The mission of Black Mountain School is to revamp higher education for artists — or at least provide an alternative to expensive, traditional programs. THE BLOCK Off Biltmore hosts a fundraiser for the inaugural summer session on Friday, April 1.
Amplified: TEEN
Brooklyn-based quartet TEEN is the latest featured artist for Amplified. With a synth-pop sound that feels both retro and fresh, the band performed “Free Time” off its latest release, Love Yes, at Tiger Mountain.
Asheville Art Talk: Pamella O’Connor of Hanji Home
There is a magical and surreal quality to the lamps Pamella O’Connor creates at Hanji Home, her shop and business, located at the Wedge Studios in the River Arts District.
Learn skills to make custom costumes and individualized armor
Organic Armor is hosting an introductory costume-making workshop Saturday and Sunday, April 16 and 17; Asheville Community Theatre uses volunteers to help with its costume making.
Chapel Hill’s Mount Moriah filters Southern roots through a singular vision
Heather McEntire and Jenks Miller of Mount Moriah both come from unlikely musical places. The singer previously fronted the post-punk renegade Bellafea, while the guitarist crafted sprawling, often droning compositions in the heavy-psych/metal band Horseback.
Smart bets: Basia Bulat
Canadian singer and multi-instrumentalist brings her Carolina-influenced pop tunes to The Grey Eagle on Saturday, March 26.
RiverLink announces the 2016 RiverMusic lineup
This year’s lineup, scheduled by Jeff Whitworth of Worthwhile Sounds includes a danceable mic of funk, soul, rock, bluegrass and more — and many of the acts are locally based.
Tunisian Spring singer-songwriter Emel Mathlouthi performs at UNCA
Mathlouthi performs at UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium on Thursday, March 24. Earlier that day, she’ll discuss her work, the music of Tunisia and the electronic sounds that inspire her during a free, public masterclass — including performances from her band — at the Humanities Lecture Hall.
Smart bets: Camp David
Camp David, Doc Aquatic and Fashion Bath bring a free night of local music to The Orange Peel on Friday, March 25.
Album release party celebrates Larry Keel’s Asheville experience
Experienced includes an impressive, all-star list of guest players (Del McCoury, Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, Keller Williams and many others) who augment and complement the core trio. “I like to showcase their talents while creating something unique and very special for the combo,” Keel says.
Smart bets: Andy Ferrell
Local folk act Jackson Emmer opens Ferrell’s album release party at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall’s upstairs lounge on Thursday, March 24.
30 Days Out: a look at upcoming concerts
Four touring acts coming to Asheville include wide-eyed acoustic-pop, Texas dream-gaze, folk history with a pop sensibility and stand-up comedy.
Conscious party: Keeping the old ways alive
Multi-generational entertainers David Holt and Josh Goforth exemplify the value of cultural continuance. They’ll perform a benefit show for the Center for Cultural Preservation at Blue Ridge Community College on Wednesday, March 30.
Smart bets: Gold Light
With a debut full length out, Gold Light plays a homecoming release show alongside Grace Joyner and Dear Blanca at the Mothlight on Thursday, March 24.
Faces in the crowd: WNC crowdfunding initiatives
Each week, Xpress highlights notable WNC crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd. This week features Rock Academy NC students’ chance to play Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame plus the Spring Creek community’s group effort to turn an old schoolhouse into a hub for citizen development.
Sound track: Rattlesnake Lodge by The Clydes
Cohen and Justin Eisenman make up the country duo The Clydes. From the opening notes of their debut album, Rattlesnake Lodge, they establish themselves as storytellers, composers of redolent scores and skilled singers of duets.
Acoustic Asheville: Luther Dickinson
Well known as the leader of southern blues-rock band The North Mississippi Allstars, Dickinson recently released a solo record blending blues and acoustic folk music.
Exhibition celebrates women’s role in Appalachian craft history
Not only were women the organizers of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, but they also made up a significant part of its membership. The works selected for Appalachian Innovators show a continuity of the female workforce over 70 years and include historical gems alongside contemporary works by Cynthia Bringle, Jane Peiser and others.
stephaniesĭd plays Diana Wortham Theatre
“We believe in giving kids access to the arts. Our creative work has been the vehicle for our development as people — I can’t imagine being deprived of the opportunity to engage with it on a regular basis,” says stephaniesid frontwoman Stephanie Morgan. The band’s Saturday, March 19 at Diana Wortham Theatre benefits the Youth Education Scholarship Fund.
Smart bets: Counterparts — Bassoon and Sax
Rosalind Buda (bassoon), Alan Theisen (saxophone) and Ivan Seng (piano) will showcase their instruments in various combinations at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall on Sunday, March 20.
Theater review: All in the Timing by Attic Salt Theatre Company
The latest offering, All in the Timing by David Ives, is a collection of smart, savvy and funny one-act plays. Ives’s writing is challenging yet accessible for young actors, and the short form is perfect for scene-study work.