30 Days Out: a look at upcoming concerts

NEW DIVISION: A founder and veteran of two important groups (Joy Division and New Order), Peter Hook now leads a new group. But for this tour, he's revisiting the music of his old bands. November 21 at the Orange Peel.

Twice monthly, my blog 30 Days Out spotlights upcoming music shows and events of note, shining a light into some less well-lit corners, where some fascinating artists schedule performances. I do my best to give ample advance notice so that you can adjust your budget and calendar in a way that lets you get to the show.

 

This time around I’ll take a quick look at four acts, each with a substantial body of work to its credit. Genre-wise, they’re all over the place: experimental, psychedelic-leaning rock, revved-up indie rock with classic influences and post-punk/new wave. What they share is a serious commitment to quality. Asheville’s unique character means that these artists come here to play; few other cities this size can claim the sort of musical offerings we can enjoy. So, enjoy.

 

Artist: Peter Hook & the Light
Venue: The Orange Peel
Date: Monday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m.
Door: $21 advance/$24 day of show
Peter Hook earned his claim to fame with the founding of Joy Division, one of England’s landmark post-punk outfits. When that group collapsed in the wake of singer Ian Curtis’ suicide, Hook and his bandmates could have gone in a number of directions; the one they chose was to change their name (and musical approach), becoming New Order, one of synthpop/new wave’s most important groups. Hook left the group in 2006 (the band continues without him) and formed Peter Hook and the Light. While that group released an EP (2011’s 1102 | 2011), the current tour instead takes a trip back in time, performing Substance, a late 1980s compilation of Joy Division singles, as well as songs from New Order’s catalog.

 

my_morning_jacket
Artist: My Morning Jacket
Venue: Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
Date: Thursday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m.
Door: $46
Though on their earliest releases, Kentucky-based My Morning Jacket displayed a Southern rock, almost country-influenced sound, the band switched gears for 2008’s Evil Urges. Many older fans were confounded by the more rhythm and blues textures of the disc, but the breakthrough record gained MMJ new fans. Since then, the group has only released three albums, with members busying themselves in countless side projects. Leader Jim James (he also likes to be known as Yim Yames) brought the band back together for 2015’s generally well-received The Waterfall, and an as-yet-untitled follow-up is due out “soon.”

 

centrozoon
Artist: centrozoon
Venue: Streamside Concerts
Date: Thursday, Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m.
Door: $20 suggested donation
Asheville is a hotbed for electronic improvisation. With instrumental and technological breakthroughs like Moog Music’s innovations and Paul Vo’s Vo-96 Acoustic Synthesizer for guitar, ambitious musicians have an array of homegrown tools. And for those interested in what’s going on in the field beyond Asheville, one of the best places to look is in the direction of centrozoon. Guitarist Markus Reuter (Robert Fripp’s Guitar Craft, Stick Men, The Crimson ProjeKct, etc.) and Bernhard Wöstheinrich embark on all manner of musical excursions. They often bring in guest musicians such as Tim Bowness (no-man) and Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson). For their current run of dates, they’re joined by Tobias Reber. There are few more delightfully intimate venues than Streamside Concerts; it’s worth the short and scenic drive from Asheville to enjoy the exploratory experience of centrozoon.

 

gbv
Artist: Guided by Voices
Venue: Grey Eagle
Date: Friday, Nov. 11, 9 p.m.
Door: $22 advance/$25 day of show
Bob Pollard is the impossibly prolific grand old man of indie-rock. Since forming Guided by Voices in 1986, Pollard has written well in excess of 1,500 songs, and released nearly two dozen official studio albums; that total doesn’t count unofficial releases, and/or side projects, of which there have been many. Guided by Voices is known for several things, all of which unfortunately tend to overshadow the high quality of the group’s best material. One, the lineup changes a lot: Pollard is the sole constant member. Two, Pollard’s high volume of output seems to lack a quality filter; one must wade through a certain amount of filler (detractors might call it garbage) to find the numerous gems. Three, many GbV members past and present do, as the saying goes, like the drink. Again, a lot. But the band’s high-energy shows are rightly acclaimed, and few indie bands can claim as ardent a fan base as the one for Guided by Voices. So if you’re new to their music, go, but expect a packed room full of fans who know all the words. Surfer Blood opens.

 

You may also enjoy: With over 2,000 entries and more than 300 interviews, my Musoscribe blog features new content — features, reviews and more — every business day. A proud tradition since 2009, now in its eighth year.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Bill Kopp
Author, music journalist, historian, collector, and musician. His first book, "Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon," published by Rowman & Littlefield, is available now. Follow me @the_musoscribe

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.