First, there's the story about the women who have been working for months — nearly half a year — to prepare themselves for a beauty pageant. Daniela Vega, Ivanna Brunnely, Yeraldine Kennedy, Carolina Olivares, Jaqueline del Castillo and Isabella Franco is how they’re known on stage. They practice their walking, makeup, dance routines and talents. […]

“It’s always been in our nature to be somewhat contrary,” chuckles Joshua Wells, drummer for Vancouver-based Black Mountain. The band has always had an interest in “taking things in a different direction. I don’t think there’s any point in making the same record twice, right?” The quintet’s self-titled debut came out in 2005, followed by […]

Breakdancer Michael “Frantic” Pelletier of Columbia, S.C., and Joseph Adams, of Asheville’s own Hunab Kru (a b-boy/b-girl collective), have a vision to establish a high-energy, all-inclusive break-dancing scene in Asheville. That vision takes flight at the upcoming Southeast B-Boy Championships, slated for Saturday, Nov. 6 at the YMI Cultural Center in downtown Asheville. Pelletier, who […]

It took J.K. Rowling six years to do it. Stephen King can do it in four months. Stephanie Meyers did it for her first time in just three months.   Sure. But try writing a novel in 30 days.   That's the gauntlet thrown down for writers in November, aka National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). […]

Jar-e is known for writing infectious, soulful pop songs that bring crowds to their feet and inspire unadulterated dance parties. But the Asheville-based singer and multi-instrumentalist is leaving behind the Latin influence and carefree lyricism of his previous effort, Chicas Malas, to explore the darker side of his art. Blood of the Summer is still […]