Two bands, each led by high-profile fixtures of the Asheville music scene, are coming together to present a unique night of music.

Two bands, each led by high-profile fixtures of the Asheville music scene, are coming together to present a unique night of music.
Newcomers to the group’s sound to assume that Day & Dream makes exclusively languid, laid-back music. “First in Flight” pummels forward relentlessly; it’s just that it does so in an airy, shoegazey kind of way.
To date, the group has produced at least five professional-grade music videos for songs on the new album (plus one for a non-album track — an impassioned reading of the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”).
This roundup takes a look at three Asheville based acts in three very different musical styles, plus a compelling national-level musician who’s also a respected activist, theologian, author and documentary filmmaker.
While ‘Baggage’ has relatively little connection to classic hard bop jazz of the previous century, its cover design shows that Sk has a sense of history and an interest in finding his own place within it.
Though he’s settled in Atlanta, Kelly looks back fondly upon his time in the Asheville music community. He started playing with The Goodies when he was 19. He says that Goodies front man Holiday Childress was a major influence on his own songwriting.
Two groups that lean in a dreamy, shoegaze direction (one local, one on tour) plus a jazz singer who has recently made Western N.C. her home and a prodigious guitar talent who’s finding fame on stage and screen.
Live onstage, Mindshapefist’s sound is a whirlwind of guitars, bass and drums. But the band’s focus on vocals remains a part of the experience. “We’re proud of what we do on the CDs, and we think they’re a good representation,” drummer Fred Hensley says. “But we’re definitely a live band.”
“We play all over the South, and it’s just different,” Taj Mahal says. “People have manners. Folks come to dance; they come to have a nice time.”
At right around 30 minutes, Dusk certainly isn’t an epic-length recording. But the eight songs on Lavender Blue’s debut album provide a good overview of the varied yet cohesive musical perspective of Kayla Zuskin.
Three of the sets noted below are free, but you can do your part to support local music by helping fill the tip jar. Lots of rock, surf and Americana in this roundup.
Refreshingly Soulful Blues is best described as a quiet record; its overall tone suggests that listeners in the same room as the band could carry on a conversation while the band played. Of course, doing that would be rude, and would make those in attendance miss out on some enjoyable tunes.
Two of the shows spotlighted in this issue feature multiple local artists headlining, and another has a local group opening.
Tellico used a back-to-basics approach to recording, tracking live in the studio instead of layering individual performances. That approach is key to the record’s organic, you-are-there sonic quality.
The debut album from Asheville-based folk quartet the Appalucians, reveals a charming and close-knit vibe within seconds of its opening track.
This installment marks the five-year anniversary of the column.
“We try to incorporate one or two covers into any set,” Mike “McDuck” Olson says. “Because covers tend to be the way that our fans gained entry into our music.”
The past year has brought forth a bumper crop of superb albums in every genre from artists local (or with strong connections) to Asheville and the surrounding region.
The final live music roundup of 2018 features four local acts playing in Asheville.
By definition, Song Dogs doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre classification. There’s a kind of good natured-yet-world-weary vibe to these songs, one that calls to mind the literate-yet-accessible work of John Hiatt.
The computerized origin of Carroll’s music is offset to a large degree by the organic feel of the songs on Flight Patterns. “I feel connected to Western North Carolina as a region and environment,” he says.