The Laurel of Asheville

Clue on Stage
2025-10-18 15:00 - 17:00, 2025-10-19 15:00 - 17:00, 2025-10-24 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Hendersonville Theatre, 229 South Washington Street, Hendersonville, NC, 28739, United States
Adapted from the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn, written by Sandy Rustin, additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price
October 16-26 , 2025
Thursday, 10/16 at 7:30 (pay what you can available 10/2)
Fridays at 7:30
Saturday at 3 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Director: Jennifer Treadway
Approximate Run Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Rating: PG-13 due to adult situations, language, depictions of smoking, and alcohol use.
Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party, and murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by Wadsworth–the butler, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up. Clue is the comedy whodunit that will leave cult fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out…WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT!

Modelface Comedy presents Gluten-Free Comedy
2025-10-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Ginger’s Revenge, 829 Riverside Drive, Asheville, NC, 28801, United States
Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country and all your local favorites!
This Saturday we have Gluten-Free Comedy at Ginger’s Revenge. Enjoy a cold pint of ginger beer while you laugh it up with Modelface Comedy
ages 18+
doors at 6:30, show at 7pm
Tickets $18 GA, $23 premium seating

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Classes
2025-10-19 09:30 - 17:00 | Quench! Wine & Bistro at Metro Wines, 60 Merrimon Avenue #105, Asheville, 28804
For individuals seeking to delve deeply into the world of wines, Level 3 provides a detailed understanding of grape growing and wine making. Open to students with WSET Level 2 Award in Wines, or who can demonstrate knowledge at an Intermediate level through the completion of equivalent education courses, or who have sufficient wine trade experience. For more information go to: https://www.melaniewebberwine.com/wset-asheville. For Laurel of Asheville readers, please use LAUREL10 to save 10% off MWWine School WSET Courses in Asheville. See full schedule below:
Sunday/Monday October 19th/20th, 9:30 – 5:00 pm (in person)
Sunday/Monday October 26th/27th 9:30 – 5:00 pm (in person)
Monday November 10th – 6 – 8pm EDT (online webinar)
Sunday November 23rd – 9:30 – 5:00 pm (in person, Final Class)
Monday December 1st – 9:30 – 1:00 pm (Exam Day)

UnLabel Neurodiversity: "The Neurologues"
2025-10-19 14:00 - 17:00 | Tina McGuire Theater, 18 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC, 28801, United States
We are excited to invite you to UnLabel Neurodiversity: The Neurologues, a collaboration by UnLabel Me and Open Hearts Art Center.
This intimate performance will take place at the Tina McGuire Theatre at The Wortham (18 Biltmore Ave) on Sunday, October 19 at 2:00 PM (doors open at 1pm.)
Tickets are limited and expected to sell out quickly, so act fast!
Tickets are $25 and available at: www.worthamarts.org/events/unlabel-neurodiversity-the-neurologues/
The Neurologues are a series of individual, personal monologues written and presented by a wide range of people sharing their lived experiences from the inside-out. Whether they are shedding light on themselves and their labels, or speaking as parents, caregivers, or teachers, each story is crafted from their lens and their heart. There will be a talkback with the cast after the performance in the Theatre, and time to connect in the lobby afterwards.
UnLabel-Me is a Storytelling Studio based in Asheville and New York City that fosters conversations and builds awareness around the paradoxical and ever-present power of reductive labels in all aspects of society. To learn more visit: unlabel-me.com
Open Hearts Art Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supportive studio and gallery in Asheville, NC, dedicated to representing and empowering adults with varied abilities to connect to and reach their full potential through the arts. To learn more visit: openheartsartcenter.org

Brevard Philharmonic presents The New World Symphony
2025-10-19 15:00 - 17:00 | Porter Center (Scott Concert Hall), Brevard College, 1 Brevard College Drive, Brevard, 28712
Brevard Philharmonic begins its new season with a journey both familiar and fresh. Dvořák’s New World Symphony has stirred hearts for generations with its sweeping themes of hope, longing, and discovery—music that feels as alive today as when it was first performed. Alongside this monumental work, rising star flutist Anthony Trionfo will dazzle with the lyrical charm of Chaminade’s Concertino and the fiery brilliance of Borne’s Carmen Fantasie Brilliante. Bursting with Beauty, this concert is more than a performance—it’s an invitation to be transported, to feel inspired, and to experience the thrill of live music at its finest.

