PATIO: Phuncle Sam
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE PHUNCLE SAM Asheville’s own Dead-Centric “jam band”. Since their formation in 2004, Phuncle Sam has been firmly rooted in musical exploration. The band serves up inventive interpretations of Jerry Garcia, Grateful Dead, and many others. They have built up a faithful following by using an approach that respects the improvisational traditions of The Grateful Dead, while exploring what can happen when individual band members bring their unique influences and interpretations into the mix.
Wheatus (Acoustic)
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE WHEATUS (ACOUSTIC) Born and bred on an island as densely populated as Montreal just without any of the culture, Brendan B Brown did what Andrew Carnegie did, he beat the odds. Taking the unprecedented decision of forming a band in New York City at the age of 22, Brendan took his father’s nickname of “wedus” and his mother’s penchant for rare fabrics and formed Wheatus. Wheatus became known in some circles as the greatest band to play the Mercury Lounge and eventually signed to Columbia Records who released the first two Wheatus records, kinda. After the major label life and the success of Wheatus’s debut single “Teenage Dirtbag,” Brown continued Wheatus and released five more records before the band’s renaissance would take place after “Teenage Dirtbag” was covered by One Direction. Since then, Wheatus, still led by Brown, has enjoyed a renewed interest with their songs covered by the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Sza, Jax, Ruston Kelly and touring with such acts as Dashboard Confessional, Living Colour, Everclear, and many more. Brendan B Brown has taken the success in stride and wants you to join the ride. Get in. Join the Dirtbag. GABRIELLE STERBENZ Americana singer-songwriter (and longtime member of Wheatus), Gabrielle Sterbenz, was born into a house filled with Patsy Cline. At school, she sang in a Gospel Choir, hoping to sound like Aretha Franklin. In the evenings, Gabrielle would come home and drown her sorrows in Ella Fitzgerald. When this could sustain her no longer, she hatched a plan to graduate early, headed to New York City, and began working as a backing vocalist on late night television, for Robbie Dupree, Mike Doughty, Lorde, and most notably, Wheatus (of Teenage Dirtbag fame), a band she’s been a member of since 2011. Last year, Gabrielle performed her own music in every state in the lower 48, as direct support on Wheatus’ US acoustic tour, while also serving double-duty in the band. She is currently releasing music from her second record of original music.
John R. Miller w/ Liliana Hudgens
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY JOHN R. MILLER John R Miller is a true hyphenate artist: singer-songwriter-picker. Every song on his thrilling debut solo album, Depreciated, is lush with intricate wordplay and haunting imagery, as well as being backed by a band that is on fire. One of his biggest long-time fans is roots music favorite Tyler Childers, who says he’s “a well-travelled wordsmith mapping out the world he’s seen, three chords at a time.” Miller is somehow able to transport us to a shadowy honkytonk and get existential all in the same line with his tightly written compositions. Miller’s own guitar-playing is on fine display here along with vocals that evoke the white-waters of the Potomac River rumbling below the high ridges of his native Shenandoah Valley. Depreciated is a collection of eleven gems that take us to his homeplace even while exploring the way we can’t go home again, no matter how much we might ache for it. On the album, Miller says he was eager to combine elements of country, folk, blues, and rock to make his own sound. Recently lost heroes like Prine, Walker, and Shaver served as guideposts for the songcrafting but Miller has completely achieved his own sound. The album is almost novelistic in its journey, not only to the complicated relationship Miller has with the Shenandoah Valley but also into the mind of someone going through transitions. “I wrote most of these songs after finding myself single and without a band for the first time in a long while,” Miller says. “I stumbled to Nashville and started to figure things out, so a lot of these have the feel of closing a chapter.” Miller grew up in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia near the Potomac River. “There are three or four little towns I know well that make up the region,” he says, name-checking places like Martinsburg, Shepherdstown, Hedgesville, and Keyes Gap. “It’s a haunted place. In some ways it’s frozen in time. So much old stuff has lingered there, and its history is still very present.” As much as Miller loves where he’s from, he’s always had a complicated relationship with home and never could figure out what to do with himself there. “I just wanted to make music, and there’s no real infrastructure for that there. We had to travel to play regularly and as teenagers most of our gigs were spent playing in old church halls or Ruritan Clubs.” He was raised “kinda sorta Catholic” and although he gave up on that as a teenager, he says “it follows me everywhere, still.” “Music was the first thing to turn my brain on. I’d sit by the stereo for hours with a blank audio cassette waiting to record songs I liked,” he says. “I was into a lot of whatever was on the radio until I was in middle school and started finding out about punk music, which is what I gravitated toward and tried to play through high school.” Not long after a short and aimless attempt at college, I was introduced to old time and traditional fiddle music, particularly around West Virginia, and my whole musical world started to open up.” Around the same time he discovered John Prine and says the music of Steve Earle sent him “down a rabbit hole.” From there he found the 1970s Texas gods like Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver, and Blaze Foley, the swamp pop of Bobby Charles, and the Tulsa Sound of J.J. Cale, who is probably his biggest influence. LILIANA HUDGENS
Mitchell Ferguson
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY MITCHELL FERGUSON Mitchell Ferguson is a country-soul artist from Texas whose gritty vocals and genre-blending sound have earned him comparisons to Chris Stapleton and Teddy Swims. Rooted in raw emotion and steeped in southern swagger, his music walks the line between soulful storytelling and rock-driven energy. A true independent, Ferguson built his fanbase from the ground up—connecting through viral moments, powerful live shows, and a voice that feels both familiar and fresh. He’s shared the stage with artists like Parker McCollum, Whiskey Myers, Charley Crockett, and Allen Stone, bringing an undeniable presence wherever he plays.Whether he’s delivering a stripped-down ballad or lighting up a packed venue, Mitchell brings authenticity to every line. His songs speak to heartbreak, resilience, and the messy beauty of chasing something real—and he’s only getting started. LUKE BORCHELT Luke Borchelt is a country singer, songwriter, and proud Maryland native whose music tells the story of his roots and influences. A self-taught guitarist, Luke picked up the instrument at 23 and soon began writing songs to share with those closest to him. His sound is a unique blend of classic country storytelling and the rhythmic pulse of DMV hip-hop, shaped by a diverse range of influences—from the Southern rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd to the lyrical depth of Frank Ocean and Atmosphere, to the raw authenticity of Tyler Childers. Luke’s music is a reflection of his upbringing in Maryland—honest, heartfelt, and always grounded in the experiences of real life. Whether he’s capturing the soul of the country or the grit of the streets, his work stands as a testament to the power of blending genres and staying true to his roots.
