Instead of a packed house, musician April Bennett and local hip-hop band Lyric played to a nearly empty space at the Orange Peel for the May 15 livestream of Downtown After 5. “It was definitely weird playing in one of the biggest rooms in the city with no people in it except for the staff who were recording it,” she remarks with a laugh. “But I was really glad for that [opportunity]. It was definitely a much-needed morale boost during these crazy, crazy times.”
Downtown After 5 goes digital to kick off its 2020 concert series with a pair of local bands.
This year’s Xpand Fest takes place Saturday, June 8, in the South Slope neighborhood. Nashville-based funk-rock collective Dynamo headlines a lineup of otherwise Asheville-area entertainment.
“Rah Amen is fundraising to create more concerts, inviting people to come together in celebration of humanity, diversity and acceptance. Check the Ambrose West calendar and don’t miss the next one!”
The local funk/soul/hip-hop band plays Highland Brewing Co. on Jan. 5.
The final live music roundup of 2018 features four local acts playing in Asheville.
The G Funk legend plays The Grey Eagle on Dec. 5.
Catch the front woman of April B. & the Cool at One World Brewing Co. on Friday, Aug. 17, at 8 p.m.
April B. and The Cool performs as part of the local series on Thursday, June 21.
That initial version of April B. & The Cool “started as a project for my senior seminar and just stuck,” says frontwoman April Bennett. The group has been going strong, albeit with a level of fluidity in its structure, since 2015.
