Todd Sheaffer (Railroad Earth) & Chris Thompson (Coral Creek)
– ALL AGES- FULLY SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATS AVAILABLETODD SHEAFFER (RAILROAD EARTH) & CHRIS THOMPSON (CORAL CREEK) Esteemed songwriter and Railroad Earth front man, Todd Sheaffer, hits the road playing a run of solo shows along with Colorado songwriter Chris Thompson of CORAL CREEK. These intimate shows feature the songs that have made Railroad Earth one of the hottest tickets on the Newgrass and Jamband festival circuit, presented by Sheaffer in a solo format with instrumental accompaniment by Thompson on guitar & bass. The show includes two sets of original music, with Thompson kicking off the evening followed by Sheaffer performing solo and with accompaniment. As any Todd fan would expect, every show is different and each performance takes the audience for an ride down the Railroad Earth and From Good Homes catalog.
Gangstagrass
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYGANGSTAGRASS“Suppose, just suppose, you could take a little of everything that’s great about this country and distill it. The creativity, the ingenuity, the strength of the struggles of so many of its people — indigenous, enslaved or otherwise. And then take that distilled energy and creativity and transform it to musical form. What would you say if I told you that it’s being done?” – R-SON the Voice of Reason Gangstagrass brings together two kinds of American music and creates a third, greater than the sum of the parts. Developed as a studio project 15 years ago by Brooklyn-based producer Rench, Gangstagrass grew into a dynamic and spontaneous live band of Americans — from Omaha Nebraska, Pensacola Florida, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Washington DC — who have become close friends. Several work hard at other jobs (one teaches computer programming, another works at a comic book shop) to support their passion for making music, and four are dads, with kids ranging in age from baby through starting college. The band has released six full-length albums with dozens of appearances on the Billboard Top 10 bluegrass chart. Gangstagrass tracks have featured Nitty Scott MC, Dead Prez, Demeanor, Kaia Kater, and legendary rap team Smif-N-Wessun among others. Rench, the Brooklyn-based country and hip-hop producer who is the Mastermind behind Gangstagrass, crafted the instantly-recognizable Long Hard Times to Come featuring T.O.N.E-z that opened every episode of FX show Justified and earned Gangstagrass a 2010 Emmy nomination for Best Theme Song – more proof that Gangstagrass “paved the Old Town Road.” Putting down roots and branching out across never-before-bridged genres, Gangstagrass has delighted crowds and has blown minds across the world, garnering a reputation among fans for dynamism and spontaneity. From SXSW to Grey Fox to the Americana Festival to music festivals abroad, these live performances explode the boundaries between genres generally thought to be incompatible. Howie Mandel described Gangstagrass as “the recipe that America has been looking for until now” and “what America needs right now!”Taking full advantage of the improvisational aspects and virtues of both hip-hop and bluegrass, including frequent three-part harmonies, MCs Dolio the Sleuth and R-SON the Voice of Reason trade verses and freestyle alongside the unparalleled skills of fellow vocalists Dan Whitener on banjo, B.E. Farrow on fiddle, and Rench on guitar and beats. The new Gangstagrass album No Time for Enemies was released in August 2020 and quickly rose to #1 on the Billboard bluegrass charts, as the band continues to explore new sonic territory while showing how amazing the sound of America is when it all comes together.
Acoustic Syndicate: Annual Thanksgiving Homecoming
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYACOUSTIC SYNDICATE Acoustic Syndicate is a musical institution. Since 1994, their unique blend of bluegrass instruments, rock sensibilities, and conscious songwriting has inspired a generation of musicians. Through 8 albums, thousands of performances, and tens-of-thousands of miles, Acoustic Syndicate has long been heralded as one of the important influences on the modern roots-music revival. Always a family affair, the band is fronted by Steve McMurry on guitar and vocals, and his cousin Bryon McMurry on banjo, guitar, and vocals. Their signature three-part blood harmony is rounded out by Bryon’s brother Fitz on drums and vocals. Multi-instrumentalist Jay Sanders holds down the bass with deep pocket and style. “Their modern take on traditional bluegrass and rock values culminates in a glimmering, driving sound rich with acoustic textures and glowing vocals,” said Paul Kerr, of JamBase. If there was ever a band that could capture the universal truths of life from the roots up, it’s Acoustic Syndicate.
