Smart Bets: Jackie Venson

Posted on August 21, 2017August 15, 2017 by Edwin Arnaudin

The Austin-based guitarist/vocalist plays Isis Music Hall on Friday, Aug. 25, at 9 p.m.

WAIT TILL THE MIDNIGHT HOUR: “I’ll never forget writing "Make a Change" — we stayed up until 4 in the morning on Sunday night just jamming on that tune,” says saxophonist and singer Durand Jones. “We couldn’t stop; I had to wake up at 9 o’clock to go to class, and I just could not get that song out of my head.”

Durand Jones & The Indications bring DIY energy to old-school soul

Posted on August 21, 2017August 15, 2017 by Daniel Walton

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

Posted on August 21, 2017August 15, 2017 by Edwin Arnaudin

The Nashville power-punk duo return to The Odditorium on Thursday, Aug. 24, at 9 p.m.

REFLECTION ETERNAL: Country band Deep River celebrates 10 years in Asheville and 25 overall years of performing with a mix of originals and favorite covers at The Grey Eagle on Aug. 26. Proceeds from the show benefit the Asheville Humane Society.

Conscious Party: Deep River

Posted on August 20, 2017August 18, 2017 by Edwin Arnaudin

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

Posted on August 20, 2017August 17, 2017 by Kat McReynolds

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.

LET'S SEE ACTION: On record, Black Mountain-based songwriter-guitarist Seth Kaufmann is Floating Action. But when it's time for live dates, he rounds out the sound with a lineup of local musicians to play his soul/funk/indie tunes.

30 Days Out: A look at upcoming concerts

Posted on August 19, 2017August 18, 2017 by Bill Kopp

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

Posted on August 19, 2017August 16, 2017 by Jesse Hamm

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

Posted on August 18, 2017August 18, 2017 by Alli Marshall

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.

Tate Albert, center, as Starbuck, charms the Curry family into paying him to make it rain. The latest production by Brevard Little Theatre runs though Aug. 27.

Theater review: ‘The Rainmaker’ by Brevard Little Theatre

Posted on August 17, 2017August 15, 2017 by Jeff Messer

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.

MOON SHADOW: There are five phases of a total solar eclipse, during which viewers in the path of the moon’s shadow, or umbra, may be able to see Baily’s beads (blobs of light at the edge of the moon) and a solar corona creating a diamond ring effect.

Eclipse-related events around WNC

Posted on August 16, 2017August 10, 2017 by Alli Marshall

Xpress rounds up educational programs and viewing parties.

LIFE IS SWEET: "The Asheville Bee Charmer Cookbook" incorporates the individual flavors of specific honey varietals to create appetizers, main dishes, sides, sauces and desserts. Pictured is the honey-tasting bar at Asheville Bee Charmer, which features several dozen varietals available for sampling.

Asheville Bee Charmer launches a honey-themed cookbook

Posted on August 16, 2017August 16, 2017 by Gina Smith

The downtown shop’s first cookbook features eight chapters of recipes both savory and sweet.

HEADS UP: The skies promise plenty of drama this month, with a partial lunar eclipse on Aug. 7, a Perseid meteor shower peaking on Aug. 12 and — the piece de resistance — a rare, coast-to-coast total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. Just outside the path of totality, Asheville viewers will experience 99.2 percent darkness and should protect their eyes with special eclipse-viewing glasses.

Asheville’s Solar Eclipse Festival celebrates an astronomical rarity

Posted on August 16, 2017August 10, 2017 by Daniel Walton

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

Posted on August 16, 2017August 16, 2017 by Edwin Arnaudin

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.

THERE IS NO OTHER: "I hope that people appreciate my mashup of these various styles that I've been juggling into a cohesive body of work," says Joshua Spiceland. "I feel like, as a whole, the pieces really have a certain punctuation and a rhyme to them."

Symbolism and color theory mark Joshua Spiceland’s latest collection

Posted on August 15, 2017August 10, 2017 by Thomas Calder

“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?”

WORLD-CLASS AND LOCAL: The River City Blues Festival has increased in size and scope from its humble beginnings two years ago. In addition to many Asheville-based performers, this year's event features two stars of the blues scene, Grady Champion, left, and Janiva Magness. Champion photo courtesy the artist; Magness photo by Jeff Dunas

Grady Champion and Janiva Magness headline River Valley Blues Festival

Posted on August 15, 2017August 10, 2017 by Bill Kopp

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

Posted on August 15, 2017August 8, 2017 by Edwin Arnaudin

The quarterly readings series’ fall installment takes place Friday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. at Downtown Books & News.

SOUND WAVES: The programming on radio station WRES is broad, but the idea is simple. “It’s about the community,” says co-founder John Hayes. “The people keep me motivated and give me a belief that we miss really living when we get narrowly focused on me, myself and I. You open up, and someone else shares with you, and in sharing, you connect.”

WRES honors its co-founder, mission and 16 years of broadcasting

Posted on August 14, 2017August 10, 2017 by Alli Marshall

One of WRES’ earliest goals was to serve “not just the black community, but the community, period, aimed at people of low wealth,” says cofounder John Hayes. The station celebrates 16 years on air, with a banquet celebrating Hayes and his many contributions to the community, on Saturday, Aug. 19.

SCHEMES AND DREAMS: Zachary Landolt, left, and Matthew Harper star as the former "King of Broadway and his nervous accountant who conspire to stage the worst show ever in 'The Producers.'" The production launches Asheville Community Theatre's new season and celebrates its post-renovation reopening.

Renovated ACT reopens with ‘The Producers’

Posted on August 14, 2017August 19, 2017 by Tony Kiss

The landmark downtown playhouse has been given a major overhaul, which includes such upgrades as new seating, an improvement in auditorium design, and better lighting and sound.

Smart Bets: Best of Enemies

Posted on August 14, 2017August 15, 2017 by Edwin Arnaudin

Different Strokes’ latest play runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from Aug. 17 through Sept. 2 at the theater at Asheville High School.

TEDxAsheville shares talks around the theme ‘Awakening’

Posted on August 14, 2017August 14, 2017 by Taylor Green

TEDxAsheville takes place on Sunday, Sept. 10. at Isis Music Hall. Tickets are on sale now and are likely to sell out in advance of the event.

Arts

Smart Bets: RiverFest