Adrian Younge
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY ADRIAN YOUNGE Adrian Younge is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, composer, and orchestrator who has produced for entertainment greats such as Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Wu Tang In 2007, Younge relinquished his position as a professor of law to find himself at the center of the Black Dynamite phenomenon. He served as the film’s editor and composer. Hailed as a modern blaxploitation masterpiece, the soundtrack was listed in the top 10 best soundtracks of the year by the LA Times. In 2011, Younge created the album, Something About April, showcasing a dark mix of psychedelic soul and cinematic instrumentals. In 2013, the project was sampled twice by Timbaland for Jay-Z’s Magna Carta… Holy Grail, solidifying Younge as a new sound in hip hop. Younge’s work has also been sampled by various artists including No I.D., DJ Premier, Schoolboy Q, and more. Younge owns and operates Linear Labs, a recording studio and label. Linear Labs reflects his dedication to the art of analog recording, utilizing analog tape and live instrumentation exclusively. Under the label, he’s produced projects for artists such as Ghostface Killah, Souls of Mischief, and The Delfonics. In 2017, Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) formed the band, The Midnight Hour. In addition to musical releases and touring, they’ve teamed to score a myriad of television and film projects: Marvel’s Luke Cage (Netflix), Raising Kanan (Starz), The Equalizer (CBS), Reasonable Doubt (Hulu), Run This Town (2019), Washington Black (2023), Boogie (2021), and Bitchin’, The Sound and Fury of Rick James (2021). Younge has also scored Black Dynamite (2009), Black Dynamite animated series (2012), California King (2023), The Big Payback (2023), Queens (ABC), All Rise (OWN), and Human Footprint (PBS). In 2019, Younge, Muhammad, Andrew Lojero and Adam Block created Jazz Is Dead (JID): a multimedia company specializing in the production of live concerts, studio albums, television and film. JID concerts have earned an ever-growing fanbase through national and international tours. Under the label, Younge and Muhammad have produced albums with their musical heroes including luminaires such as Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Gary Bartz, Jean Carne, Marcos Valle and Tony Allen. In February 2021, Younge released the seminal album, The American Negro, his most important work to date. This project, in tandem with his Amazon original podcast, Invisible Blackness and short film TAN, provides an unapologetic critique on the evolution of racism in America. The podcast features conversations with guests such as Chuck D, Roy Choi, Dr. Melina Abdullah, Wayne Brady and Mahershala Ali. For Younge, the message is more important than the music.
GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR at Pisgah Brewing Co. (outdoor stage)
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN MOVED TO PISGAH BREWING COMPANY’s OUTDOOR STAGE LOCATED AT 2948 HWY 70 IN BLACK MOUNTAIN, NC. TICKETS PURCHASED FOR ORIGINAL LOCATION (HATCH AMPHITHEATER) WILL BE HONORED. ALL AGES STANDING ROOM ONLY GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR Godspeed You! Black Emperor released a string of albums from 1997-2002 widely recognized as redefining what protest music can be, where longform instrumental chamber rock compositions of immense feeling and power serve as soundtracks to late capitalist alienation and resistance. The band’s first four releases—especially F#A#∞ (1997) and Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven (2000)—are variously regarded as classics of the era and genre. Godspeed’s legendary live performances, featuring multiple 16mm projectors beaming a collage of overlapping analog film loops and reels—along with the distinctive iconography, imagery and tactility of the band’s album artwork and physical LP packages— further defines the sui generis aesthetic substance, ethos and mythos of this group. GY!BE has issued two official band photos in its 25-year existence (the second, left, a 2010 recreation of the first from 1997) and has done a half-dozen collectively-answered written interviews over that same span. The band has never had a website or social media accounts. It has never made a video. Few rock bands in our 21st century have been as steadfast in trying to let the work speak for itself and maintaining simple rules about minimising participation in cultures of personality, exposure, access, commodification or co-optation. Following a seven-year hiatus that began in 2003, Godspeed returned to the stage in December 2010 (curating the UK festival All Tomorrow’s Parties) and the band’s post-reunion period has now lasted over a decade, marked by hundreds of sold-out live shows and four additional albums, all of which have been met with high acclaim. “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD” – the band’s fifth post-reunion album (and ninth overall) – was released on October 04, 2024.
