Emerson Woolf & the Wishbones
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY Genre-defying Emerson Woolf & the Wishbones have been categorized as many things: Indie Alternative, Folk Rock, Dark Country, and Pop Americana, to name a few. Their music forms itself around Emerson’s songwriting, and the raw lyrics and visual storytelling pull listeners in from all walks of musical appreciation. Her songs are often a collage of autobiographical and completely fantastical elements, creating a unique space that is so relatably human while also seeming otherworldly and cinematic. The band has been capturing attention in the indie music space since the release of their debut EP Not a Good Woman, and they’ve certainly managed to keep it with their recent release Too Easy to Kill, featuring Thia Kane. Since taking the leap into full-time music, Emerson Woolf & the Wishbones have released several well-received records, including their debut full-length album “Everything Must Go,” which earned them the 2023 Makin Waves Best New Artist Award. Their catalog features notable songs like “Not a Good Woman,” “Wouldn’t it Be Funny,” and “Like Louisiana Sky,” showcasing their evolving sound and emotional depth. The band’s passionate approach and connection with their audience continue to build their reputation as rising stars in the indie and Americana music scenes.
Golden Folk Sessions
ALL AGES 6PM DOORS / 7PM SHOW FULLY SEATED SHOW GOLDEN FOLK SESSIONS Golden Folk Sessions (formerly Open Folk AVL) offers an intimate, carefully curated listening experience that celebrates the art of original music. Each event showcases six handpicked artists, performing three-song sets in a quiet, seated environment where the music takes center stage. To add a sense of surprise and discovery, the lineup is revealed only when the show begins. Running from 7–9 PM, these early shows create the perfect evening for music lovers who value live performances and a good night’s rest. With over 100 shows hosted and extraordinary artists from around the globe gracing our stage, Golden Folk Sessions is entering an exciting new chapter. Under a new name and with a new home at The Grey Eagle—one of the Southeast’s most iconic venues—we’re thrilled to continue fostering community through music. Staying true to our values of accessibility, we aim to make music available to everyone. Presale tickets guarantee your seat and support both Golden Folk Sessions and The Grey Eagle. For those attending on the day of the show, our “pay what you can, if you can” option ensures that all are welcome to be part of this unique and meaningful experience. • $10 General Admission (presale) • $0-$25 Day-of-Show (no minimum) We can’t wait to see y’all there.
Golden Folk Sessions
ALL AGES 6PM DOORS / 7PM SHOW FULLY SEATED SHOW GOLDEN FOLK SESSIONS Golden Folk Sessions (formerly Open Folk AVL) offers an intimate, carefully curated listening experience that celebrates the art of original music. Each event showcases six handpicked artists, performing three-song sets in a quiet, seated environment where the music takes center stage. To add a sense of surprise and discovery, the lineup is revealed only when the show begins. Running from 7–9 PM, these early shows create the perfect evening for music lovers who value live performances and a good night’s rest. With over 100 shows hosted and extraordinary artists from around the globe gracing our stage, Golden Folk Sessions is entering an exciting new chapter. Under a new name and with a new home at The Grey Eagle—one of the Southeast’s most iconic venues—we’re thrilled to continue fostering community through music. Staying true to our values of accessibility, we aim to make music available to everyone. Presale tickets guarantee your seat and support both Golden Folk Sessions and The Grey Eagle. For those attending on the day of the show, our “pay what you can, if you can” option ensures that all are welcome to be part of this unique and meaningful experience. • $10 General Admission (presale) • $0-$25 Day-of-Show (no minimum) We can’t wait to see y’all there.
