The music of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars was not meant for their healing alone. Their upbeat, astoundingly positive songs became the voice of refugees scattered across Guinea. Watch a documentary about this group at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company.
Xpress A&E reporter Alli Marshall and WOXL-96.5 DJ Pat Ryan team up to bring you their top entertainment picks.
The oldest-time mountain man I’ve known in my decades hereabouts was Joe Gilliam, down in Broad River Township. One time I was telling him about my hike to a jumbled rocky promontory known as The Pinnacles, down where Buncombe and Henderson and Rutherford counties all tangle in sort of a no-man’s—or, more to the point—no-tax-assessor’s […]
What does it mean to be the “World’s Greatest Party Band” (even if self-proclaimed) in an age when the term “party” is increasingly linked to terms like “green,” “people’s” and “for the planet”? “Love Shack” at Biltmore Estate: Surreal enough, even for Fred Schneider. For the B-52’s, holder of said title, it means that more […]
There’s an unattributed quote written in mosaic at the end of my sidewalk that reads: “To be an artist is never to avert your eyes.” Detail from “Power Down,” mixed media, by Thomas Mann. It’s been a long time now since we watched while the citizens of one of the world’s most uniquely beautiful cities […]
The weight of the world fell on Melora Creager all at once. Weight of the world: Rasputina’s Melora Creager troubles herself about the heavy stuff on her new album. “Like all in one day,” says the leader and principal cellist of Brooklyn chamber-rock band Rasputina. She found out “that September 11th was kind of screwy; […]
Local Musicians Get Their Big Break If you’ve ever heard local jazzy, funky folk rockers Jen and the Juice, chances are you’ve thought them unlikely to hit big in the mainstream. It’s not that Jen Greer and her band aren’t talented, mind you, but rather that their signature sound, which they’ve dubbed “eclectic hipster hymns,” […]
• Have you seen the new gallery at the airport? Arnold Wengrow reports that he viewed the work—mostly by UNCA students—on his way to London recently. He offers this astounding endorsement: “I saw the graduate show at the Royal Academy of Arts and was struck by how much better trained the UNCA students appear to […]
The new carpetbaggers Carpetbagging used to be a bad thing, referring to opportunists and outsiders in the war-tattered South. These days, carrying a tapestry tote is an insider prerogative. These bags, seen around town, are the best in summery style. • A multicolored tote by local artist Ruth Ingram (contact the designer at ruth.ingram@gmail.com). • […]
Looking for a fun way to stay fit? Try an area 5K race.
Regional folk-novelty band Bombadil may be set to star in the Soundbites pilot, but is adding regional musicians to a cooking show really a good idea?
With the 48 Hour Film Project flicks written, cast, shot, edited and screened, all there is to do now is sit back and see who wins.
It’s nice to see WCU’s Ron Rash included in the new Oxford American. But what’s up with the rest of the issue?
… So is it OK to like GN’R again?
Our coverage of the Kuhns vs. Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office story gets picked up by Fark.com.
Local rockers Woody Wood and Scott Sharpe start ugly-eyewear trend
Even if you are one of the locals who shun the crowds and madness of Bele Chere, it’s hard not be a little curious about what’s going on downtown. If only there was a way to keep an eye on the happenings without having to actually be there. If only Mountain Xpress had live, streaming webcams …
Catch Asheville’s own purveyors of hipster hymns, Jen and the Juice, on Country Music Television.
Want to check out the local acts at Bele Chere before they perform? We’ve got you covered.
Counting down the hours until Bele Chere.
Memoir is the new fiction, or so it seems when skimming the New York Times Best Seller list. The lone survivor of a Navy Seal operation describes his daring scape. A former child-soldier recounts his life in Sierra Leone. Even dyed-in-the-wool fiction writers (Nora Ephron, Barbara Kingsolver) have new essay collections (about aging and homegrown […]
