Going to the Gathering

Whether or not to take Insane Clown Posse seriously is hard to discern. Its fan base seems divided in thirds: those who enjoy the campy aspect of the belligerence and genuinely enjoy the music, those who think it’s hilariously ironic, and those who take it absolutely deadpan serious. I’m mainly worried about that last third.

Bele Chere Friday Bands

WNC Magazine’s Last Band Standing put five local bands in competition for a rather ceremonial Bele Chere slot: 4:30 p.m. Friday. That’s the kickoff, the Champagne bottle against the hull. Fletcher-based rock outfit BlackJack won the final round and proved that classic rock was not only timeless but ageless, too. With its deep riffs and […]

Attack, decay, sustain, release

Attack, decay, sustain, release: Those four control parameters have helped create the shape of modern electronic music through what’s called envelope generators. Bob Moog didn’t invent them, but their inclusion on early Moog synthesizers was a fundamental piece in constructing their iconic sound. Fundamental enough that The Bob Moog Foundation and Asheville Arts Council have […]

The Downtown Market is closing

The owners of the Downtown Market, a business and vendor space on 45 S. French Broad Ave., have announced that their mortgage is being foreclosed and that the Downtown Market Consignment, home to over 70 vendors, will be closing June 30.

The fate of the other businesses leasing space at the market, including Amazing Savings Grocery, hi~fi Coffee Bar and Pho Fusion, remains unclear, but co-owner Bobby Potts remains hopeful that First Bank, The Bank of Asheville Branch, will work with current tenants to keep their leases.

Wizards and warriors

It’s hard not to talk about Electric Toaster & The Battle Axe, the upcoming third release by Asheville’s If You Wannas, without mentioning the work and homemade gear that went into it. “I worked at Moog Music here in town for a few years,” lead vocalist and guitarist Ryan Cox tells Xpress. “I wound up […]