Hudson Freeman + lots of hands
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY HUDSON FREEMAN Hudson Freeman is a brooklyn-based Lofi-folk artist, inspired and forged by the DIY midwest. The 27-year-old Freeman continues to record and perform songs equal-parts resonant, reflective, and poignant. He has quickly emerged as one of indie’s most enthralling new voices. His recent full-length, is a Folk Artist, helped solidify his presence as the kind of songwriter unafraid to tackle life’s most draining contradictions: modern identity, digital disconnection, and faith. Born to Evangelical missionaries, Hudson started writing songs upon a radical break at the age of thirteen when his family suddenly moved from the suburbs of Dallas to The Kingdom of Eswatini. The profound influence of indie big-hitters like Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver as well as college years spent in Springfield, Missouri made a do-it-yourself midwesterner out of Hudson. Now, his new song “If You Know Me” has recently started drawing in attention from the masses, catapulting Freeman into a wider spotlight than ever. It’s a moody blend of bedroom pop, folk, slowcore, and post-emo, stitched together by a singular guitar riff and mantra-style lyrics, confirming Hudson’s undeniable knack for melody. lots of hands into a pretty room — lots of hands’ debut on Fire Talk Records — exists in the tear-stained early mornings of adolescence, just as the sun makes its first appearance over the horizon and thoughts of the night before begin to subside. A collage of reworked demos, freewheeling session standouts, and swatches of instrumental electronics, into a pretty room offers a touching rumination of grief and loss, growing up and letting go. Billy Woodhouse and Elliot Dryden, the core duo behind lots of hands, first connected in a Newcastle school music program at age 16. Following years of cultivating a dedicated fanbase across 3 self-released records, into a pretty room marks the duo’s first truly collaborative effort, with Dryden often trekking the vast northern English countryside to write and record in Woodhouse’s bedroom studio. Between pints of beer and rounds of Fortnite, the two slowly chipped away at into a pretty room. TORRI WEIDINGER
Sonida Gallo Negro
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY SONIDO GALLO NEGRO Sonido Gallo Negro is a band from Mexico City going back to the roots of psychedelic tropical music with guitars, eccentric organs, analog synthesizers, theremin… they mix exotic rarity and esoterism which will alter your perception and force you to dance until you get exhausted. Add to it visual hypnotics and live performance by Dr. Alderete. Since 2010, they have had multiple tours around Europe and America, visited 20 countries and more than 50 cities. Five studio albums later, they became one of the most recognized bands of Mexico City.
Trousdale: Growing Pains (Deluxe) Tour
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY Troufriends Ball VIP Experience includes: ● One (1) GA ticket ● Invitation to the Troufriends Ball, including: ● Meet & greet and photo opp with the band ● 2-song acoustic set ● Rehearsal for VIP in-show performance participation (from the audience) ● Exclusive VIP merch gifts ● 10% discount merch booth coupon, redeemable at this show only ● Commemorative VIP laminate & lanyard ● Early entry into the venue ● Hassle-free merch shopping before doors open ● Limited availability TROUSDALE For Trousdale—the trio of Quinn D’Andrea, Georgia Greene, and Lauren Jones—the ache of growing through change, of facing down existential anxiety, and matters of the heart are all intimately familiar. “We can acknowledge the strides we’ve made and be grateful, but we’ve talked a lot about how tired we are,” Jones says with a laugh. “We’ve been thinking a lot about the tension that comes with change, wanting it, fighting it, embracing it, but learning to thrive in that moment.” On Trousdale’s upcoming LP, Growing Pains (due April 11th), the band works through those struggles to find strength, courage, and growth in each other. “From what was, something new can always grow,” D’Andrea says. Opening on a ripping electric guitar and bolstered by their trademark harmonies, the title track and lead single perfectly encapsulates those feelings in the life of Trousdale. “I’m making it through the tough times when it feels like I’ve been burning out/ Trying to build up the muscle so the hustle doesn’t pull me down,” they sing, a limber bass line drawing each new syllable forward. The album was recorded largely live in the room and co-produced by the band and John Mark Nelson, a songwriter who has also co-written and produced songs for Suki Waterhouse and Shaboozey, as well as engineered tracks for the likes of Taylor Swift and Mitski. “This song was about what we feel every day in this band,” Greene says. “Being exhausted but finding beauty together.” Trousdale’s debut album, 2023’s Out of My Mind, earned raves from the likes of the Boston Globe, Consequence, and Atwood Magazine for its powerful songwriting, immaculate harmonies, and ability to bridge gaps between country and indie pop. On Growing Pains, the three songwriters evolved their style, writing rough ideas on their own, then refining and finishing them in the room together. “We’re all adding to each other’s ideas, drawing from personal experiences and then expanding them into something more people can connect with,” D’Andrea explains. To that end, second single “Secondhand Smoke” lives deeply in the story of an abusive relationship, but elevates into something far more haunting. There’s an icy chill to the acoustic guitar, the pain ringing softly into the night as the trio take on the perspective of a woman struggling to find hope. Across 12 remarkable tracks, Growing Pains stares down all the weight of its title, a trio of strong, independent women facing the threats of loneliness, broken hearts, loss, and more, and converting it into transformative, uplifting music. And as the album closes on the dazzling “Last Bloom”, Trousdale basks in the light at the end of every tunnel. “What it was will grow into something new,” they sing, radiating at the end of the journey. “It’s a reminder that even in the coldest moments, renewal is always possible,” D’Andrea explains.
