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.
A tribute to a legend that’s also a fundraiser, and three touring acts who enjoy critical acclaim are spotlighted in this entry of 30 Days Out.
Artist: Celebrating the Life and Music of Bernie Worrell
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Thursday, Sept. 22, 8 p.m.
Door: $7-$10
Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist and founding member Bernie Worrell passed away from lung cancer in June at only 72. The celebrated musician never had much use for genre classification, which helps explain his rewarding musical associations with Talking Heads and Les Claypool, not to mention Asheville’s own Volt Per Octaves. Bernie’s passing left his family with substantial medical bills, and proceeds from this concert will help offset those expenses. Luxury Club is also on the bill.
Artist: Coheed and Cambria
Venue: The Orange Peel
Date: Sunday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m.
Door: $30-$45
Progressive rock heroes Coheed and Cambria made a significant departure with their 2015 album The Color Before the Sun; it was their first album that didn’t concern itself with their long-running “Amory Wars” concept. That aside, the album delivered on the group’s trademark combination of hooky rock-pop and ambitious, progressive arrangements. While a number of their eight studio albums have charted, The Color Before the Sun was the first to reach No. 1 on the US rock album charts. The record’s upbeat, anthemic single “You Got the Spirit, Kid” lays plain the group’s love of Rush.
Artist: Hiss Golden Messenger
Venue: The Mothlight
Date: Friday, Oct. 14, 9:30 p.m.
Door: $15
Durham’s M.C. Taylor effectively is Hiss Golden Messenger. HGM is the name under which he operates when making his hard-to-classify brand of funky, folky music that’s informed by punk, bluegrass and any number of other musical forms. At Hiss Golden Messenger’s set at Transfigurations Festival in Marshall, in 2014, Taylor’s strong songwriting and lyrics elevated his music to the level of something truly special. The Dead Tongues open.
Artist: Chrome Pony
Venue: Sol Bar at New Mountain
Date: Sunday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m.
Door: $5
The list of current-day groups who mine the vibe of 1960s garage and proto-punk seems nearly endless. Few get the whole thing right, though, and few still create memorable music in the process. Led by brothers Kyle and Tyler Davis, Nashville’s Chrome Pony succeeds on all fronts. Though Chrome Pony has two previous albums, an EP and a live release to its credit, the band’s finely textured and varied 2016 EP Past Lives may be the group’s strongest release yet. That’s My Kid opens.
You may also enjoy: With over 2000 entries and more than 300 interviews, my Musoscribe blog features new content — features, reviews and more — every business day. A proud tradition since 2009, now in its eighth year.
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