Now in its sixth year, the annual Americana Burlesque & Sideshow Festival returns, Friday-Sunday, May 25-27, to venues around Asheville, with a weekend’s worth of burlesque, circus arts, live music, fire performance and more. There are also workshops for the studious (everything from tassel twirling to hula hooping, for $20-$25 per session) and an array […]

Winner of the 2009 San Francisco Comedy Competition, Tom Simmons' material ranges from his own young son to grocery shopping to politics. “I’m a likable misanthrope, a contrarian who believes we are doing it all wrong. And it’s just fun pointing that out through jokes,” he says in his bio. He's kind of a lovable […]

While the upcoming Decline of WNC show isn't necessarily the one to which you'd bring your visiting-from-out-of-town-Mary-Kay-saleswoman-of-the-quarter-Aunt-Betty, it's still a show with a lot of heart. Four bands perform a benefit for beleagured West Asheville venue The Get Down. The lineup includes B.F.O. ('90s Asheville alt-rockers Biltmore Forest Overdrive), Maggie Valley-based metal group Vic Crown, […]

Part neighborhood walk, part art exhibition, the Kenilworth Artists Studio Stroll (started in 2008) introduces the creations and working spaces of 22 artists based in historic, hilly Kenilworth. Included on the route are 92-year-old flute maker Red Ute; husband and wife collaborators Ann and Sandy Batton, who make fantastical clay forms; and Robert Kline, who […]

The AHOPE writers workshop (geared toward people who are dealing with homelessness or who have recently moved into apartments after being homeless) experiments with different literary styles to help non-writers develop their voices. Group facilitator Annie Fahy says, "Writing and art can save your life." Members of the AHOPE writers workshop will share their work […]

Now in its third year, the annual Songsmith Gathering has a dual mission: to bring together talented singer-songwriters for a night of music, and to benefit SAFE, an agency that works to end domestic violence and sexual abuse. This year's songsmiths are Americana artist Moses Atwood and world music composer Chris Rosser (both from Asheville) […]

R. Ring is a side project that is very much the sum of its parts. Still, the way those pieces are put together may surprise you. The strung-out folk duo consists of Breeders guitarist and back-up singer Kelley Deal and Ampline guitarist Mike Montgomery. In R. Ring, Deal approaches the style of sister and Breeders […]

Asheville’s own Ten Hollow make the kind of rock we music critics are trained to hate. The singing of Dave Dribbon settles into the middle ground between Rod Stewart’s raspy melodrama and Edwin McCain’s form-fitted warble. The arrangements are all strident guitars, shimmery organ and wilting pedal steel. They move with unfettered simplicity and uninhibited […]

As a man who is critical of both his beer and his music, I unabashedly endorse the pairing of Pisgah Brewing Company and Steep Canyon Rangers. This shindig on Pisgah’s outdoor stage celebrates the releases of both Nobody Knows You, the Rangers’ first independent full-length since last year’s collaboration with Steve Martin, and the Steep […]

Self-described “island-infused drum ‘n' bass gospel ninja soul” artist Zach Deputy recorded his singer-songwriter album, Another Day (expect ballads, mid-tempo songs and R&B), with a full band. But his upcoming tour is all about his one-man show, a feat of live-looping prowess. According to press, Deputy's new songs appeal to “to fans of contemporary artists […]

That the John McEuen and Sons show is billed as a Mother's Day concert sounds funny at first, but really, why not? Take mom out to see Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founding member/multi-instrumentalist McEuen — the guy has a lot of celebrate. He and sons Jonathan and Nathan (two of McEuen's seven kids) recently recorded […]

This coming weekend marks the beginning of the second decade for the Weaverville Art Safari, a gallery crawl and driving tour in one. This season, 41 artists open their studios to demonstrate and sell works ranging from jewelry and blown glass, to furniture and fiber art. See hollow log birdhouses by Howard Atwood, functional baskets […]

World-touring electronic musicians and local artists perform side by side at the Mountain Skies electro-music festival, which spans two days of performances accompanied by live video, demonstration and workshops. The lineup includes (among others) Egyptronica duo Machine Eat Man, found objects experimental artist Joo Won Park (pictured), Kevin Kissinger on theremin and local artist Chris […]

Fanaticon will not return to Asheville this year, but never fear, Geek Out is here. The two-day event, a "celebration of comics, gaming, art, costuming, film and animation" leaps into action to fill the void. Friday, May 11 is a preview day, with a kickoff party at ZaPow!, a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture […]

Luther Dickinson (guitarist for The North Mississippi Allstars and The Black Crowes) is a busy guy. He hosts "Guitar Xpress" on MagRack, he was named a "guitar god" by Rolling Stone, he tours with two bands plus sits in with others (John Hiatt, The South Memphis String Band) and still has time for a side […]

Guitarist Pierre Bensusan was born in French Algeria and grew up in Paris. Bensusan taught himself guitar at age 11 and, while still a teen, recordde his debut album, Près de Paris. According to his press release, "His name became synonymous with contemporary acoustic guitar genius, long before the terms New Age, New Acoustic Music […]

Frontman Josh Ricchio describes his songwriting style as "catchiness incarnate," which is a pretty good summation of Brooklyn-based trio Freak Owls. The tracks on the band's new six-song EP, Orchestrates, range from jangly, dance-y pop to softer, moodier orchestral numbers. Lyrics are cinematic, vocals are layered and sweeping, instruments are textural, delicate and sonically intriguing. […]

The theme of this spring's Lake Eden Arts Festival is "celebrating the blues" and the lineup includes blues great Taj Mahal, Afrobeat heir Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans. Local acts are Town Mountain, Zansa, Carey Fridley & Down South, Big Nasty Band and others. Plus, there's a […]

Local Americana outfit (really, more country than alt-county) The Honeycutters return with sophomore album, When Bitter Met Sweet. The band is helmed by singer-songwriter Amanda Platt and guitarist Peter James. Expect more of what made the Honeycutters' debut, Irene, so great: Solid, straightforward musicianship, grounded-yet-touching songwriting, shades of longing and familiarity, mournful pedal steel and […]

It may be hard to believe, but local newgrass band Acoustic Syndicate is about to hit a major milestone: its 20th anniversary. In a way, the band goes back even further than that since Bryon (vocals, banjo, guitar) and Fitz (vocals, percussion) McMurry are cousins and Steve McMurry (vocals, guitar, mandolin) is a cousin. According […]