Asheville Jazz Orchestra (2pm)
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW ASHEVILLE JAZZ ORCHESTRA Make your Sunday plans easy: good company, a local brew, and great live big band. The Asheville Jazz Orchestra brings an afternoon of classics from Count Basie and Duke Ellington to the high-energy charts of Buddy Rich, plus modern favorites. No late night, no rush… just a laid-back Asheville afternoon with some serious soul and groove.
Carsie Blanton
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY CARSIE BLANTON Carsie Blanton is a songwriter with hooks, chutzpah, and revolutionary optimism. A radical folk artist in the tradition of Woody Guthrie, her infectious melodies and lyrical wit keep listeners rapt while she conjures spirits of vaudeville, campfire singalongs, and punk rock. Blanton and her road-tested band deploy humor, camaraderie, and considerable musical muscle to enroll each audience in a rare vision of hope and solidarity. In addition to writing and performing music, Carsie works as a political organizer and activist. In fall of 2025, she participated in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a direct action to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza by sailboat. In early October, after a month at sea, she was imprisoned in Israel for five days along with hundreds of her comrades. Soon after, Blanton released The Little Flame, a song of solidarity covered widely on social media during her detention. The Little Flame features background vocals from Irish band Ye Vagabonds and Carsie’s Palestinian/New Zealander prison-mate Rana Hamida, and appears on her latest album, The Red Album Vol II. After two decades spent on the road, Blanton has amassed a dedicated fan base and a small menagerie of viral hits, and regularly sells out mid-size venues across the U.S. and Europe. 2026 will find her touring heavily with her own band and in collaboration with Canadian folk-punk rabblerousers The Burning Hell, as well as continuing her organizing work with Artists Against Apartheid, Party for Socialism and Liberation and others.
