30 Days Out: a look at upcoming concerts

ONE STEP FOR ROCK/POP: Cincinnati's Walk the Moon keeps the pop-rock tradition alive for a new and younger audience. The band's latest single, "Timebomb," was just released. The band plays the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium on Valentine's Day. Photo courtesy the artists

Twice monthly, my 30 Days Out column 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.

January and February are the time of year when local artists are often found close to home, and slightly fewer nationally touring artists swing into town. That makes it an ideal time to check out some of the superb locally sourced music that’s available here. Two of the shows spotlighted in this issue feature multiple local artists headlining, and another has a local group opening.

Artist: Walk the Moon
Venue: Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
Date: Thursday, Feb. 14, 8 p.m.
Door: $35-45
There was a time when rock acts seemed to rule the musical landscape. There was a kind of shared cultural experience, one that held true even if one wasn’t even into the music. Everybody knew, for example, who Aerosmith and Elton John were. Today, in the era of narrowcasting and market segmentation, music can be less of a shared experience. This Cincinnati-based foursome has been making music since 2006, and while a random person on the street may not have heard of Walk the Moon, the group has either won or been nominated for more than a dozen awards. The band’s sound finds its greatest appeal with younger audiences; Walk the Moon’s 2014 single “Shut Up and Dance” was a worldwide hit, charting in more than 25 countries.


Artist: Team AMG
Venue: Isis Music Hall
Date: Sunday, Jan. 20, 10 p.m.
Door: $10 advance, $15 day of show
AMG (short for Aud10 Music Group) is a collective of Asheville-based artists; this annual event is now in its fourth year. Headliners this time include beloved local musician, DJ and karaoke host Lyric (Leeda Jones) and singer/rapper DJ Audio (Ethan Conner when he’s at home). More acts are likely to be added to the bill.


Artist: Local Live: Beatle Bash
Venue: White Horse Black Mountain
Date: Monday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m.
Door: $10
Four popular local artists come together for a night of music by the band you’ve known for all these years. Winding their way through The Beatles’ catalog are husband and wife Jay Brown and Aditi Sethi (both of The Appalucians); Asheville storyteller, author and musician Greg Candle; and guitarist Bob Hinkle, perhaps best known in these parts as the founder and proprietor of White Horse Black Mountain. The venue recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary.


Artist: MELD
Venue: The One Stop
Date: Friday, Feb. 1, 10 p.m.
Door: free
Electronica and classic soul might not seem two genres that readily mix, but in the hands of Nashville-based MELD (Melanie Dewey), the combination works. Dewey describes her sound as “cinematic R&B,” drawing from both the jam aesthetic and classic soulful female vocalist like Stevie Nicks, Janis Joplin and Susan Tedeschi. Asheville’s own Sister Ivy opens.

You may also enjoy: With nearly 3000 entries and 650 interviews, my Musoscribe blog features new content — features, reviews and more — every single day. A proud tradition, now in its 10th year. My book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon, published by Rowman & Littlefield, is available now.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Bill Kopp
Author, music journalist, historian, collector, and musician. His first book, "Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon," published by Rowman & Littlefield, is available now. Follow me @the_musoscribe

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.