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.
Americana, Indian music and icons of indie-rock and funk are all showcased in this edition.
Artist: George Clinton and Pariament-Funkadelic
Venue: Salvage Station
Date: Friday, May 11, 5 p.m.
Door: $29
George Clinton is a legend in music. He and his band Parliament-Funkadelic (originally two very different groups) pioneered their own brand of souped-up funk. Clinton is sometimes compared to Frank Zappa for his commitment to dense and dizzyingly intricate musical arrangements as well as to outré lyrical subject matter, but Sly Stone is a kindred spirit, too. This show is a benefit to help bring clean drinking water to the African country of Togo. Look for Clinton’s longtime friend and collaborator Sidney Barnes at the show. Will he join the band onstage? Who knows. Lyric opens.
Artist: Tellico
Venue: Jack of the Wood
Date: Friday, April 27, 9 p.m.
Door: $4
This Asheville-based roots quartet begins with a solid foundation in bluegrass, and expands upon it will other flavors of Americana. The quartet is fronted by guitar and fiddle player Anya Hinkle, backed by bassist Stig Stiglets, Dobro/pedal steel player Aaron Ballance and banjo/mandolin player Jed Willis. The group released its Jon Stickley-produced debut album, Relics and Roses, in 2015. The band plays regularly at venues and festivals across Western North Carolina, but the intimate Jack of the Wood remains one of the best places to enjoy Tellico’s music.
Artist: Indrajit Banerjee
Venue: White Horse Black Mountain
Date: Sunday, April 29, 7:30 p.m.
Door: $12 advance / $15 day of show
Sitar virtuoso Indrajit Banerjee is a popular fixture on world music festivals. He studied under guru Pandit Kartick Kumar, a senior disciple of sitar legend Ravi Shankar. Banerjee teaches students around the world, with residencies in Chicago and France. For this show, Banerjee will be joined by another Indian master, tabla player Goursankar. Even with the popularity of world music among Western listeners, the hypnotic sounds of traditional Indian music still hold an exotic air.
Artist: Guided by Voices
Venue: The Grey Eagle
Date: Friday, May 11, 9 p.m.
Door: $22 advance / $25 day of show
Seemingly random strings of words as song titles, a nearly incomprehensible number of releases, reliably energetic live shows and a fanatically devoted fan base: those are just a few of the unique characteristics that make Guided by Voices unique. The Ohio band led by the prolific Bob Pollard has released more than two dozen albums since forming in the early 1980s. A constantly-shifting lineup is another (perhaps less appealing) GBV characteristic, but the current group — including pop/rock royalty in the form of Bobby Bare Jr. — has been remarkably stable.
You may also enjoy: With way more than 2500 entries and more than 550 interviews, my Musoscribe blog features new content — features, reviews and more — every business 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.
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.