BMCA Fall Dance Day
2025-10-19 15:30 - 17:00 | Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W. State Street, Black Mountain, NC, 28711, United States
Celebrate the fall season with movement, creativity, and community at BMCA! Join us for a pay-what-you-can / free event featuring a performance of BMCA’s Dance Troupe’s new fall choreography in our theater, followed by festive activities upstairs in the dance studio. Families and kids can enjoy autumn-themed crafts, games, and activities.
It’s the perfect way to spend an afternoon together—supporting local dancers, exploring the arts, and welcoming fall at BMCA.
3:30 – 4:00: Troupe Performance
4:00 – 4:45: Studio Activities
Oct 19, 2025, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Black Mountain, 225 W State St, Black Mountain, NC 28711, USA

RAY BONNEVILLE SUNDAYS ON THE RIVER IN OLIVETTE
2025-10-19 16:00 - 18:00 | Olivette Riverside Pavilion, 1069 Olivette Rd, Asheville, 28804
Acclaimed raconteur Ray Bonneville strips his bluesy Americana down to its essentials and steeps it in the humid grooves of the South, creating a compelling poetry of hard living and deep feeling.
Jim Withers (Montreal Gazette) describes his sound as “folk-roots gumbo… a languid Mississippi Delta groove, seasoned with smooth, weathered vocals and a propulsive harmonica wheeze.” Whether performing solo or fronting a band, playing electric or acoustic guitar, Bonneville allows space between notes that adds potency to every chord, lick, and lyric. Thom Jurek (Allmusic.com) remarks, “With darkness and light fighting for dominance… he’s stripped away every musical excess to let the songs speak for themselves.”

Disney’s MOANA Live-to-Film Concert
2025-10-19 18:00 - 20:00 | The Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, 733 Riverside Dr., Boone, NC, 28607, United States
Disney Concerts and AMP Worldwide present Disney’s MOANA Live-To-Film Concert North American tour, featuring a full-length screening of the beloved movie accompanied by live performances of a unique on-stage musical ensemble of top Hollywood studio musicians, Polynesian rhythm masters and vocalists, celebrating the music and songs from this award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios’ animated classic.

Freshen Up Comedy Open Mic at VOWL Bar
2025-10-19 19:00 - 21:00 | DSSOLVR, 63 N Lexington ave, Asheville, 28801
Every Sunday Alex Parsons and Josie Beers host Freshen Up at VOWL Bar.
Stand up comedy open mic with a focus on new material.
Bring your best new jokes each week or just come watch your favorite local comedians
Anyone is welcome to participate
Signups start at 6:30pm, show starts at 7pm
no cover
ages 21+

RAD Comedy featuring Kevin Casey White
2025-10-19 19:00 - 21:00 | The River Arts District Brewing Company, 13 Mystery Street, Asheville, 28801
Modelface Comedy brings the best comedians from all over the country to Asheville, NC. This week we are excited to have Kevin Casey White from NYC!
Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as the “physical expression of an exclamation point,” Kevin Casey White’s new stand-up special, “Harangue” (800 Pound Gorilla Records), was featured in Paste Magazine, named “Lightning in a bottle” by The Comedy Bureau, and was awarded “Best Stand Up Special” at The Comedy Film Festival. This, paired with appearances on Comedy Central (Alternatino), Amazon Prime, Audible, Nerdist, and Romania’s Got Talent (yes, really) Kevin has weaseled his way into the comedy world’s good graces—earning praise from heavyweights like Will Arnett (Bojack Horseman, Arrested Development), who called his style “fair, unbiased wit” which is just a classy way of saying he makes fun of everyone.
featuring David Louis and Sarah Love
ages 18+
Doors at 6:30pm, show at 7pm
Tickets $15 advance, $18 day of