The Arcadian Wild
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLETHE ARCADIAN WILDLed by songwriters Isaac Horn and Lincoln Mick, Nashville-based acoustic quartet The Arcadian Wild confidently inhabits and explores an intersection of genre, blending the traditional with the contemporary in order to create a unique acoustic sound that is simultaneously unified and diverse. Combining elements of progressive bluegrass, folk, and formal vocal music, The Arcadian Wild offer up songs of invitation; calls to comeand see, to find refuge and rest, or to journey and wonder.
Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives at The Outpost
– THE OUTPOST (521 AMBOY RD)- PARTIALLY SEATED SHOW – VIP & PREMIUM SEATING OPTIONS- $1 PER TICKET GOES TO BENEFIT CONGRESS OF COUNTRY MUSIC MARTY STUARTMarty Stuart is a five-time GRAMMY-winner, platinum recording artist, AMA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Grand Ole Opry star, country music archivist, photographer, musician and songwriter. Since starting out singing gospel as a child, Stuart has spent over four decades celebrating American roots music. His teenage years on tour with bluegrass legend Lester Flatt in the ’70s were followed by six years in Johnny Cash’s band in the ’80s and a chart-topping tenure as a solo artist in the ’90s. Stuart hosts a Late Night Jam at The Ryman each year to kick off the CMA Music Festival. Recent guests include Dolly Parton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neko Case, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Maren Morris, Dan Auerbach and many more.TAYLOR MARTIN AND SONG DOGS Taylor Martin brings you music with a beating heart. His raspy, emotion filled voice is instantly recognizable and his lyrics have an unflinching sincerity. His band Song Dogs features Lyndsay Pruett on fiddle, Matt Dufon on bass, Phil Alley on guitar, and Atlanta’s drummer Richie Jones. The Song Dogs carry one of Asheville’s most respected songwriters through a mosaic of Americana music. “THE BIG CHIEF SPECIAL” VIP PACKAGE:*One (1) Premium Seat, with admission to a private pre-show event at venue featuring a two-song performance by Marty And His Superlatives, along with a Q&A storytelling session with Marty and Band *One (1) VIP Laminate and Lanyard *Crowd Free Merchandise Shopping *One (1) 8X10 Personalized Photo This event is rain or shine. Please follow social media for weather alerts, delays or updates. CLEAR BAG POLICY :: Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and can not exceed 12” x 6” x 12” in size. Also allowed are small purses or clutches that are no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”. Parenting bags, and medical bags are permitted. All bags are subject to search. PARKING & DIRECTIONS :: Parking/shuttle will run from Sun Heating Supply (223 Amboy Rd). Please park all the way at the top of the hill. This parking area is just a short walk to the venue, but there will also be a shuttle operating to help get everyone to the venue. BIKING & RIDE SHARE :: We strongly encourage ticket holders to carpool, bike or use a rideshare service (i.e Uber, Lyft). Racks will be available or those biking in. FOOD & BEVERAGE :: Food and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) will be available for purchase on-site. Underage drinking will not be tolerated. Drink responsibly and have a designated driver.
The Weight Band (ft members of The Band and Levon Helm Band)
– ALL AGES- PARTIALLY SEATED SHOWTHE WEIGHT BAND Performing original songs as well as classics of The Band, The Weight Band is led by Jim Weider, a 15-year former member of The Band and the Levon Helm Band. The Weight Band originated in 2013 inside the famed Woodstock barn of Levon Helm. Weider was inspired by Helm to carry on the musical legacy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group. On their new album, Shines Like Gold, The Weight Band presents a dynamic set of classic Americana that draws upon roadhouse rock, funky swamp pop, blues, country soul and folk music. Composed of band leader, renowned guitarist Jim Weider (The Band, Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble Band, Jim Weider Band), keyboardist Brian Mitchell (Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble Band), bassist Albert Rogers (Jim Weider Band, Jimmy Vivino), drummer Michael Bram (Jason Mraz) and keyboardist Matt Zeiner (Dickey Betts), the veteran quintet shares a deep appreciation and knowledge for this music, which Weider describes as the “Woodstock Sound.” The Weight Band continues to serve as its torchbearer, with Shines Like Gold representing a sublime example of these masterful roots musicians at work. The Weight Band recorded Shine Like Gold live at Clubhouse Studios in Rhinebeck, NY, over four days – with minimal rehearsal during the height of the pandemic in 2020. Producer Colin Linden, an award-winning musician and Weider’s longtime collaborator and co-writer on several of the album tracks, was in Nashville. The arrangement, however, worked out perfectly, according to Weider. “He had a big hand and footprint on this record. Weider added, “We go back, so there is a comfortableness working