Pioneering musician Dick Dale was born in Boston, but when, as a teen, he moved to California's Orange County with his family, he got into surfing and then music. Dale learned drums, ukulele, trumpet and finally guitar. But he didn't stop there. Inspired by his Lebanese heritage, he drew on Arabic sounds, which ultimately led […]

Organizers for the newly minted Asheville Creativity Symposium: From the Imagination Storm to the Creative Form, describe it as "an imaginatively dynamic event." Poet/creative entrepreneur James Navé and musician River Guerguerian host. They'll "navigate through deep exploration of the individual artistic voice and purpose to form a confluence of intentions and artistic trajectories that will […]

It's been just about a year since we last checked in with Raleigh-based The Love Language. At the time, the band — fronted by Stu McLamb — was working on a followup to 2010's breezy, laid-back Libraries. McLamb had entered the studio with 40 demos and spent the month of February (2012) recording. And then […]

"Sonmi consistently explores the delicate balance between natural humanism and the harder side of modern technology in their compositions," the band says in its bio. Now, six years into its adventure to the boundaries of electronic music (and beyond), Sonmi (Michael McBride, David Mathes, Robert Garmhausen and Nigel Gilmer) have not only produced stellar recorded […]

Celebrate both diversity and haute couture at the World Fashion Show. Stylists from Ananda Hair Salon team with local makeup artists, fashion designers and photographers for a collaborative fashion event with designs inspired by various cultures: Japan, Africa, Spain, Iceland, Russia, France and the U.S. are all represented. Twenty models, seven photographers and a videographer […]

The big news for rock/soul/groove outfit The Broadcast is that they recently finished recording a new studio album (at Echo Mountain, naturally) and will be releasing it this summer. But, because this is a band that rests little and moves lots, instead of taking it easy before that album launch, they've announced a spring tour […]

Singer-songwriter Ryan Sheffield and his band headline a night of local indie-rock. Sheffield and company recently released Telescope, an album's worth of songs that rock, Pogues-like, at turns thoughtful and tipsy. The frontman's delivery is both lithe and raspy, his lyrics skip and glide like boozy poetry, as poignant as they are fun. And each […]

There are many signs of spring around Asheville — the return of the downtown gallery crawls, hula-hoopers and outdoor seating. And this: Curve Studios 2013 Spring Open House Weekend and Twilight Party. The open house is a chance to visit the River Arts District studios belonging to Curve building artists (work includes textiles, button art, […]

During a decade as Trio Solisti, the group (violinist Maria Bachmann, cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach and pianist Jon Klibonoff) has earned the accolade of "the most exciting piano trio in America" (so says The New Yorker). They've played The Kennedy Center and The Lincoln Center; they're the founding ensemble of annual chamber music event Telluride […]

Austin, Texas-based psych-rockers Black Angels have been recognized by style magazines like Esquire and NYLON. But "Don't Play With Guns," the new single form the band's new album, Indigo Meadow, is less concerned with fashion and all about fuzzy guitars, agro drumming and a '60s garage rock-meets-futuristic no man's land sonic bombast. They play The […]

New(ish) local band Ouroboros Boys (made up of former members of Ahleuchatistas and Blind Boy Chocolate & The Milk Sheiks) calls itself "weird surf." The group explains, "We are an instrumental outfit and influenced by a range of bands from Man or Astroman and Wipers to Western sounding stuff like Calexico and the Plugz." They […]

Who doesn't love a good story? "Storytelling is not just for kids," says press for the Do Tell Festival. "This is intelligent entertainment for all ages, by some of the region's best performers." Listen to tall tales from Ronnie Pepper, Gwenda Ledbetter, Mark Twain portrayer Marvin Cole and others. Saturday, April 6 (showcase of storytellers […]

If you read Muriel Barbery's The Elegance of the Hedgehog, then you know Michael Reynolds (sort of): he edited the book for Europa Editions. The New York-based indie publishing house was founded in '05 and focuses on bringing European authors to American writers (to the tune of 30 titles per year). Reynolds has been editor-in-chief […]

Singer-songwriter Kenny Roby is the former frontman of 6 String Drag, a roots-Americana band based in Raleigh. That group's '97 album, High Hat, was co-produced by none other than Steve Earle and contributed to the band's regional acclaim. After 6 String Drag called it quits, Roby went solo and released three of his own albums […]

Locally based Galen Kipar Project (Lyndsay Pruett, Jeremy Young, Ben Portwood, Aaron Ballance and Kipar) is known for “experimental folk masterpieces" that effortlessly fuse classical, jazz and blues influences into something organic, intricate and spellbinding.” The band performed at Isis in February and wrote, on Facebook, "What a pleasure to play in such a nice-sounding […]

"We follow our hero from sickly boy to exotic, world famous adventurer — and through the tangles of truth itself," reads the press release for Shipwrecked! An Entertainment: The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself). Which is a very long name for a play but, according to director Willie Repoley, the […]

Much like life itself, Big Bad Bunny squads will rely on musicians, merchants and actors to help with their “quests through a variety of riddles, trivia, really, really, really ridiculously beautiful challenges and bad poetry.” According to press for the event, “this awesome and unique event takes teams on a journey around downtown Asheville as […]

Newly formed local band Even the Animals blends dusky Americana with softly gritty indie rock. The band's name comes from its own achingly pretty waltz-noir "Love and Loss." The group is made up of seasoned musicians: Jeff Markham (Kerouac or the Radio, The Last Call) on guitar/vocals, Kent Spillmann (Allen Thompson Band, Dave Dribbon Project) […]

Irish music group Altan has been keeping the traditional flame alight for nearly three decades. The band was formed in the late '80s, in County Donegal, by fiddler and vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (one of the foremost Gaelic language singers). Last year, Altan released Gleann Nimhe — The Poison Glen, their 11th studio album (and […]

Singer-songwriter Joshua James grew up in Nebraska, but lives on a farm in rural Utah, where, according to press, "He's learned to live off the land and appreciate a simpler pace." Which is probably a good balance to the rest of his life, where he's a folk troubadour, touring with the likes of The Swell […]