Artscapades
2025-10-20 10:00 | Arrowhead Gallery and Studios, 77 Catawba Ave.,, Old Fort, 28762
Discussion Topic: “Favorite Supplies, Hacks, Recycles and DIY”
Please RSVP by 10/16/25 AT: MARIELAATTHESTUDIO@GMAIL.COM

PERFORMANCE: The Music of John Cage, Lou Harrison, Arnold Schoenberg, and Amy Williams
2025-10-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, 120 College Street, Asheville, North Carolina, 28801
Asheville Symphony Orchestra and BMCM+AC Present
The Music of John Cage, Lou Harrison, Arnold Schoenberg, and Amy Williams
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 7 pm
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center {120 College Street, Asheville, NC}
TICKETS – $15 General Admission / $10 for BMCM+AC members + Students w/ID
(https://www.tickettailor.com/events/blackmountaincollegemuseumartscenter/1860212)
On Tuesday, October 21 at 7 pm, the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, will present a chamber concert featuring the music of John Cage, Lou Harrison, Arnold Schoenberg, and Amy Williams. The program highlights music that reshaped 20th century sound and celebrates the experimental spirit of Black Mountain College. This event is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Points in Space: Performance at Black Mountain College, on view at the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center (September 5, 2025 – January 10, 2026).
About the program:
The evening begins with pianist and composer Amy Williams performing excerpts from John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano. Written between 1946 and 1948, this cycle of twenty short pieces uses bolts, screws, and other objects inserted into the strings of a piano to create shimmering, bell-like sounds. Cage was influenced at the time by Indian philosophy and the writings of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, which shaped the meditative and balanced character of the music. First performed at Black Mountain College in 1948, Sonatas and Interludes is now considered one of Cage’s most important works.
The Asheville Symphony String Quartet, featuring Brian Allen, Karen Pommerich, Kara Poorbaugh, and Franklin Keel, will perform Arnold Schoenberg’s String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 7. Written in 1904–05, this expansive, single-movement work lasts nearly 50 minutes and traces an emotional journey from late romantic lyricism toward the boundaries of modernism. It is one of Schoenberg’s most groundbreaking early compositions, showing the first signs of the new harmonic language that would later define him as the father of twelve-tone music.
The program concludes with the Asheville Symphony Percussion Quartet, featuring Todd Mueller, Matthew Richmond, Nathan Tingler, and Brian Tinkel, performing Amy Williams’s Dream Landscape alongside Double Music by John Cage and Lou Harrison. Dream Landscape evokes shifting sonic textures, and Double Music, composed jointly by Cage and Harrison in 1941, is a playful and inventive work for four percussionists. The evening will feature guest soloist and composer Amy Williams performing alongside the musicians from the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. The program reflects the collaborative spirit that both composers carried into their years at Black Mountain College.
This concert resonates with the history of the 1944 Summer Music Institute at Black Mountain College. That gathering brought together many of Schoenberg’s closest colleagues, including Edward Steuermann, Ernst Krenek, and Roger Sessions, and marked the largest celebration of Schoenberg’s music in America at the time. Sessions later described it as “the most important thing that has ever happened in musical education in America.”
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The “fresh, daring and incisive” (Fanfare) compositions of Amy Williams have been presented by leading international performers, including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, JACK Quartet, Bent Frequency, Ensemble Musikfabrik, Wet Ink, International Contemporary Ensemble, Junction Trio, Orpheus, pianist Ursula Oppens, soprano Tony Arnold and bassist Robert Black. Her pieces appear on the Albany, Parma, Blue Griffin, Centaur and New Focus labels. As a member of the Bugallo-Williams Piano Duo, she has performed throughout Europe and the Americas and recorded six critically-acclaimed CDs for Wergo (works of Nancarrow, Stravinsky, Varèse/Feldman and Kurtág), as well as appearing on the Neos and Albany labels.
Ms. Williams has been awarded a Howard Foundation Fellowship, Fromm Music Foundation Commission, Guggenheim Fellowship, Koussevitsky Music Foundation Commission, two awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Fulbright Scholars Fellowship to Ireland, a MacDowell fellowship and the 2024 Henri Lazarof International Commission Prize. Ms. Williams holds a Ph.D. in composition from the University at Buffalo, where she also received her Master’s degree in piano performance. She has taught at Bennington College and Northwestern University and is currently Professor of Composition at the University of Pittsburgh. She is Artistic Director of the New Music On The Point Festival in Vermont.