with him.” In 2017, The Weight Band performed on the PBS series Infinity Hall Live. The following year, their self-produced debut, World Gone Mad, was released to strong reviews. Billboard called it “excellent” while Goldmine Magazine hailed World Gone Mad as one of the year’s best indie albums. Most recently, the Weight Band put out Acoustic Live in 2021. This 11-track album features five songs recorded at the Big Pink on October 25, 2019, and six songs recorded the following night in Levon Helm’s barn/studio. Performances include memorable versions of “World Gone Mad,” Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited,” Jerry Garcia’s “Deal,” and several Band covers. The Weight Band’s origins are tied to Woodstock and some of its most famous inhabitants, The Band. Weider, a Woodstock native, served as The Band’s lead guitarist from 1985-2000, following Robbie Robertson’s departure. In the late 00s, he replaced Jimmy Vivino in the Levon Helm Band, which already included Mitchell. The connections extend further, as Rogers shared the stage with Helm and Hudson while in The Jim Weider Band and Bram drummed in the Chris O’Leary Band, an off-shoot of Helm’s band The Barnburners. Following Helm’s death in 2012, Weider performed a few “Songs of The Band” concerts, which included Vivino, Byron Isaacs, Randy Ciarlante and Garth Hudson. The shows were so well received that Weider started the first version of The Weight Band with Ciarlante, Isaacs, Mitchell, and keyboardist Marty Grebb. Over the next several years, the group shifted from playing mainly Band songs to their originals. Along the way, band membership shifted too. When Isaacs left for the Lumineers, Rogers came aboard. Bram joined the group after Ciarlante’s departure. Following World Gone Mad’s release, Grebb bowed out and Zeiner stepped in.
Bonny Light Horseman at Asheville Masonic Temple
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- AT ASHEVILLE MASONIC TEMPLEBONNY LIGHT HORSEMAN By the time Anaïs Mitchell, Josh Kaufman, and Eric D. Johnson first convened as Bonny Light Horseman in 2018, each member already had the kind of career about which they once only dreamed. Mitchell, for instance, had made a string of fetching albums at the vanguard of modern folk songcraft, even before her musical Hadestown became a Broadway runaway. As a producer and multi-instrumentalist, Kaufman had worked with a dazzling array of heroes and peers, from Bob Weir and The National to The War on Drugs and Josh Ritter. And for nearly a quarter-century, Johnson had penned intricate indie pop as Fruit Bats. But Mitchell had never been in any band that wasn’t playing only her songs. Johnson had long been focused only on his band (assorted collaborations like The Shins notwithstanding), its sole constant member. And Kaufman largely worked to enhance the visions and hopes of others’ bands. Bonny Light Horseman the band, then, offered that very rare adult opportunity—to learn something new with new friends, with a safety net waiting beneath as needed. No net, of course, would prove necessary: Bonny Light Horseman’s self-titled 2020 debut was a modern folk masterclass, with the trio reimagining centuries-old transatlantic standards with effortless grace and endless wonder. Perfect timing for the trio or perfect chemistry among its members? Who’s to say, really? Yes? Either way, those GRAMMY-nominated, list-topping recordings not only suggested renewed possibilities for aging songbooks but also marked the arrival of a trio fully capable of reorienting the wider folk landscape. Still, if Bonny Light Horseman felt at all like the work of some short-lived supergroup or a one-off diversion (it never was), Rolling Golden Holy rebuffs the notion with preternatural beauty, charm, and imagination. These 11 songs—all originals, written and realized by the trio as a whole—follow the paths of the traditional tunes the band cherishes to new musical and lyrical frontiers, and give the sounds and situations of history the gravity and shape of now. Rolling Golden Holy confirms that Bonny Light Horseman is not a project but a band, and one presently working at the forefront of modern American folk. JOAN SHELLEYJoan Shelley is a songwriter and singer who lives near Louisville, Ky., not far from where she grew up. She draws inspiration from traditional and traditionally-minded performers from her native Kentucky, as well as those from Ireland, Scotland, and England, but she’s not a folksinger. Her disposition aligns more closely with that of, say, Roger Miller, Dolly Parton, or her fellow Kentuckian Tom T. Hall, who once explained—simply, succinctly, in a song—“I Witness Life.” Shelley has crossed the country and toured Europe several times as a headlining artist, typically with guitarist Nathan Salsburg, and sharing shows with the likes of Jake Xerxes Fussell, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, The Other Years, and Michael Hurley. She has opened for Wilco, Chris Smither, Patty Griffin, Andrew Bird and Richard Thompson and has appeared as a guest on WTF with Marc Maron, Fresh Air and Later… with Jools Holland. Her new album The Spur was released in June 2022.
