Culture Watch

Will The Hellsayers Be The Next Big Thing In Antwerp?

Asheville-based dark-Americana group Wayne Robbins & The Hellsayers have long been a local favorite, combining Neil Young-esque vocals with a haunting, slightly psychedelic ambience. In fact, when their 2004 debut album The Lonesome Sea was released, it seemed the band might just become one of the acts to bring the Asheville music scene to national attention. Alas, owing to an infuriating series of lineup changes and other projects (such as guitarist Jeff Whitworth’s decision to buy The Grey Eagle with ex-Hellsayer Brian Landrum), the band hasn’t really been able to make quite the impression many were hoping for. At least here in the States, that is. Across the pond, however, things are a wee bit different. The group’s debut album was picked up for UK distribution by a small-but-smart London-based indie label called Dell’Orso Records, and appears to be doing quite well since its mid-April release. The news of the UK re-release also happily coincided with the news that the Hellsayers are furiously finishing up the recording of their second album, All You Need to Sleep, at Silvermine Studio in Marshall, and expect to release the album in late spring or early summer. The band also recently announced that they’ll take a brief break in the recording schedule. Why? So they can spend mid-to-late May on a short European tour with Band of Horses, with show dates in London, Glasgow, Antwerp, Paris and Lucerne. Visit GoodLuckCricket.com/Hellsayers.

Wanna Pay To Watch Famous Rich People Go Golfing In WNC?

Last year, the BMW Charity Pro-Am Golf Tournament made a very big deal about having a big name like Kevin Costner drop by and sink a few balls at the Cliffs, all to raise a little cash for the Blue Ridge Literacy Council. It’s a perfect marriage in a way, with increasingly less-relevant celebs getting to bask in the dimming 40-watt bulb of their own careers, and a bunch of amateur golfers getting to pay to have a good story to tell about whopping Mr. Waterworld himself on the putting green. Everybody wins. But, this year, things are actually looking up for the Tournament. In addition to a returning Costner, the mid-May contest will also include a none-too-shabby list of semi-A-list talent. This year’s contest includes Greg Kinnear, George Lopez, John Elway, Wayne Gretzky, ex-Playboy model Joanna Krupa, ex-JAG star Catherine Bell and—last but certainly not least—golf legend Gary Player. Tickets to the event start at $25. For more info, call the Blue Ridge Literacy Council at 696-3811.