Mac Saturn
2025-10-21 19:00 - 23:30 | The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave, Asheville, 28801
The pride of Detroit, Mac Saturn is coming to Asheville! The band stands as a testament to resilience and the unbreakable bonds of musical brotherhood. Emerging from adversity stronger than ever, the five-piece rock band blends soulful swagger, Motown-infused grooves, and kinetic live energy that turns every show into a dance floor. Frontman Carson Macc’s smooth, Jagger-meets-Harry Styles vocals pair with Nick Barone’s searing guitar riffs, backed by Angelo Coppola (drums), Mike Moody (guitar), and Ian Lukas (bass), creating an infectious sound rooted in Motor City tradition but brimming with fresh vitality.
Catch us on The Grey Eagle on Oct. 21st!

5Rhythms Sweat Your Prayers® on Weds Nights hosted by Karen
2025-10-22 17:00 - 18:45 | Homewood, 19 Zillicoa St, Asheville, NC, 28801
Colors of Fall!
Please wear your favorite color of Fall to 5R movement practice!
How does certain colors of Fall affect your mood and your body? Do certain colors bring out the best in you feeling good in your body or do they oftentimes make you feel moody or edgy? I always like to wear green it helps men to feel grounded to the Earth! Join us for this colorful movement exploration! We move to the maps created by Gabrielle Roth. Picture by Sreekumar Pillai
About 5Rhythms®
Created by Gabrielle Roth and practiced by tens of thousands worldwide. 5Rhythms® is a dynamic movement practice rooted in the principles that if you put the psyche in motion it will heal itself.
About Karen:
5Rhythms dance is for everyone. This meditative freeform dancing practice was created by dancer and visionary Gabriellle Roth. Accredited 5Rhythms teacher Karen Chapman has been hosting dances in Asheville and around the country for 9 years. Through the dance, Karen acts as a guide for the dancer on their journey through the rhythms. Karen is interested in how energy moves on the dance floor through the Breath and Body!
Dance movement timeline:
Doors open at 5 PM for warm up and close at 5:45 for the opening circle. The wave is complete at 6:45PM. If you can arrive at 5 PM that is best but you are welcome to come to the dance anytime before 5:45 PM.
5 PM: Warm-up, Meditative stretching and dancing.
5:45 PM: Doors Close, Opening circle
Demonstration of the 5 Rhythms of Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness.
6 PM: Dancing the wave of the 5 Rhythms
6:45: Closing Circle/End
Thank you and see ya on the dance floor soon! Love K

Sunset Yoga & Private Salt Cave - October 23rd
2025-10-23 17:00 - 19:00 | Asheville Salt Cave, 16 North Liberty St, Asheville, 28801
We’ll begin with a 45-minute private Salt Cave session, soaking in its nourishing properties and benefits of salt therapy together. In the final 15 minutes, your instructor Ceiara, will guide you through gentle, mindful movements will guide your awareness back to the present, preparing body and mind for yoga on the deck overlooking downtown and the beautiful mountains. As the sun sets over the mountains, enjoy a grounding Slow-Flow-N-Yin practice on the deck —unraveling tension in the body, quieting the mind, and setting the tone for a sweet, restful sleep. Props (yoga blocks, straps, and blankets) are provided. Space is limited to just 10 participants, so reserve your spot today. You are welcome to slowly stroll the meditation gardens and labyrinth before or after our time together. Please bring your own mat or we will have them provided.