Red Clay Strays: Way Too Long Tour
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYRED CLAY STRAYS With a sound as classic as the crackling of a Sun Records vinyl still spinning somewhere in Memphis, yet as fresh as the musical stylings of the 21st century, The Red Clay Strays are busy making waves with their spellbinding and genre-bending brand of tunes. Reminiscent of the vibrant heyday of southern music, the band finds their origins in the styles of classic country, rockabilly, and gospel-fed soul all the while ushering in a new era of rock-and-roll that is as distinctive as the men who form it. Born and bred in the red dirt clay of south Alabama, Brandon Coleman (lead vocals/guitar), Drew Nix (vocals/electric guitar/harmonica), Zach Rishel (electric guitar), Andrew Bishop (bass) and John Hall (drums), blended their unique individualities and influences together to create a band with a rare sincerity that is not often seen in today’s industry. They have spent the past five years cutting their teeth in the Gulf Coast music scene while simultaneously running the roads discovering who they are and where they belong in the world as they plant roots in towns big and small across the country by burning down every stage they step on—proverbially, of course. Their high-energy, emotive stage presence is as lively as their melodies, though they possess an uncanny knack for tuning into their softer side when the song warrants it. Whether the song has listeners tapping their toes and shaking their hips as in previous singles such as “Good Godly Woman” and “Doin’ Time,” or tugging on the heartstrings in ballads like “Wondering Why” and “Heavy Heart” off their upcoming debut album, the band displays their penchant for storytelling in any song they sing. For The Red Clay Strays, music is simply a way of life—they eat, sleep, live, and breathe it—which is emphasized by their passionate artistic integrity as there is evidently nowhere else they would rather be. At best, they are well on their way to being America’s next big thing, but at the heart of the matter they’re just five guys from Mobile, Alabama who want to play their music and fellowship with people while they do it.Meg McRee After attending Vanderbilt University on a full academic scholarship, Meg McRee traded her newly earned degree for the pursuit of an unpredictable dream as a songwriter. After a few years of waitressing at The Listening Room and nannying in between co-writes, McRee was validated as more than a driven idealist with the signing of her first publishing deal at Hang Your Hat, a creative joint venture with Concord Music Publishing and hit-songwriter Hillary Lindsey. Since, her musical prowess has earned her cuts with Grace Potter, Elle King, Caylee Hammack, Paul Cauthen, Carter Faith, Ben Chapman, Lauren Watkins, Harper O’Neill and more. As she proved her chops in the writing room, McRee toured singing background vocals and playing fiddle with Ben Chapman and Hailey Whitters before making the leap into her own artistic journey with the recording and release of her debut record Is It Just Me?, an album founded upon pleasantly unpredictable melodies, inquisition, and warm-hearted poetry that will make your feelings make sense.
Rooster at The Outpost
– ALL AGES- THE OUTPOST (521 AMBOY RD)- FREE / $10 SUGGESTED DONATION AT DOORROOSTERAsheville band Rooster is Annie Myers and Erin Kinard and was formed in 2016 around a campfire, but the two had performed separately for many years prior. Since then, they have performed throughout Western North Carolina, creating new songs and arrangements of beloved Americana. They perform an energetic combination of folk country and classic Americana, driven by their powerful vocal harmony and soulful drum/guitar instrumentation. Rooster’s debut album ‘Bloodroot’ was recorded in Swannanoa in 2019, released in March of 2020 and made it on WNCW’s top 100 albums of that year. Their orchestrations are clean and uncluttered, but with a raw, gritty edge. They seem right at home in a coffee house, wine bar, brew pub, honky-tonk or at a backyard barbecue.
Dave Desmelik at The Outpost
– ALL AGES- THE OUTPOST (521 AMBOY RD)- FREE / $10 SUGGESTED DONATION AT DOORDAVE DESMELIK “A superb example of all that is good in Roots/Americana music today.” -lonesomehighway.com Dave Desmelik is a singer-songwriter and instrumentalist whose musical focus is on original compositions. What attracts listeners to Desmelik’s tunes, old and new, is the element of authenticity incorporated in them. There is no sugar coating involved. His songs are not wrapped in false smiles, rather they are stark and open and tend to settle on the pulse of everyday life. An unclosed and evolving journal of thoughts set to music and melodies in prose and instrumental performance. If you listen to Dave Desmelik’s songs, whether lyrical or instrumental, you may become pleasantly fixed in the simplistic realness of them and if you hear Desmelik in a live setting you may realize that there are no tricks, just a genuine venture into the highs and lows of life.
