This weekend on a shoestring

Posted on by Alli Marshall

Try doing a search for shows on Myspace.com and it’s Asheville’s DIG Festival that accounts for a significant number of acts. Luckily, all shows come with an at-the-door price of $5 (read more about the festival in this week’s Xpress). There’s plenty going on besides DIG, too. Downtown After Five returns, as does reggae band Inner Visions. Local author Charles Price reads, Hunk Clothing celebrates a month-long sale with DJs and drinks and (if you’re willing to cough up a couple extra bucks to entertain the kids) Secret Agent 23 Skidoo hip-hops (and he don’t stop) at the Grey Eagle.

Friday, August 21
• Brooklyn’s soul/funk collective Pimps of Joytime (pictured below) play Downtown After Five (240 overpass on Lexington Ave., Asheville). Silas Durocher and Everybody Knows and Radasauras Rex open. 5:15 p.m., free.

• Music on Main Street (201 S. Main St., Hendersonville, 693-9708) offers up free concerts and (this week) a classic car show. Phil Urban & the TCB Band (pictured below) perform Elvis cover songs. 7-9 p.m., free.

• Like street festivals? You could almost festival hop from DTA5 to Music on Main to Summer Tracks in Tryon (Rogers Park amphitheater on W. Howard St., 894-2324) where Sol Driven Train opens with a children’s music set and headlines with their own blend of world beat and funk. 7-10 p.m., free.

• Local world grooves trio Cabo Verde returns to Zambra (85 Walnut St., Asheville, 232-1060). 8 p.m., free.

• Phuncle Sam performs at College Street Pub (4 College St., Asheville, 232-0809). 9:30 p.m., $3.

• Classic rock outfit The Sharkadelics (pictured below) maintain a standing gig at The Hangar (Holiday Inn Airport, Fletcher, 684-1213). They’re sponsored by Jagermeister. They have blowup sharks with the Jagermeister logo. They have fans who ride those Jagermeister sharks. FYI. 9:45 p.m., $5.

• Downtown Asheville’s DIG Festival continues with its second night of shows, including Oso Rey’s Soulgrass Rebellion, Laura Blackley and Erika Jane & Remember the Bees at Mo Daddy’s (77 Biltmore Ave., 258-1550), Galen Kipar Project, Nikki Talley and Jeff Santiago (22 Lexington Ave., 254-3426), David Earl & The Plowshares, The Trainwreks and The Humbuckers at Emerald Lounge (112 N. Lexington Ave., 232-4372) and Josh Phillips’ Folk Festival, Josh Blake’s Big Money Band, Grant DeSantos and Fat Back and Ralph Roddenbery at The Orange Peel (101 Biltmore Ave., 225-5851). 9 p.m. (start times vary by shows/venue), tickets run $5 per venue (discounted day passes available).

Saturday, August 22
• Get the morning started early (and a healthy does of veggies to boot): Now You See Them plays at the Asheville City Market (161 S. Charlotte St.) starting at 10 a.m. Tips are encouraged.

• Local author Charles F. Price (Nor the Battle to the Strong: A Novel of the American Revolution in the South, 2008) will read from his work and answer questions at Pack Memorial Library (67 Haywood St., Asheville, 250-4700) at 2 p.m. This free program is part of The North Carolina Literary Festival’s Authors on the Road initiative.

• More then $5 but worth it: Kid-hop artist Secret Agent 23 Skidoo (pictured below) celebrates the label release of his CD Easy at a 2 p.m. Grey Eagle (185 Clingman Ave., Asheville, 232-5800) show. The Mad Tea Party opens this children’s show. $7.

• The O Mello Cello Tree (pictured below) duo from Greenville, S.C. bring their indie-folk to Picnic’s (371 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, 258-2858). 6 p.m., tips encouraged.

• Hunk Clothing celebrates August with a month-long sale. In addition to deals, shoppers also get to groove to local DJs while enjoying complimentary cervezas from Pisgah Brewery. Marley Carroll “The Melanaster” spins from 7-9 p.m.

• Asheville’s bombastic/melodic acoustic-punk group The Hillside Bombers (pictured below) howls and picks at Broadways (107 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville, 285-0400). 8 p.m.

• From Austin, Texas comes dreadlocked, Alejandro Escovedo collaborator Graham Wilkinson & the Underground Township. This is driving, road-worn folk rock. Check it out at Westville Pub (777 Haywood Rd., West Asheville, 225-9782). 9 p.m., $5.

• Bluegrass band Julia Ann & Laurel Ridge Bluegrass put in a 9 p.m. appearance at Beacon Pub (204 Whitson Ave., Swannanoa, 686-5943). $5.

• Knoxville-based indie-pop/reggae composer Jonathan Sexton & the Big Love Choir (pictured below) know a lot about syncopated rhythms and all-on-the-line lyrics. The group plays The Root Bar (1410 Tunnel Rd., Asheville, 299-7597). 9 p.m., $3.

• More reggae beats: Not-to-be-missed Virgin Islands family collective Inner Visions (who will return next week to headline Goombay) give a preview performance at The Pisgah Brewery (150 Eastside Dr., Black Mountain, 669-2491). 9:30 p.m., $5.

—Alli Marshall, A&E reporter

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About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall
View all posts by Alli Marshall →

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3 thoughts on “This weekend on a shoestring”

  1. nuvue

    If you like soulful reggae, go see my homeboys, Inner Visions. That is cheeep to see them also.

  2. b.c.w.

    3/4 of Brushfire Stankgrass performs at Hannah Flanagan’s on Saturday night as well. This will be a ‘power trio’ with Will Saylor, Ian Cunningham, and Bryan White. Special guests will include a reunion of Blue Collar Groove, Will’s old band as well, in addition to some random other special guests. Come check it out!

  3. bobaloo

    Also, the Blue Ridge Rollergirls have a bout this Saturday night. Tix are 10 bucks in advance and kids are free.

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