicked off just before 9:30 p.m. with the song "Gay Penguin," setting the tone for the quirky but fun evening to follow. "You were never my gay penguin and I was never your husband," Angi sang.

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 a number of songs. Angi told The Laurel of Asheville earlier that the songs on the CD encompass her range of feelings about growing up, God, struggles with poor vision, and trying not to be an alien. Sounding like a combination of Tori Amos and Regina Spektor but with a Southern accent, Angi rambles over notes in her trademark high pitch and unusual style, sometimes talking through parts of songs.

Angi showcased strong lyrical content in a set of more than a dozen songs. "Writing a song is like a magical ice cream sandwich," Angi said from the stage to the chuckle of her bandmates and the crowd. Her songs reveal an honesty and sincerity, along with a bit of goofiness that is surely a reflection of her own personality.

She kept the crowd's attention with her running commentary between songs and the way she moves about he stage. Whether it was due to her moving the piano bench back and forth or comments such as "I'm not burping" between songs, the audience felt right at home with Angi and the band.

As the concert neared an end, she introduced one song as being about the evolutionary fusion of stars and the next as being about planning her mom's funeral. "She's not dead; she right there," Angi said, pointing to her mom in the front row.

As a woman of eccentricities, her final song seemed perfect. With no planned encore, she took a suggestion from the audience and did an a cappella sing-along rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," complete with a few altered lyrics.

After the show ended, Angi received numerous congratulations and compliments on the show and her new CD from those in attendance while the Grey Eagle crew cleared the floor and got ready for part two of the evening: a dance party for Angi's birthday party with DJ Kipper running the show.

Kipper quickly had Grey Eagle patrons rocking the dance floor with even a couple break dancers in the house. He started old school including songs by acts such as Hall & Oates, Michael Jackson, Madonna and a fun remix of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."

Over the evening Kipper played plenty of new stuff with the old and the dance party continued for hours. Definitely a 30th birthday party Angi West will long remember.