“We try to bring a lot of our alumni back so that our current students can see what they’ve been doing since they left school,” says Carrie Tomberlin, UNCA photography instructor.
Outdoor movies flourish as summer winds down
Asheville Outdoor Cinema joins Wedge Brewing Co., Movies in the Park and other local open air film screenings.
Sabores del Tango celebrates the Argentine dance style
The three-day celebration of the evolution of tango includes workshops, classes and dance parties. It takes place Friday, Aug. 25, through Sunday, Aug. 27, at West Asheville church-turned-event space Center for Art & Spirit at St. George’s.
RBTS WIN and Foul Mouth Jerk host new album release parties
Electro-soul group RBTS WIN commemorates the release of its fourth album, Sensitivity Kit, with a performance at The Grey Eagle on Friday, Aug. 25. Hip-hop artist Foul Mouth Jerk drops his latest effort, Scofflaw, with a Saturday, Aug. 26, show at Isis Music Hall.
Smart Bets: RiverFest
RiverLink’s annual day of food, music and fun takes place Saturday, Aug. 26, at 1 p.m.
Smart Bets: Jackie Venson
The Austin-based guitarist/vocalist plays Isis Music Hall on Friday, Aug. 25, at 9 p.m.
Durand Jones & The Indications bring DIY energy to old-school soul
Over the past year, that unique sound has led Durand Jones & The Indications to tour the country and perform gigs at festivals including South by Southwest and Voodoo Music + Arts Experience. The group now brings its funky grooves to The Mothlight on Wednesday, Aug. 23.
Smart Bets: JEFF the Brotherhood
The Nashville power-punk duo return to The Odditorium on Thursday, Aug. 24, at 9 p.m.
Conscious Party: Deep River
Proceeds from Deep River’s 10th Asheville anniversary show on Aug. 26 at The Grey Eagle benefit the Asheville Humane Society.
Faces in the crowd: WNC crowdfunding initiatives
Each week, Xpress highlights notable WNC crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd. This week features a sporty approach to mental health, a memorial scholarship for individuals in addiction recovery and a novel exploring the topic of prostitution in poor towns.
30 Days Out: A look at upcoming concerts
This time around, it’s an all-locals edition (well, three actual local artists and one honorary local).
Acoustic Asheville: Jamil Apostol and the Goodwills
There’s a sort of rag-tag, vagabond sound to Jamil Apostol & the Goodwills. Maybe it’s from the time Apostol spent on the road, playing music and finding influences everywhere he went.
Celia Verbeck brings new songs to The Mothlight, Aug. 29
Verbeck — a local composer, ethereal vocalist and Girls Rock AVL band coach — has been steadily at work on her second album, a follow up to her dreamy, electro-pop-flavored self-titled debut.
Theater review: ‘The Rainmaker’ by Brevard Little Theatre
Brevard Little Theatre is still something of a well-kept secret within the Western North Carolina theater scene, though its been around since the 1930s. Perhaps quality shows like this one will change all that.
Eclipse-related events around WNC
Xpress rounds up educational programs and viewing parties.
Asheville Bee Charmer launches a honey-themed cookbook
The downtown shop’s first cookbook features eight chapters of recipes both savory and sweet.
Asheville’s Solar Eclipse Festival celebrates an astronomical rarity
Beyond the astronomic phenomenon, Asheville’s Solar Eclipse Festival features food vendors, the Splashville interactive fountain and solar-inspired music curated by DJ Kipper of Mix 96.5.
Smart Bets: David Troy Francis
The pianist plays a concert at Brevard First United Methodist Church on Sunday, August 20, at 4 p.m. — his last local performance before moving to Mexico in September.
Symbolism and color theory mark Joshua Spiceland’s latest collection
“I feel that all art is symbolic, and good art can convey both feelings and ideas,” says local artist Joshua Spiceland. “What new meaning can these objects that we see everyday take on when they are presented in the symbolic realm of the picture?”
Grady Champion and Janiva Magness headline River Valley Blues Festival
Event organizer Zuzu Welsh says that this year’s festival will feature seven local acts in addition to Magness (Saturday’s headliner) and Champion (Sunday’s festival closer).
Smart Bets: Juniper Bends Reading Series
The quarterly readings series’ fall installment takes place Friday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. at Downtown Books & News.