Bones Owens
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY 7PM DOORS / 8PM SHOW BONES OWENS Bones Owens is a genre bending artist who cut his teeth playing guitar in bands before stepping into the spotlight with his own raw, blues-infused sound. Raised in rural Missouri, he honed his craft in dive bars and clubs, blending gritty Southern rock with alternative and garage-style energy. His music is built on fuzzed-out riffs, driving rhythms, and anthemic hooks that feel equally at home on a backroad or a festival stage.
U.S. Girls
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY U.S. GIRLS Originally from Illinois, Meg Remy is established as one of the most acclaimed songwriters and performers to emerge from Toronto’s eclectic underground music scene where she currently lives. As the creative force behind the musical entity U.S. Girls, her celebrated discography spans 15 years from early experimental works released on the Siltbreeze label and includes three Polaris Prize shortlisted albums on 4AD: Half Free (2015), In A Poem Unlimited (2018), and Heavy Light (2020). All three albums also garnered Juno nominations for Best Alternative Album. Remy has toured extensively through Europe and North America, establishing a reputation for politically astute commentary and theatrical performances with her extended U.S. Girls band, leading her to be named the best live act of 2018 by Paste Magazine. During this time, she has maintained a visual arts practice, exhibited collage work and directed several music videos and other video art works including her short film Woman’s Advocate (2014), in which she also performed. Recently, Remy published her first book, a memoir called Begin By Telling (2021), and she also made her first foray into film-scoring this year, having been tapped for filmmaker (and fellow Torontonian) Grace Glowicki’s surreal horror-comedy Dead Lover (which world-premiered at Sundance Film Festival and featured at SXSW). As a platform and persona, U.S. Girls operates on a uniquely out-of-time wavelength, alternately wronged and rueful, classic but contemporary, bruised vignettes of poetic Americana through a feminist lens. Her most recent album, Bless This Mess (2023), marked both a divergence from and deepening of Remy’s songbook, more at peace with her restless truths and moods. New music is set to follow in 2025. FAUN FABLES Troubadours of animist, avant-folk since 1998, FAUN FABLES are known for exquisite, visceral adventures in songwriting, live shows and theater. Their work became internationally widespread by 2004 with their Drag City Records debut ‘FAMILY ALBUM’ (2004). For over two decades, the group has seasonally toured grass roots, night club, theater & festival circuits in the USA and Europe (including stints in the UK & Oceania.) Dawn McCarthy’s voice (which THE NEW YORKER described as “one of the more compelling instruments in contemporary music”) opens hearts and minds from a whisper to a rallying battle cry into her mythical world, animated by the adventurous musicality and vocals of partner Nils Frykdahl (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum). Their new album ‘COUNTERCLOCKWISE’ marks their eighth release with Drag City; the songs and production offer the most encompassing, richly lived-in sonic world of all their releases. Their timeless ‘songtelling’ practice is entwined with a holistic view of a life in music – celebrating the mundane details of home and family, elevated by a mystical and fantastical perspective. Their daughters- growing up alongside the writing, recording and touring since infancy- now join them with vocals, flutes, keyboard, bass, percussion & dance. Guitarist/singer Arild Hammerø joins them from Norway with his elemental guitar work featured on their new album. FAUN FABLES are currently based in Nevada County, California.
LEAF Cultural Exchange
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW FREE SHOW / $10 SUGGESTED DONATION LEAF CULTURAL EXCHANGE A taste of LEAF Retreat. Artists visiting the US and resident artists will come together to share a little bit about their culture and share a small piece of music. It will be multiple acts sharing for about 15 minutes each. Some of the artists that will be participating are: Masankho from Malawi Chinobay & Dance of Hope from Uganda Las Guaracheras from Columbia LEAF Elite Steel Orchestra St Vincent and the Grenadines Danza Azteca and many more!
PATIO: Melissa Quinn Fox
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE MELISSA QUINN FOX Rising country artist Melissa Quinn Fox is known for her soulful vocals, story-driven songs, and dynamic live performances. A Pittsburgh native with a degree in Musical Theatre, she’s performed across the U.S. and Europe. Since 2021, Melissa has released two EPs and 15 singles, gaining radio play and TV features on Fox 5 and WUSA9. A five-time Wammie Award-winner, she’s opened for Brad Paisley, Phil Vassar, and more, and played major festivals like Barefoot and Carolina Country Music Fest. Currently promoting her single Reaching For The Bottle, Melissa continues to connect with fans nationwide through her music and performances.
