So here’s the not-so-surprising scoop: Jason Isbell—until last April, the decorated guitar and songwriting filly of those Dixie ragamuffins, the Drive-by Truckers—is getting a little weary of chatting about his former band. Keep on … you know: Amid significant controversy, ex-Drive-by Trucker Jason Isbell strikes out on his own. It remains, however, a pertinent matter […]
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The kids and the chameleon
While his name may not be familiar to the casual rock fan, the very mention of Adrian Belew’s name to the shoulderbag-and-black-glasses-wearing members of the rock intellegensia will get you bombarded with phrases like “prog-rock legend,” “Beatle-esque,” “guitar god” or any number of lavish superlatives. This is the fate of the well-known sideman, the moderately […]
Strolling for dollars
The concept of open studio tours seems to be highly contagious. The idea first came to Asheville some 14 years ago with the River District Studio Stroll, a small gathering that now involves more than 60 artists, most of whom have workspaces in walking distance of each other. The strolls have been a boon for […]
Gallery gossip
• Do you happen to remember the abstract paintings of a German artist named Martin Conrad that were shown in Asheville about 10 years ago? Well, Conrad’s profile has raised a bit in the last decade, and his latest exhibition will open at the Goethe Institut in Hamburg later this month. But we had him […]
Voodoo in the garden
Last week, while I was taking a walk around the neighborhood, a neighbor asked me about a strange plant that was blooming at the rear of his garden. illustration by Peter Loewer “It has an odd, perhaps bizarre flower—almost malevolent—and a powerful smell, but it could be termed ‘interesting’ in the right setting,” he said. […]
Summer nostalgia
These days, it seems that concern for our children’s safety during sporting events doesn’t stop at their physical well-being. Their delicate mental health is also being looked after. Last week, I rode down Murdock Avenue and stopped at Weaver Park to catch an inning of a Little League game. As I watched the pitcher wind […]
Pardon me—your privilege is showing
I am a loyal “Disclaimer” reader, but several things recently have really bothered me about their page in the Xpress. I understand the comedic license needed to be able to produce a satirical paper, and I appreciate the fine line that writers for the “Disclaimer” have to walk. I do, however, think that they repeatedly […]
Recipe for controversy
In reference to “All Up in Your Grill” [Xpress, Aug. 8], although the specifics of each party’s behavior as reported were, well, a bit vague, I still feel the need to comment about the confrontation between local animal activists and Malaprop’s. As for Malaprop’s policy of “[asking] anyone who treats our authors or staff with […]
The long legs of the law
What a poignant little story [“Flag Fight, Aug. 1]. Consider: A relatively inexperienced Sheriff’s deputy made an embarrassingly dreadful error in judgment. Just returned from a seven-month tour of duty in Iraq, the young deputy resolves to enforce a legally obscure North Carolina statute written in 1917 to protect the American flag, without seeking the […]
NC Stage is the catalyst
In your “Culture Watch” column of July 25 [“The State of Asheville Culture”], you rightly point to an encouraging sign for local professional theatre—No Shame Theatre: “Our theater scene is increasingly more professional, active and vibrant. With locally oriented community projects like No Shame Theatre, as well as the willingness of practically every local theater […]
Continuing the fight for equality
There are many reasons I find myself saying that every moment is a gift. I found myself saying that when I heard about the July 23 shooting at Stephens Lee Recreation Center. I am familiar with the Recreation Center and have been honored to be involved in the care and support of the children and […]
I came, I saw, I was disappointed
I read your pre-review [“Know Thy Beehive,” Aug. 1] of the B-52’s show in Mountain Xpress the day after the show. I’m 54, so I’m old enough to have listened to the B-52’s when they were recording on vinyl and playing “Rock Lobster” and “Private Idaho” in clubs. I live in Raleigh. I didn’t drive […]
Biltmore unprepared for B-52s
The B-52’s blitz on the South Terrace lawn at the Biltmore Estate was not the blitz one was expecting. The fans came to dance and have a good time. Instead, some experienced police brutality. I witnessed several security police pushing people who were dancing back into the crowd. At one point, an older couple who […]
Spoiling the ultimate party
I have a lot to say about the B-52’s [Aug. 4 concert] and won’t be surprised if a lot of others do, too. I also think the preview [“Know Thy Beehive,” Aug. 1] was abysmal and did not do the band justice. If anyone knows anything about the B-52’s (the author didn’t seem to know […]
Space that’s free as grace
Regarding the “Asheville Disclaimer” feature in the Xpress: Humor is an important and beautiful thing. I love to laugh—a full-on, belly-shaking laugh. Humor can be a powerful tool to educate and create a new vision, or humor can reinforce stereotypes and create hurt. The “Disclaimer” has succeeded in this second, lower form of humor. Humor […]
Loving life
Hardened hearts. We can say that the affront to the dignity of sentient beings everywhere is the symptom of a hardened heart. Words like ethics and compassion are often thrown around in an attempt to combat a hard heart. However, what happens to the message when an activist begins to blur the waters of ethics, […]
Trading in free speech
When my spouse, Terri, and I learned that Malaprop’s was hosting the author of a book on barbecue, we decided to offer a different point of view [“All Up in Your Grill,” Aug. 8]. I politely handed out leaflets while Terri held a banner showing a pig with the caption: “Please, Think Before You Eat, […]
I thought local matters
In reference to the poorly written “Culture Watch” piece by Steve Shanafelt in the Aug. 1 issue, I would argue that you could watch Asheville’s culture go right down the tubes if Mountain Xpress doesn’t wake up and realize who’s influencing the world around them. Jenny Greer has been an inspiration to countless Ashevilleans, and […]
Clean up your disc karma
Somebody out there in the disc-golf world [”Outdoors: On and Off Course,” Aug. 1] must not know about the bad karma rule. My husband and I went out to Richmond Hill about two years ago with two putters and two drivers, new, with our names in them. We played a couple holes, then decided to […]
Also dogged by doubt
When I read Cecil Bothwell’s article on Lucia Del Vecchio’s new play, Athena [“Dogged by Doubt: Actors Face Huge Hurdles in NC Stage Catalyst Production,” Aug. 8], my jaw dropped. Literally, not figuratively. Was this meant to be a review? Mr. Bothwell certainly seemed to be exercising a lot of critical judgment. I’ve never heard […]
Part-time Council doesn’t do it
Who else was appalled by Brownie [Newman]‘s statement to the effect that had he and the Council known that there was such strong conviction about the partisan-election issue, they might have voted differently? The Council is elected to represent the members of the community, yet here is a Council member stating for the record that […]