“We need to protect visitors’ experiences with more police patrols, a continuous downtown shuttle originating from a satellite parking lot, better sidewalks, turning the pit of doom into a busking zone, etc.”
Search Results for: busking
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A look at Asheville’s creative connection to New Orleans
Longtime and recent transplants from New Orleans discuss Asheville’s appeal to creatives relocating to Western North Carolina from the The Big Easy.
Asheville buskers are singing the blues
“I have noticed a dramatic loss of buskers in this town,” said Lyle Rickards, a leader of the Asheville Buskers Collective, a loose-knit group of some 300 street performers. “This year, I’d say there are 30 buskers in town for the season. Last year, we had 100.”
Local buskers reflect on their city beats
Xpress chats with a few local buskers about the thrills and pitfalls of the art form, as well as the economic realities that come with performing on the street.
Rising Appalachia hosts its first major festival
On Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16, Appalachia Rising will headline Catalyst, an arts, education and music festival at Salvage Station. The band’s original members, Leah Song and Chloe Smith, organized the event.
From Asheville Watchdog: Merchants describe downtown Asheville’s descent into squalor and lawlessness
Today, Asheville Watchdog begins Down Town, a series that examines crime and the effects of a diminished police force; the consequences of increased homelessness and devastating drug addictions; the impact on tourism; the response by Asheville’s leaders; and the approaches used successfully in other cities.
Young adult novel brings Asheville’s street-music scene to life
Buskers, bullies, a menacing pet pig and various homages to the characters and colorful businesses that populate the Asheville downtown area show up in local author Jennie Liu’s latest young adult novel.
Letter: Morrison: Should I stay or should I go?
“Is there a particular community that might consider having me relocate there, for the mutual benefit that could be made in the future?”
Letter: New noise ordinance isn’t protecting residents
“We as residents in the city are constantly bombarded by noise, and we need an ordinance that lets us enjoy our residences without this excessive noise intrusion.”
Letter: How it sounds behind the drum kit
“I point my speaker toward what used to be the Vance Monument. I find that I have to turn up the volume a bit just so that I can hear the music with which I’m playing. I may be violating a noise ordinance, and if anyone asked me to turn it down, I would do so.”
Buskers, downtown businesses grapple over amplification
Buskers are visible ambassadors of Asheville’s artistic community, and some downtown businesses say street performances create a convivial atmosphere. But for others who live and work downtown, amplified sound is a daily cacophony.
Sound and the Fury: Has amplification marred the busking scene?
Some days in downtown Asheville, amplified music dominates the sonic landscape. That means businesses and residents can be subject to hours of loud performances each day. We spoke with downtown workers, city officials and buskers about the balance between art and noise.
What’s new in food: MANNA FoodBank hosts latest Outpace Hunger campaign
“MANNA is serving an average of 100,000 people per month through our network of 200-plus partner agencies,” says Kelly Schwartz, MANNA FoodBank’s special events manager. “With the rising cost of groceries, the need is still critical, especially for working families, seniors and veterans on a fixed budget.” With that in mind, MANNA is preparing for its […]
Is Asheville truly one of the nation’s top music cities?
Asheville’s omission from a recent Best Music Cities study prompts questions from local industry leaders.
Women artists find creative solutions to music industry challenges
It’s no secret that women in the music industry have faced adversity, misogyny, fewer opportunities and less recognition than their male counterparts. But that hasn’t stopped female-identifying creatives from carving out niches on stages, playlists and within all facets of the music scene.
Temporary Asheville space-sharing may become long term
The AVL Shares Space program expanded business operations onto public sidewalks and parking spaces, loosened minimum parking requirements so that businesses could use their own parking lots for expansion and created temporary curbside pick-up zones in downtown and West Asheville to accommodate increases in takeout sales.
Street performers contemplate their future in Asheville
Local buskers chat with Xpress about the current challenges they face in Asheville. From the pandemic to robbery, life as a street artist isn’t always an upbeat song.
Sidewalk Strummers: Local buskers discuss their future in Asheville
For decades, buskers have performed on the sidewalks of downtown Asheville. But for many current street performers, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, continued development, rising crime rates and the city’s impending noise ordinance all spell trouble for Asheville’s busking community.
Asheville music venue operators unite for music + community artwork
Press release from Harrah’s Cherokee Center — Asheville: I wanted to reach out about a recent collaboration among our fellow music venue operators to spread some love back into Asheville with a new printed banner in downtown Asheville. “Our Asheville Starts With Music, Love, & YOU” is a joint effort between Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, […]
Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela return to Asheville
What’s often revelatory about Rodrigo y Gabriela’s music, whether it’s an interpretation or an original, is how internalized and personal it all feels, like they’re sharing a lingua franca made for two.
Acoustic Asheville: Adi the Monk
To celebrate the release of his latest record, ‘Soul of the City Streets,’ Adi the Monk gave an exclusive, four-song performance at The Grey Eagle