PARC, Public Interest Projects square off over 51 Biltmore

In dueling statements, the advocacy group People Advocating Real Conservancy and the developer Public Interest Projects have weighed in on the proposed 51 Biltmore project. PARC is calling it a “boondoggle — a misuse of public funds,” while PIP (which own the land), call PARC’s statements inaccurate and defend the development as necessary to improve downtown.

Elitist Bastards: The knee-trembling best and worst of 2010

In this week’s Elitist Bastards Go To The Movies podcast, Mountain Xpress film critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther hash out their lists of the top ten best and worst films of 2010. The canny duo of cinematic criticism then briefly discuss Shrunken Heads (this week’s Thursday Horror Picture Show) and Unfaithfully Yours (next week’s Asheville Film Society screening). And just to brighten the new year, they very briefly speculate on the quality of this week’s opening films Country Strong and Season of the Witch.

This weekend on a shoestring

New Year’s Eve has a tendency to take it out of people, but c’mon folks, you’ve had an entire week to recover! It’s time to get back in the saddle, and we’ve got a rundown of budget-friendly events so you’ve no longer any excuse to stay home. And while you’re here, check out Clubland for a full weekend music schedule.

Conscious Party web extra: Launch of new 10^10 organizati­on and benefit for SEED_Haiti project

Learn about the new nonprofit 10^10, founded by Asheville residents and designers Martha Skinner and Douglas Hecker in response to the earthquake in Haiti, and the organization’s inaugural project, SEED_Haiti, at a benefit/launch on Wednesday, Jan. 12. The event will feature music by Ol’ Hoopty, food by Boca, and a fashion show and silent auction by Royal Peasantry.

Promises, promises

Like the noisemakers, champagne and fireworks of New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day has its set of traditions: Eating black-eyed peas and collard greens (for luck and prosperity) and ticking off a hopeful list of resolutions. And then a week or a month later, there’s another grand tradition: Breaking all those well-intended resolutions. Well, not […]

Dehlia Low and Firefly Soda

When the weather turns cold and the leaves fall off the trees, it takes a little something extra to warm you up inside. Few things do the trick better than a well-hit Dobro lick. It will sort of explode in your chest and creep out to the ends of your phalanges, making them tingle with […]

Local Spin

[editor’s note: This issue, we launch a new shortie asking local folks what’s they’re listening to right now. … it’s not ground-breaking, but it will be interesting. We’ll check in with local musicians, business owners, politicians and characters. Know of someone with a dynamic iPod? Let us know at ae@mountainx.com] Considering he's the veteran frontman […]

Seeing Sillman

In case you didn’t know, The Asheville Art Museum is free to the public for two hours the first Wednesday of every month. You read that right: Every first Wednesday of every month the museum waives its admission fee from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. So if you are reading this article fresh off the […]

The Profiler

The Suspect: Mosier Brothers The band describes its music as “cosmic Americana” mixed with bluegrass-laced roots rock. Brothers Jeff and Johnny along with fiddler David Blackmon were founding members of Blueground Undergrass. Even though BU had a sizeable and dedicated following, Jeff Mosier felt the need for a change. The Mosier Brothers is quieter; the […]