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.
The four acts spotlighted in this edition represent very different styles of music. The unifying thread is that I’ve written about each of them before — in some case, several times — for my blog and/or print publications. That, and the fact that all four are superb performers, well worth seeing.
Artist: The Veldt
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Sunday, Oct. 15, 8 p.m.
Door: $12
The Veldt are not the first black group to play psychedelic rock, nor do they claim to be. But the band’s music does build on the twin foundation of late 1960s dreamy, acid-influenced music and a heavier fun sound of groups like Sly & the Family Stone. The group’s latest release — an excellent EP called The Shocking Fuzz of Your Electric Fur — came out on North Carolina-based Schoolkids Records earlier this year.
Artist: Moon Hooch
Venue: Asheville Music Hall
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m.
Door: $15 advance / $18 day of show
I first saw Brooklyn-based Moon Hooch four and a half years ago, opening for They Might Be Giants at The Orange Peel. Their two-saxes-and-a-drum approach initially struck me as shtick, but once I saw and heard them, I was completely won over. Nominally they play jazz, but, in truth, theirs is a sound like no other, one that combines funk, disco, punk, metal, soul, rock and downtempo. Stunning, really. Marco Benevento opens.
Artist: The New Mastersounds
Venue: Salvage Station
Date: Thursday, Oct. 26, 9 p.m.
Door: $20 advance / $22 day of show
Ever since they first played Asheville, the New Mastersounds have become one of the city’s most beloved groups. Originally from Leeds, England (but now based in Colorado) the group plays what it sometimes call boogaloo: soul-jazz with a modern, updated twist. Though the New Mastersounds insist they’re not a jam band (and I would wholeheartedly agree), they’ve nonetheless been warmly embraced by the noodle-dancing crowd. Supatight opens.
Artist: JD McPherson
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Thursday, Nov. 2, 9 p.m.
Door: $15 advance / $18 day of show
JD McPherson’s second album, Let the Good Times Roll, was easily one of 2015’s best records. Drawing from the hard-edged roots of early rock ‘n’ roll, McPherson made a timeless album. It’s taken him some time to finish his third record — in part because McPherson’s an in-demand live draw — but anticipation has been high for Undivided Heart and Soul, due out right around the time you’re reading these words. Nicole Atkins opens.
You may also enjoy: With nearly 2500 entries and nearly 500 interviews, my Musoscribe blog features new content — features, reviews and more — every business day. A proud tradition since 2009, now in its ninth year. My first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon, will be published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018.
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