In 1968, when London Observer music critic Tony Palmer first listened to The Beatles’ White Album, did he know from the start it would number among the consummate records of that century? He reported that, with the release of the double album, the global listening audience would “surely see the last vestiges of cultural snobbery […]

From the outside, Push Skate Shop looks more or less like any number of other purveyors of skateboarder goods and fashions. But nestled in the very back of the store is a small, somewhat plain gallery. And, surprising as it may seem, Push Gallery always—and I do mean always—has interesting art. “Nice Lawn, Yankee, April […]

With 2007 behind us, it’s worth taking a look back at the trends that have shaped Asheville’s art scene over the past 12 months. There have certainly been changes—promising art spaces have closed and talented artists have left town—but this is to be expected. (In fact, new galleries and fresh talent have already begun to […]

Nestled in the Swannanoa Valley is a small liberal-arts college with a nationally acclaimed writing program. Known for its rigorous and extremely personalized curriculum, the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College has earned an impressive international reputation. More than words: Writer Peter Turchi heads Warren Wilson College’s MFA program. He will join a […]

Sad but true: It’s easy to become blasé about the bounty of live music happening pretty much on any given night around Western North Carolina (and on any given street corner, for that matter). In fact, with singer/songwriters playing corners of crowded restaurants (like Americana with your pad thai?), indie groups banding together for fundraisers, […]

For The Avett Brothers, 2007 was a very good year. “[2007] was our biggest year,” says Seth Avett, who, along with his brother Scott and bassist Bob Crawford, comprise the Concord, N.C., trio. “It’s something that we are very proud of, for sure.” The group’s success has been fueled by a seemingly never-ending touring cycle […]

“My mama always said that I was a little bit cheeky,” explains British vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mark Casson. Mama said it, so the admonishment became the tongue-in-cheek name of the band Casson fronts with his wife, Shannon Hines Casson. Cheeky monkeys: The Cheeksters bring plenty of energy and fun to their music. The Cassons, who […]

“Billy, to me, is one of the coolest people I’ve ever met,” says singer/songwriter Richie Tipton—who just so happens to be discussing his own alter ego, Billy the Six. Billy is the front man of the just-formed rock band that shares its creator’s moniker. He’s also (by Tipton’s account), “anti-war, articulate, a spokesperson who can […]

This year’s New Year’s Eve is a back-to-basics affair. Forget gala balls, ice skating, outdoor games and other ephemera—Asheville is concentrating on music, music and more music, with the odd champagne toast thrown in for good measure. Music with a mission: Larry Keel and Natural Bridge close out the year at the Grey Eagle and […]