Nielsen Big Idea Lecture: Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika
2025-10-23 18:00 - 19:30 | Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Rd, Swannanoa, NC, 28778, United States
Warren Wilson College is honored to welcome Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika as the featured speaker for their Nielsen Big Idea Lecture in Fall 2025.
Dr. Kumanyika is a celebrated journalist, scholar, and audio storyteller whose work has reshaped how we understand American history and identity. His Peabody Award–winning podcast Uncivil unearthed untold stories of the Civil War, while his groundbreaking series Empire City— named one of the top podcasts of 2024 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic— explores the history and impact of the New York Police Department. He is also widely known for his contributions to the acclaimed podcast Seeing White, which examines the history of race and whiteness in America.
Currently an assistant professor at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, Dr. Kumanyika specializes in historically focused, narrative non-fiction audio journalism. His work challenges deeply rooted American myths, particularly around race, policing, and national identity, inviting audiences to confront history with clarity and courage.
In this lecture, Dr. Kumanyika will share insights from his podcasting career and research, tracing the legacies of policing in New York City while also reflecting on the power of narrative storytelling to shift public understanding.
Join us for an evening of compelling ideas, bold storytelling, and a vital conversation about how history, myth, and media shape our present. The lecture will be from 7 to 8:30, with a reception to follow. The event is open to the public and all are welcome. No registration is required.
Visitors from off campus should park in the Admissions parking lot located just beyond Orr Cottage, located at 114 Lower College Rd, Swannanoa, NC. For google maps directions, you can use this dropped pin: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4EqWwmK51EtHn5uq8

Nielsen Big Idea Lecture: Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika
2025-10-23 18:30 - 19:30
Warren Wilson College is honored to welcome Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika as the featured speaker for their Nielsen Big Idea Lecture in Fall 2025.

Justice Forum
2025-10-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, 87 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC, 28801, United States
Pisgah Legal’s 14th annual Justice Forum will be held at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in downtown Asheville on Thursday, October 23rd. There will be a ticketed, pre-event reception at 5:30pm followed by the free Justice Forum at 7:00pm. A live-streaming option will be available for those that prefer to join virtually and there will be several Regional Watch Parties in communities across WNC.
We host this event each year to call for justice and to generate honest conversation about pressing local and national issues. This year, we are honored to welcome Dr. Imani Perry as our Forum speaker. Dr. Perry brings a powerful voice to questions of race, justice, culture, and democracy in America. Her work challenges us to think deeply about our shared history and imagine a more equitable future. We look forward to an evening of thought-provoking insight and inspiration.
Event Details
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
Harrah’s Cherokee Center, Asheville
5:30 pm Reception
7:00 pm Justice Forum with Imani Perry
Sign Up Today!
Free – The Forum is free to attend (in-person or via livestream) thanks to our generous sponsors. Registration is required. Please visit www.pisgahlegal.org/2025-justiceforum/
To learn more about our ticketed, pre-event reception and Regional Watch Parties, visit: https://www.pisgahlegal.org/2025-justiceforum/

Josh Blue: Berserker Tour
2025-10-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 S. Pack Square, Asheville, NC, 28801, United States
Thur, Oct 23 • 7 pm
After winning Last Comic Standing, Josh Blue skyrocketed to fame, delivering knockout sets on The Tonight Show and earning 3rd place on America’s Got Talent. Headlining 200+ shows annually, he shatters stereotypes about disabilities through his hilarious, unforgettable performances worldwide.
“I think it’s the year of Josh Blue”—Howie Mandel, America’s Got Talent
Spotlight on Josh Blue:
First comedian to perform stand-up on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Represented Team USA in 8 countries as a Paralympic soccer player
His hit specials can be seen on Netflix, Showtime, Hulu, and Amazon
Featured in People Magazine, The New York Times, and on NPR’s Talk of the Nation
Asheville gets just one shot at this tour stop!

Antidote Comedy featuring Derek Boskovich
2025-10-23 19:00 - 21:00 | antidote, 151 Coxe Avenue, Asheville, NC, 27106, United States
Modelface Comedy brings the best local and touring comedians to Asheville! This week we have local legend Derek Boskovich on the rooftop bar at Antidote!
Chemist Spirts welcomes a group of top comedians for a night of laughs. Enjoy a stunning AVL sunset from the rooftop bar at Antidote while giggling and sipping a classic cocktail.
Derek Boskovich is an up-and-coming standup based in Asheville, North Carolina. When he isn’t performing at clubs and bars all over the country, he is serving brunch to tourists in West Asheville. Derek’s comedy style is saying smart things dumb and dumb things smart, so he’s got a little something for everyone. You can find him on TikTok at @derekbosko and instagram at @derekboskovich
doors at 6:30pm, show at 7pm
Tickets $15

