Upon starting as A&E editor in August, we put the call out to readers to tell us what they’d like more of in the Xpress arts section. “More theatre reviews” was a frequent answer. The prospect was complicated somewhat by print deadlines and short runs — that is, could we print a quality review in […]

A lot of folks know Josh Phillips’ raspy-rich voice and the soulful optimism of his band, Josh Phillips Folk Festival. But didya know he’s also a champion ping-pong player? Phillips won a regional ping-pong tourney last month, part of the Bud Lite Hard Bat Ping Pong Tournament. He played two nights and beat 10 people […]

There’s so much to spork this week, you better start shovelin’. We got big news and it might take an extra tine or two to get it all in. Photographer George Masa’s early 20th-century photos of the Great Smoky Mountains must be seen at the Asheville Art Museum before July 5. Filmmaker Paul Bonesteel, who […]

How’s this for a double bill? The risen-from-Asheville-to-bluegrass-stardom Steep Canyon Rangers and Steve Martin. They shared the stage over the weekend at L.A.‘s Club Nokia at a benefit for the city’s public libraries. And they’ll be playing again at three sold-out shows later this month at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. […]

Local filmmakers TJ Wiedow and Jason Greenalch released low-budget kung fu spoof movie Golden Blade III nearly two years ago. The sound of whizzing swords has been relatively quiet since then, but Wiedow’s been working behind-the-scenes to promote the movie, and having some luck. The team went to the Charleston Film Festival in late April […]

It won’t get much hotter than this: Asheville’s Latin dance community is joining up for a massive Cinco de Mayo celebration. Come to watch and/or come to dance—each group will perform, followed by a set of music designed for dancing and mingling. Salseros 828 brings together a dozen different types of Latin music and dance […]

It is April, so the rains-it-pours deluge of world-class CD release shows shouldn’t be entirely surprising. In the next nine days, Asheville will get down for three-count-‘em-three brand-new records from three of the town’s fave bands. stephaniesid celebrates the release of Warm People at the Grey Eagle on Saturday, April 25. Up first, indie-pop noir […]

Dancer Janice Lancaster may never go back to performing in theatres, she says with a laugh. She’s fallen for the bowl at the Food Lion Skate Park: the deepest, steepest terrain at the park, which is the setting for the Saturday evening Black Whole event. Bird’s-eye view: Dancers will move through the “bowl” at the […]