Smart bets: The O’Connor Band

Posted on by Emily Glaser

Composed of Grammy Award-winning violinist (and fiddler, guitarist and mandolin player) Mark O’Connor, his wife, son, and soon-to-be daughter-in-law, The O’Connor Band is truly a family project. Though O’Connor is a genius in his own right, every member is astoundingly skillful on his or her instrument, and their combined efforts make for country music magic. The group’s debut album, Coming Home, exemplifies the quick-picking proficiency in bluegrass that earned O’Connor collaborations with the likes of Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. But the album also offers familiar harmonies and a melodic blending of strings that demonstrates the O’Connor bandmates’ true comfort with each other, as a musical group and a family. The O’Connor Band holds an album release show at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 8 and 9, at 8:30 p.m. $32/$38. isisasheville.com. Photo by John David Pittman

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About Emily Glaser
Writer scribbling away in the shaky lines of the mountains.
View all posts by Emily Glaser →

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7 thoughts on “Smart bets: The O’Connor Band”

  1. boatrocker

    I must say the Isis Music Hall always manages to find the most squeaky clean, Nashville-worshipping, ‘every note is focus group tested’ acoustic pop music to provide a venue for. I’m sure this will be a real hooten hollerin Bill Monroe approved ‘bluegrass’ good time as described in the above article.

    Maybe for Mtn X’s best of 2017 we could include the ‘Most Unauthentic Music Venue’? Isis and the Orange Peel (for booking more
    ‘tribute’ bands than actual bands) might be tied for 1st place.

    I’ll be taking my entertainment dollar to other music venues. I’m sure the tourists will love it though.
    One visit to Isis was one too many.

      • boatrocker

        As you like to obsess over, it’s about the money. That’s all some folks understand, so where you spend it shows what you do and don’t support.
        I will eat some Kellogs cereal in the morning as an example.

          • boatrocker

            And aren’t you quite the wordsmith?
            You remind me of crybabies who over a negative Yelp review for a restaurant or something.

            Maybe they’ll play that one song from the Ken Burns Civil War documentary! That’d be real high n lonesome.

  2. boatrocker

    Orrrr, in order to guarantee you don’t have to be in the same room with me for hearing some quality music, I could tout The Grey Eagle for ‘bigger’ acts and places like 5 Walnut or even the Town Pump for smaller local acts. That way everyone wins.

    By the way, I’m the one with a pierced uvula, a tattoo of Nickleback on my inner lip and I have severe back acne. You’ll know me when you see me as I only wear mesh t shirts.

    • boatrocker

      I suppose I could say ‘sue’, as in suing over a negative restaurant Yelp review, but I had to see if the mods would post it first.
      One never knows with these rather fluid Mtn X TOE as they are so selectively and delicately enforced for sock puppetry.

      One thing I’ll give you Big Al, is that from reading your stuff here and either agreeing or not, at least you stick to one posting name.
      (tipping of the hat)

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