While ‘Baggage’ has relatively little connection to classic hard bop jazz of the previous century, its cover design shows that Sk has a sense of history and an interest in finding his own place within it.
Former Goodies bassist Alias Patrick Kelly returns to Asheville
Though he’s settled in Atlanta, Kelly looks back fondly upon his time in the Asheville music community. He started playing with The Goodies when he was 19. He says that Goodies front man Holiday Childress was a major influence on his own songwriting.
Smart Bets: Keep Asheville Beard
The inaugural competition and fundraiser for Xpand takes place Feb. 24 at the Hi-Wire Big Top.
Smart Bets: Mike Doughty
In honor of its 25th anniversary, the Soul Coughing frontman performs the band’s debut album on Feb. 23 at The Grey Eagle.
The Center for Art & Inspiration opens in Hendersonville
Along with theatrical productions, the event space offers murder mystery dinners, programming for children, a Malaprop’s book store pop-up, the Artful Cup Coffee Bar and more.
Smart Bets: Emily Easterly, Minorcan and Nikki and the Phantom Callers
The Asheville rocker shares the Feb. 23 Odditorium bill with Minorcan and Nikki and the Phantom Callers.
Theater review: ‘The Gin Game’ at HART Theatre
The Gin Game resounds with witty humor by poking fun at the matters of aging. It then cleverly challenges our comfort-zone with deep drama, scolding us for making light of such a serious subject.
BeLoved Asheville’s new gallery offers visibility to underserved artists
The event includes music by DJ Malinalli and light hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 p.m. followed the unveiling of the work “Rising of the Ancestors” by Harry Rivera, an artist talk by Ponkho Bermejo, a documentary film screening and a panel discussion featuring Rivera, Bermejo and Carmen Ramos-Kennedy.
Smart Bets: We Insist!
Fresh Cut Orchestra and Melanie Charles perform Max Roach’s “Freedom Now Suite” at BMCM+AC, Feb. 22-23.
30 Days Out: a look at upcoming concerts
Two groups that lean in a dreamy, shoegaze direction (one local, one on tour) plus a jazz singer who has recently made Western N.C. her home and a prodigious guitar talent who’s finding fame on stage and screen.
Acoustic Asheville: Bygone Blues Quartet
Bygone Blues is the duo of singer Peggy Ratusz and pianist Aaron Price. On occasion, they are joined by Jonathan Pearlman on guitar and Grant Cuthbertson on upright bass.
Local musician digitizes the music of poetry
“I don’t want to become Odysseus stuck on an island and say, ‘That was my music — the music of my high school years.’ There’s so much great music in every era. Why not be open to it? As a musician, I think you continually have to grow.”
Crystal Hana Kim discusses her debut novel at UNCA
On Tuesday, Feb. 19, author Crystal Hana Kim will read from and discuss her debut novel If You Leave Me as part of UNC Asheville’s Visiting Writers Series.
VIDEO PREMIERE: “Beacham’s Curve” by Queen Bee and the Honeylovers
Mark your calendars for the band’s Saturday, April 27, album release show at Isis Music Hall.
Declan O’Rourke will bring songs of the Irish famine to Isis Music Hall
As an artist, Declan O’Rourke is stirred by the way humans move through tragedy, meeting fear with hope, meeting trauma with resilience. His 2017 album, which he’ll perform in full at Isis Music Hall, seeks to examine the impact the Iris Potato Famine had on families from that country.
Smart Bets: Asher Leigh
The Asheville singer-songwriter plays a record release show Feb. 17 at The Grey Eagle.
Mindshapefist releases its seventh album with an Orange Peel show
Live onstage, Mindshapefist’s sound is a whirlwind of guitars, bass and drums. But the band’s focus on vocals remains a part of the experience. “We’re proud of what we do on the CDs, and we think they’re a good representation,” drummer Fred Hensley says. “But we’re definitely a live band.”
Smart Bets: Underhill Rose
The Americana duo plays a benefit show for Asheville Music School on Feb. 17 at Streamside.
Smart Bets: Black Garter Revue
The Asheville burlesque troupe presents an anti-Valentine’s Day show on Feb. 14 at The Grey Eagle.
Theater review: ‘Footloose’ at Asheville Community Theatre
Footloose touches most intriguingly on an era when being free and expressing oneself with music and dance was bitterly frowned upon by certain belief systems.
Smart Bets: Valentine’s Day at Fleetwood’s
The mass fake wedding extravaganza returns for a second year on Feb. 14.