Jake Shimabukuro
When Jake Shimabukuro's mother handed him a ukulele at age 4, she probably never imagined her son would become a virtuoso, known for complex finger work and renditions of classic rock tunes (a Hendrix-style "Star Bangled Banner," for one). Of his most recent album, Peace Love Ukulele, Shimabukuru says, "if everyone played the ukulele, the world would be a better place." He performs at UNCA's Lipinsky Auditorium on Thursday, Feb. 10, 8 p.m. $5 students/$15 UNCA faculty, staff and alumni/$20 general. cesap.unca.edu/events/jake-shimabukuro.
Chompin’ at the Bit String Band
Local (and self-described) "rowdy old time string band" Chompin’ At The Bit distills inspiration from sources as disparate as punk, rock, jazz and honky-tonk into old-time. Members include Lindsey Liden (fiddle), Kevin Scanlon (banjo), Grey Nelson (bass), Doug Sharkey and Joe Hallock (guitars) and Chris Farmer (mandolin). The group plays a CD release party in celebration of its new album, Last Call at MoDaddy's on Friday, Feb. 11. 9 p.m., $5. modaddysbar.com.
Symphony masterworks concert
In the Valentine's Day spirit of passion and love, the Asheville Symphony Orchestra will be putting on a Shakespeare-themed concert at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium on Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. The symphony's romantically inspired show will include pieces from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet and Henry V, as well as works by Mozart, Walton and Rachmaninoff. Internationally acclaimed pianist Dudana Mazmanishvili will be the soloist of the evening. This journey through history's most romantic pieces of music will have tickets ranging in price from $55 to $20 on sale at the Symphony office or at the Civic Center box office.
The Krektones
A little trivia: Surf-rock band The Krektones is basically garage-rock band Reigning Sound, only with a different front man. Multi-instrumentalist Jason Krekel (Mad Tea Party, Screaming Js) fronts the former; singer/songwriter Greg Cartwright fronts the latter. (Both bands share the indomitable rhythm section of Lance Wille and David Wayne Gay — who also, for the record, make up two-thirds of the much-missed outlaw country act The Unholy Trio.) So what if you threw all the parties in question into one surfy-garagey-rocking musical brew? You’d have Krektones and Greg Cartwright at the Get Down on Friday, Feb. 11. $5. getdownasheville.com.
American Folk Art and Framing
Sometimes the best things come in small packages. At least, that's the case at American Folk Art & Framing's seventh annual (beloved) Miniature Show. "Inspired + colorful + strong + revealing + madcool," says the gallery. New (small) works by Spencer Herr, Lucy Hunnicutt, Cornbread, Cheri Brackettand and others. The show runs Feb. 10 through 28 with an opening reception on Friday, Feb. 11, 5-8 p.m. amerifolk.com.
Ten Cent Poetry
Local musician Chelsea Lynn La Bate (aka Ten Cent Poetry) usually goes it solo, but for her new (and first fully produced) album Picking Through the Pawnshop, she enlisted a small army of musicians (including Will Bradford, PJ Bond and Melissa Hyman) to take her songs in a new, layered direction. Watch a "making of the album" video at tencentpoetry.com or hear the real thing at La Bate's CD release party on Saturday, Feb. 12, at the LAB. 9 p.m., $5.
This seems like it’s gonna be a great weekend in Asheville! To cap it all off I’m going to be at The LAB on Monday to see one of my favorites, Now You See Them play with The David Wax Museum out of Boston. Show starts at 9pm