Ken Pomeroy performing/supporting Flyte at Eulogy
2025-10-23 20:00 - 22:00 | Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave, Asheville, 28801
Who: Ken Pomeroy
What: performing/supporting Flyte
Where: Eulogy ~ Asheville, NC
When: October 23
Time: 8pm (doors @ 7pm)
Tix: $32.51 (ticket link)
Ages: all ages
Website: www.kenpomeroymusic.com
About Ken Pomeroy
Ken Pomeroy will break your heart. She’ll do it with a single line––sometimes, just one word. The pain begins as an empathetic ache. Then, as Pomeroy sings her stories, you begin to see yourself in her hurt and hope. And you realize: We’re in this together.
“A lot of the topics that I’m writing about are heavy, and I feel like it was hard for me, growing up in modern music, to find something that touched on deep topics and wasn’t just sad music,” Pomeroy says. She pauses, then starts to laugh, softly and darkly, adding, “But I do write for the disturbed.”
Pomeroy’s outstretched hand to the wounded manifests as startlingly good songs. Her soprano is comforting––almost sweet––but perhaps most powerful delivering a devastating line. A deft guitarist, she opts for beds of rootsy strings that can soothe or haunt. But it’s her writing that really shines and stings. “Writing was and is the only way I can fully express an emotion and feel like I got it out,” she says. “I feel like once I get it out into a song, I don’t have to worry about it anymore. If it’s a traumatic thing that happened, I kind of act as if it’s gone.”
Writing as a cathartic release has culminated in Pomeroy’s highly anticipated new album, Cruel Joke. The 12-track contemporary folk collection creates a wild but safe space of Pomeroy’s own––a space that, like 22-year-old Pomeroy herself, is brutally honest, proudly Native American, and undeniably brilliant.
People have noticed. Pomeroy’s “Wall of Death” made its way onto the Twisters soundtrack, while Hulu’s Reservation Dogs featured her soul-mining gem, “Cicadas.” Tour dates with Lukas Nelson, Iron & Wine, American Aquarium, John Moreland, Kaitlin Butts, and more followed. “A lot of really cool things are happening, but it hasn’t set in. I haven’t had time to bask in it,” Pomeroy says. “Even when I started playing music, I never thought, ‘I’m a musician. I chose this life.’ I feel like something way above me pointed at me and said, ‘Okay, here’s your path.’ And I’ve just been following it kind of blindly ever since.”
Raised in Moore, Oklahoma, Pomeroy is Cherokee. Her mamaw gave her the name ᎤᏍᏗ ᏀᏯ ᏓᎶᏂᎨ ᎤᏍᏗᎦ, which means “Little Wolf with Yellow Hair.” Parts of childhood were incredibly hard. “My mom wasn’t around––my biological mom,” Pomeroy says. “I had my dad and stepmom, but I feel like I was always put in a position to make an adult decision when I was a kid. I had really adult-sized feelings that I didn’t know how to process and get through.”
Pomeroy started writing songs at 11 years old. She remembers why––and in signature Pomeroy fashion, it’s somehow disorienting and charming, all at once. “I think I wanted to be a songwriter because of John Denver,” she says. “I heard ‘Jet Plane” when I was like 6, and I became infatuated with it. My stepmom burned a CD of just that song playing 18 times in a row, and I listened to that for years. That type of music was new to me. I didn’t know you could feel a certain way listening to music. And ever since then, I’ve wanted to do that for other people.”
