It's the third year for this annual festival, and this time around it's held in memory of late Swannanoa resident John Heffner. The festivities take place at Shovelhead Saloon (2898 U.S. Highway 70, Black Mountain) on Saturday, Sept. 24, starting at noon. The Krektones, The Go Devils, As Sick As Us, Campaign 1984 and others […]

After collaborating with the likes of Madonna, New Order and Seal; after a Grammy nomination, owning a record label and being the driving force behind successful acts like Sasha … what do you do? Apparently you play BoBo Gallery. At least that's what British dance music innovator Barry Jamieson is doing. On Friday, Sept. 23 […]

The group Voices from the American Land uses poetry to “move the message of the land,” which means to celebrate and protect the environment. The organization hosts educational activities and readings, and publishes collections of writings about the environment. The most recent of these, Every Breath Sings Mountains, is set to launch on Friday, Sept. […]

No, it's not a city that exists inside a giant library, nor is it a rogue (though literary) robot. BookOpolis is the annual showcase of contemporary book arts and original prints at Asheville Bookworks (428 1/2 Haywood Road). The grand reception and unveiling takes place on Friday, Sept. 23, 6-9 p.m. An open house is […]

When The Magnetic Theatre says adult comedy, they're not joking about mature themes. Shangri-La, a premiere by local playwright Lucia Del Vecchio, is set in a senior citizen retirement trailer park in Florida. According to press, the characters "deal with nosy neighbors, gossip, possibly inappropriate behavior and dress, Internet dating, golden years’ love and sex, […]

The year was 1981, Reagan was president and a trio of Senate staffers set out to stage a holiday program of songs and skits that parodied the headlines of the day, along with many of their coworkers. And so The Capitol Steps was born, and continues to this day. The group has so far released […]

Although "play" is in the name, an Asheville Playback show is not your typical theatrical performance. To start with, there's no script. "At a playback show you will encounter real life rather than a scripted production," says an explanation of the event. "The actors and musicians improvise, guided and inspired by true life/personal stories provided […]

It's been a long time coming, but the several-times-delayed production of Pete 'n' Keely is finally on stage at Altamont Theatre Company. The off-Broadway show, set in 1968, is the story of "America's swingin' sweethearts" who reunite on a live TV special to relive their career highlights, despite the fact that they haven't spoken since […]

When you think of reggae you probably don't immediately consider the tropical breezes of Savannah, Ga., or the production techniques of various enduring punk bands. But Passafire might just change that. The Savannah-based reggae-rockers (formed in 2003 by SCAD students) just-released fourth album Start From Scratch under the tutelage of Butthole Surfers, Sublime and Meat […]

Last in Asheville for the inaugural Moogfest, Pretty Lights (aka composer/producer Derek Vincent Smith) returns with a new electro-hip-hop-soul show. Smith debuted cutting-edge material (new sounds, styles and techniques) at Bonnaroo early this summer, and in the months since, he's been refining and evolving the live performance. And there's a visual component (otherwise, what would […]

Blues legend Ironing Board Sam doesn’t actually play the laundry essential — but he did use that tool to build his own makeshift organ-style instrument. Hence the nickname, and the start of a decades-long career in blues, boogie-woogie and R&B. Ironing Board Sam will be at White Horse Black Mountain on Saturday, Sept. 17, for […]

Though, by name alone, Xiu Xiu sounds like it should be a band from China (in Chinese, a xiu is a terrace garden bar), the group is actually an art-rock quintet from San Jose. According to press, "The band's name is taken from the 1998 Chinese film, Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl. …The majority […]

It's all about the alchemy of beer and movies … and bikes: Clips of Faith is brewery New Belgium's "outdoor evening with artistic beers and films" — and it benefits local cyclist advocacy group Asheville on Bikes. (Last year, Clips of Faith raised nearly $2,400 for AoB.) This year's event takes place on Friday, Sept. […]

Mountain Song Festival brings in some big names to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County. Local bluegrass-boys-gone-big the Steep Canyon Rangers host the fest, and perform with some of the biggest names in the genre. Tim O’Brien, Dehlia Low and the Carolina Chocolate Drops are on the bill this year. Oh yeah, […]

After a huge success last year (an audience of more than 6,000!), the Asheville Symphony Orchestra and Pack Square Park Conservancy announce the return of the free Labor Day concert in Pack Square Park. The performance includes soloists from the Asheville Lyric Opera, soprano Jennifer Davison and tenor Scott Joiner, singing selections from West Side […]

Austin, Texas-based Whiskey Shivers plays the kind of Americana/bluegrass that shreds fiddle bows and wears holes in guitars. They also have a sense of humor (check out the video for "Gimme All Your Lovin," from upcoming album Batholith, on YouTube). "Whiskey Shivers is a rip roarin' string band cyclone, guaranteeing a high energy, down-home time," […]

Bestselling fantasy fiction author Terry Brooks has penned dozens of novels set 2,000 years after an apocalypse in the mythical world of the Four Lands (a futuristic-meets-medieval North America). The epic Shannara series takes its name from the noble elven family from whom many of the characters descend. Brooks reads at Malaprop's on Tuesday, Sept. […]

In case you didn't get it from the band's name, Big Sam's Funky Nation is all about funk. The high-energy New Orleans quintet is led by trombonist Sammie Williams who's been a member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and has toured with the likes of Karl Denson, Widespread Panic and James Brown. Big Sam’s […]

Even though Chicano rockers Los Lonely Boys only debuted in 2003, they've already had a gold single, sold millions of albums, won a Grammy and opened for the Rolling Stones. Now the trio (brothers Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza) returns with its fourth studio album, Rockpango. The album is getting some mixed reviews, but reviewers […]

Soulful rock outfit The Broadcast takes on a five-week residency at Pisgah Brewing this September. Every Thursday, the powerhouse six-piece will play with a different guest band on the inside stage, including Atlanta-based Stokeswood, Big Daddy Love, The Black Cadillacs and more. How will you get there? Ride the 360 Party Bus, of course! The […]