MAMA’s got the Blues: Back from Memphis
ALL AGES PARTIALLY SEATED SHOW OPTION OF SEATED VS STANDING TICKETS AVAILABLE AT CHECKOUT MAMA MAMA is a Soul Shakin’ Original Blues project from Asheville, NC. MAMA recently earned Second Place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN and they are excited to be back to celebrate with their community. MAMA is fronted by Melissa McKinney, a vocalist known for her raw power, emotional delivery, and genuine connection with audiences. Beyond the stage, McKinney is a respected leader in the Asheville arts community, serving as Programming Director for LEAF Global Arts, co-founder of the WTF (Women to the Front) Music Festival, and a board member of AVL Fest. MAMA is led by band leader Jonathan Lloyd of the J Lloyd Mashup. The lineup features Peter Dimery on saxophone, Andre Lyles on bass, Duane Simpson on guitar, Marcus White on keys, and Nik Hope on drums. ERIC FREEMAN Sitting down with Eric “the Blueridge Boy” Freeman and a guitar is like having access to a time machine–one that is calibrated for rural house parties and southern hoedowns that took place in the early 1900s. The man can take you on a comprehensive tour of first-generation blues artists, such as Robert Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Blake, and Mississippi John Hurt. Eric plays authentic acoustic country blues, with all the dexterity and feeling you hear on the old recordings. Eric is a bluesman, and not just when he has a guitar in his hands. “I feel that people who get out on stage and call themselves bluesmen should at least have experienced some sort of life that a bluesman did. That’s what it’s all about.” True to his words, in the two years he been in San Diego Eric has lived the blues, facing disabling back problems, a stolen guitar, a number of trips back and forth to the pawnshop, and a hostel eviction, leading to some days and nights on the street. Happily, Eric got his guitar back and is feeling good these days. Eric’s life is focused on the acoustic blues, with a specific interest in the Piedmont style that developed in and around his home state of Virginia. Eric has an encyclopedic knowledge of the blues and bluesmen (and women!) and is one person in San Diego that can hold his own in a conversation with Lou Curtiss on the subject. (I heard Lou play a series of live tracks from his extensive festival collection; in each case, Eric identified the performer within a couple bars.) Eric is equally at home picking six- and 12-string guitars, resonator or traditional, in open or standard tunings, with or without a slide. He may use a thumb pick to get some extra snap out of the strings and will even rip off a banjo tune or two when given the chance.
Pool Kids w/ Pretty Bitter
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY POOL KIDS Pool Kids’ third album, Easier Said Than Done, shimmers with emotional clarity and courage. Adrenalizing and irresistible, it brings the dynamism of the band’s live show into the studio, showcasing a style that’s unmistakably their own. Pool Kids first started playing on Tallahassee’s house show circuit. The band earned a fan in Paramore’s Hayley Williams with their debut album, 2018’s Music to Practice Safe Sex To. After they filled out to a four-piece — Andy Anaya on guitar, Nicolette Alvarez on bass, Caden Clinton on drums, and Christine Goodwyne on guitar and vocals — their 2022 self-titled record netted critical acclaim with its lush, high-contrast mixture of pop, emo, and math rock. They’ve shared stages with The Mountain Goats, PUP, Beach Bunny, and La Dispute. They hold fast to their DIY principles: Anyone can do what Pool Kids do. Anyone can start a band. For Easier Said Than Done, Pool Kids worked with producer Mike Vernon Davis (Foxing, Great Grandpa). They funded the record themselves, and spent five weeks recording in Seattle. To save money during sessions, they stayed with friends, in motels, and slept on the floor of the studio. “We did a lot of searching, playing each song a million different ways and deciding which one sounded the best,” says Goodwyne. With the completed record in hand, the band signed to Epitaph. On the thundering “Tinted Windows,” Goodwyne grits her teeth at the way spending months on tour and missing important milestones can stress close relationships. “Exit Plan” memorializes the experience of saying goodbye to friends at the end of a string of shows, knowing those powerful bonds may never feel the same again. On “Bad Bruise,” Goodwyne makes a bid for understanding: “Pretty please, empathy / Got me on my knees,” she sings while the band closes ranks around her. Powerful collectivity rings through Easier Said Than Done — in the dynamic interplay between Goodwyne and Anaya’s guitars, in Alvarez’s gravitational basslines, in Clinton’s whirling drum patterns. Pool Kids lock together into a unified force, propelling themselves forward into hard-won release. Easier Said Than Done impresses one of the most important reminders anyone can hear: You don’t have to do anything in this world alone. PRETTY BITTER Pretty Bitter was formed in Washington, D.C. after a creative partnership formed between Mel Bleker and Miri Tyler in 2017 Prior to the conception of Pretty Bitter, some members of the band were involved in the project Nah. from 2015- 2019, and during that time released a record titled Patchwork via Blossöm Records. After Nah.’s dissolution, Pretty Bitter formed and developed a local following, performing with notable bands such as The Ophelias and Sunflower Bean.