With Cruel Joke, that’s exactly what Pomeroy has done. Raw and visual, her songs dare the rest of us not to feel––and offer companionship when we inevitably do. “I broke you like a mirror into pieces / A few of me staring back in disbelief,” Pomeroy sings in the first two lines of “Flannel Cowboy.” With tenderness, she consoles a love that’s treasured but unrequited––and illustrates immediately her penchant for shocking with blunt beauty. Layered over strings, “Cicadas” offers more heartbreaking self-reflection. “That’s truly a self-realization song––me accepting parts of me that I wasn’t super happy with at the time, but also realizing that the good parts of me, which could be the cicadas, are always there, pushing to be front and center,” Pomeroy says.
Pomeroy weaves patterns of self-reflection and self-realization throughout the album. “Coyote,” featuring fellow Oklahoma songwriting stalwart John Moreland, is a vulnerable admission that sometimes, she has herself to blame. In Native stories, a coyote can be a troubling omen––and one with which Pomeroy often identifies. Rich imagery from the natural world, spanning earthbound creatures such as wolves and dogs, to astral bodies like the sun, fill Pomeroy’s songs. The vignettes serve as a moving example of embracing tradition, extending it, and making it personal. “Growing up Native, there are a lot of signs and works that include animals. Most every tale includes an animal somehow,” Pomeroy says. “I think that was just subconsciously ingrained in me. I realized listening back to the songs: There are so many animals on this album. I am really excited that those teachings made it in there. It’s special.”
Pomeroy wrote the sweetly sad “Grey Skies” when she was just 13. The song is a remarkable snapshot of a young songwriter who was already formidable. Anchored by banjo and Pomeroy’s supple voice, “Wrango” is an ode to innocence and a best friend.
Several tracks feature gut punches––so many, it’s an unmistakable hallmark of Pomeroy’s writing. In the shuffling “Pareidolia,” images of bucolic destruction build up to a wry realization: “I guess a cruel joke is all we can afford.” The song is a tribute to Buck Meek, one of Pomeroy’s songwriting heroes. In other tracks, Pomeroy opts to lead with the blows. “Stranger,” a standout, opens with solo acoustic guitar, and then: “The wind keeps on hitting me like my mother used to / Unlike her, I feel like it doesn’t want to.” Pomeroy delivers the lines with a dewy, fresh voice, and clear diction. Pomeroy says writing the song was hard, and that she grew from it. “There are so many ways to handle what you’re dealt. If you don’t handle it the ‘right way,’ you’re going to fall off the edge. That really scared me and forced me to understand my emotions a little bit more.”
“Innocent Eyes” is another deeply personal reckoning with trauma, sung over sparse acoustic guitar. Pomeroy wrote the song after a smell unlocked memories she didn’t know she had. “I had a whole new book to read about myself, and it scared me how much your mind can hide stuff from you to protect you, especially as a kid,” she says.
Moody highlight “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothes” is a favorite of Pomeroy’s. It’s also a love song––and, according to Pomeroy, the only technical love song she’s ever written. “I feel like a wolf in sheep’s clothes,” she says. “I’m really hard on my songwriting, but in this song, I nailed exactly how I was feeling, and how to get it out.”
That’s the entire point for Pomeroy––and why she’ll keep writing. She is chasing that sublime satisfaction that only comes with capturing a moment or a feeling that otherwise is gone forever. “I want people to hear my songs and think, ‘Wow, I went through something similar, or this line reminds me of something that happened in my life. Someone else feels it, and I’m not alone.’” Pomeroy sighs. “That’s what I want: People not feeling alone.”

