30 Days Out: a look at upcoming concerts

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.

There’s a simple and straightforward theme around this edition’s picks. All three shows are worth paying to see and hear, but all three shows are FREE. And they all start and end at a family-friendly hour.

Artist: Grits & Soul / Jon Stickley Trio / Hackensaw Boys
Venue: RiverMusic
Date: Friday, July 10, 5:30 p.m.
Door: FREE
Local nonprofit organization RiverLink reprises its popular RiverMusic concert series this summer, and the July 10 event is the third of five in the current lineup (future shows are September 11 and October 9. All the shows are designed to appeal to a wide audience, and aimed at getting people down to see the once-maligned French Broad River. As RiverLink’s Dave Russell told me, “For decades, the French Broad was treated as a sewer. And if you ask older folks, they’ll say, ‘I’m not going in that nasty River.'” But thanks to the EPA, the Clean Water Act, and the dedicated efforts of local Asheville residents and RiverLink, the river is now, in Russell’s words, “a destination instead of a dump.” The three above-listed acts take the stage respectively at 5:30, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m.

Artist: Chatham County Line
Venue: UNCA Concerts on the Quad
Date: Monday, July 13, 6 p.m.
Door: FREE
One of a select few Americana acts signed to the widely respected North Carolina-based Yep Roc label, Chatham County Line brings an exuberant presentation to the stage. Even though the mostly acoustic group makes use of modern niceties such as electric amplification, the highlight of a CCL show is the part in which they gather around a single microphone, old-style, and use physical distance/proximity as their low-tech version of a “mixing desk.” They’re loads of fun live, and their appeal extends far beyond the confines of their chosen genre.

Artist: Rock Academy of Asheville
Venue: Highland Brewing
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 6 p.m.
Door: FREE
When Jack Black starred in the 2003 comedy School of Rock, the whole idea of a summer camp dedicated to giving kids an opportunity to think, feel and (in every sense of the word) play like rock stars was but the glimmer in the eyes of the organizers of Rock Academy of Asheville. But like the similarly-themed Girls Rock Asheville, RAA provides that opportunity to youths ages 10-17, with other programs aimed at other age groups (9-13 and adults). And the culmination of the camp’s effort is a mini-tour of sorts, including this date featuring The Remainders, a group formed out of this year’s campers.

You may also enjoy: Now with over 2000 entries, my Musoscribe blog features new content — interviews, reviews and more — every business day. A proud tradition since 2009.