This week’s Book Report takes a look at Mike Krecioch’s memoir of the eight years he spent as a resident of Chicago’s St. Hedwig Orphanage.
Come party with Xpress at the Orange Peel!
Xpress holiday party and Best of WNC Showcase keeps getting better — the fun is this Sunday, Dec. 7th!
Pat & Alli’s Weekly Winners
Each week Xpress reporter Alli Marshall and WOXL DJ Pat Ryan team up to bring you their entertainment suggestions.
Richie Havens still plays every weekend
Singer/guitarist Richie Havens released his first major-label LP, Mixed Bag, in 1967. Now, more than 40 years and two dozen albums later, he’s released his latest, Nobody Left to Crown. So how has he seen his music develop? Pleased to meet me: Nearly 50 years into his career, Havens still goes wherever there’s an audience. […]
Studio snapshots
There’s something about the Toe River Arts Council’s studio tour that feels like a perfect cup of coffee. Perhaps it’s because coffee always tastes better when served in a mug handmade by someone you know. Something to crow about: Sculptural lamp by John D. Richards. Andirons from blacksmith Zack Noble. Already in its 15th year, […]
The winner’s circle
Every autumn, Western North Carolina locals do their civic duty and cast their votes for favorite businesses, services, foods, entertainers and more in 100-plus categories. We are the champions: Asheville’s stephaniesid and other Xpress reader favorites play a benefit for MANNA. “It really tells us we have great support from our fans. It shows they […]
Life.Support.Music. and the power of hope
All the ingredients for a tragedy were in place. Jason Crigler, a popular and talented young guitarist in New York City, rushes offstage during a set to his pregnant wife backstage. They leave in an ambulance. At the hospital, doctors report his brain is bleeding—he may die, or live as a vegetable. He gets better, […]
SoundTrack: The Baker Family Band’s newest wave
Not many bands can pull off New Wave without piling on irony and pomp reminiscent of art-school majors. On its latest CD (Bakers Can’t Be Choosers: as earnest as it is effervescent), The Baker Family Band filters New Wave through the lens of 20 years of post-punk rock ‘n’ roll, surfacing clean and fortified by […]
¡Bailemos!
Multimedia features For an audio slideshow about this story, click on the box at right. See a photo gallery here, click here for videos of local dancers in action. Click the image above to view a slideshow by Jonathan Welch. Music provided by local salsa band Nuevo Montuno, with a song titled “Siembra”. From spicy […]
Edgy Mama: Pre-holiday toy clean-out
It’s that time of year again. Time, not just for the holidays, but for the dreaded pre-holiday toy clean-out.
Book Report: Promises of Change
This week’s Book Report is about local author (and Asheville Red Hat Society maven) Joan Medlicott and her soon-to-be-released next installment of the Covington Chronicles.
Pat & Alli’s Weekly Winners
Each week Xpress reporter Alli Marshall and WOXL DJ Pat Ryan team up to bring you their entertainment suggestions.
Widespread Panic’s Jimmy Herring talks about guitar solos, new music and playing in Asheville
Xpress staffer Russ Keith talks with Widespread guitarist Jimmy Herring. Here’s the full text of their conversation.
Buncombe to Badala
Talk to anyone who has seen a Toubab Krewe show and they’ll tell you the same thing: This is a band you have to see live. Trained in traditional West African instruments, with WNC roots: The band sets up along the Niger River in Mali. Fitting, then, that Toubab would choose The Orange Peel as […]
A change is going to come
The word “change” has been thrown around a lot these days as a slogan, an idea, a mantra for some and even a source of derision for others. But for singer/songwriter David LaMotte, change isn’t just a buzzword—it’s where he finds himself and his career. Peacemaker: LaMotte is retiring from music to pursue a World […]
The hardest-working band in show business
Widespread Panic has been busy—though not too busy to play a two-night, post-turkey run in Asheville. Consider: • The band’s hard-working habits earned it the recent honor of the first “Road Warrior Award” from Billboard magazine. This award represents their work ethic, steadfast dedication to touring year after year, and their commitment to the art […]
Handy craft
There’s a certain truth: “People like sitting in their cubicles and looking at cute things online,” says Asheville-based painter Moni Hill. Satisfying that desire, Hill (and dozens of other local artists) posts her work on e-commerce Web site Etsy.com. From the crafter to the cubicle: “People like to look at cute things online,” says artist […]
Times are tough, they dance
“I’ve run my life by saying ‘yes’,” explains the exuberant Leo Monahan, whose work is currently on exhibit in the lobby of the Asheville Community Theatre. Country neighbors: Quilt artist Webb-Lee and paper artist Monahan live near to each other in Barnardsville. Shown here is Webb-Lee’s “Squarely Divided. The widely-acclaimed paper artist’s spirit of adventure […]
SoundTrack: Jonah Michea Judy’s light in the darkness
There’s perhaps no better place to discover the next stars of Asheville’s music scene than at one of the city’s open mic nights. Sure, you’ve got to sit through the occasional butchered Bob Dylan cover and lots of half-thought-out, off-key ideas. But even the discovery of one musical gem makes the experience worthwhile. During a […]
Edgy Mama: Toys that parents hate … and kids love
You know what I’m talking about — the playthings your grandparents, child-free friends or your brother (payback is hell) give your children with no thought to the impact on parents. You know — the toys you hate and your kids absolutely love.
Funny business in Asheville Saturday night
Laugh Your Asheville Off’s Greg Brown joined by Charlotte’s Joe Zimmerman for a night of stand-up comedy at 35Below