MantraFest

Asheville is no stranger to sacred chanting. From renowned kirtan leaders like Jai Uttal, Bhagavan Das and Wah! to sacred music artists like Shimshai and Snatam Kaur, to local musician/kirtan leader Kristin Luna Ray, the WNC scene is rich in musical events steeped in Eastern spirituality and conscious intent. In fact, local groups like Sangita Devi have been leading kirtan in private living rooms and public spaces such as LEAF for more than a decade.

MantraFest takes that idea and goes big. Really big. The 2013 tour, headlined by Deva Premal & Miten with Manose (and Maneesh de Moor) and the GuruGanesha Band is traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada, making a stop at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

The evening opens with a 7 p.m. cello performance by New Age composer/producer Hans Christian. GuruGanesha Band (led by guitarist and devotional music pioneer GuruGanesha Singh) performs at 7:10 p.m. and headliners Deva Premal & Miten with Manose Singh and Maneesh de Moor take the stage at 9 p.m. That group is a world music outfit in the truest sense. German-born, classically trained musician Premal and British-born, singer-songwriter Miten met in 1990 at the ashram of Indian mystic, Osho. Together they've released a series of highly regarded albums. Manrose, from Nepal, is a bamboo flutist; he plays both rock and jazz.

7 p.m., Tickets are $30-$108. ticketmaster.com. — Alli Marshall