Solo Art Exhibit
2025-10-24 11:00 - 2025-10-26 19:00 | Arrowhead Gallery and Studios, 77 Catawba Ave.,, Old Fort, 28762
Arrowhead Gallery and Studios in Old Fort invites you to enjoy a Solo Art Exhibit Featuring the Works of Artist Laura Oleniacz.
October 24-26, 2025
Reception 5-7 pm Saturday, Oct 25th
Arrowhead Gallery and Studios
77 Catawba Ave., Old Fort, N.C.

Tuxedo Junction Band
2025-10-24 18:00 - 22:00 | Wells Events and Reception Center, 33 Wells Events Way, Waynesville, 28786
TUXEDO JUNCTION has been referred to in area media as the “regional quintessential cover music band” and… it still is! No area band does the variety of material this band does – and with 3, 4, and 5 part harmonies! This six-piece group is known for its variety, performing the hits from Swing, Country, Country Rock, Classic Rock, Pop, Folk, Funk and Disco. Tuxedo Junction covers it ALL!
Doors for all events open one hour before showtime, with a cash bar available throughout the evening. The venue’s spacious dance floor and elegant round table seating create the perfect environment for both listening and dancing.

Crisp Comedy Live in Leicester featuring Sarah Love
2025-10-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Noble Cidery and Taproom, 356 New Leicester Highway, Asheville, NC, 28806
Crisp Comedy takes place once a month in Leicester, NC at Noble Cider and hosted by Leicesters own Clay Jones! A fresh batch of comics each month so no two shows are the same! This month we have spooky headliner Sarah Love from Asheville!
Sarah Love is a comedian based in Asheville, North Carolina. Her comedy is blunt, relatable, and just unhinged enough to keep you on your toes. She’s shared the stage with Aparna Nancherla, Joe Zimmerman, and fan favorite Amber Autry. Sarah has performed all over the Southeast including at Zanies Lab in Nashville, The Orange Peel, and is a regular on Don’t Tell Comedy shows across the region. She is a wry yet kinetic comic with a rebellious streak.
ages 18+
Show is free with a suggested donation of $12

Modelface Comedy presents Holly Ballantine
2025-10-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Ginger’s Revenge, 829 Riverside Drive, Asheville, NC, 28801, United States
Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country, and this week we have Holly Ballantine from Atlana!
Holly Ballantine is a literal train wreck who has been charming audiences across the country with her hilarious stories of motherhood, marriage, and near death experiences since the day Chris Rock told her she was funny. She is based in Atlanta, Georgia where she co-produces West End Comedy Festival and Hissy Fit Comedy. She is a weekend regular at the Punchline and Laughing Skull Lounge where she was the April 2022 resident. Holly has opened for Tim Meadows, Rachel Feinstein, Jessica Kirson, Geoffrey Asmus, and many other touring comics. She frequently tours with Moms Unhinged, a group of stand up comics (and moms) who have been selling out clubs and theatres across the country. Her writing has been featured on Buzzfeed, Netflix Family, The Chive, HuffPost and the Washington Post. She does not hold grudges, but has a spreadsheet of everyone who owes her favors.
featuring Emily Holden (Atlanta)
Doors: 6:30 PM
Show: 7 PM
Tickets: $18, $23 premium
Ages 18+
SEATED SHOW

The Comedy Zone: Orlando Leyba
2025-10-24 20:00 - 22:00 | Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, 28801
Fri & Sat, Oct 24 & 25 • 8 pm
Orlando Leyba is a stand-up comedian known for his animated storytelling and relatable humor. He’s appeared on The Tonight Show, AGT18, MAX, TruTV, NBC, and his own special Adorable on Max. A finalist in NBC’s Stand Up Showcase, he’s also a regular at comedy festivals and clubs.
The Comedy Zone: Back with a fresh lineup of powerhouse talent, this hit comedy series features comics seen on Netflix, Comedy Central, The Tonight Show, and more. Smart, fast, and fiercely funny—get ready to laugh out loud and leave smiling.
VIP table upgrades available.

Wistfulness & Whimsy Art Exhibit
2025-10-25 - 2025-12-13 | Toe River Arts, Mitchell and Yancey Counties
Solo Art Exhibit of Burnsville Artist, Melissa L. Flattery, Toe River Arts, Spruce Pine, Owen Gallery, October 25-December 13, 2025. Reception November 14, 2025, 5:30pm-7:30pm.

Hendersonville Farmers Market
2025-10-25 08:00 - 13:00 | Historic Train Depot, 650 Maple Street, HENDERSONVILLE, NC, 28792, United States
Discover the Hendersonville Farmers Market, Locally Grown, Community Strong
A vibrant weekly gathering at the Historic Train Depot in downtown Hendersonville. Running every Saturday from May 3rd to October 25th, rain or shine, the market showcases over 30 local vendors within a 60-mile radius. From farm-fresh produce and meats to baked goods, crafts, and live entertainment, there’s something for everyone. Join us from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for a celebration of food, farms, and family in a lively community atmosphere.
