PATIO: Stephen Evans & The True Grits (CD Release Show)
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDSTEPHEN EVANS & THE TRUE GRITS After many years of vacillating between being a professional musician and building a nest in Asheville, NC, Stephen Evans finally asked his friends, Brian Shoemaker (bass), Sam Hess (drums), and Woodstock (mandolin), to form the True Grits and make some music together in 2014. The very next year, Stephen Evans & the True Grits released their first LP “Something to Bleed”. Inspired to release more music, they followed two years later with their EP “Under the Bridge.” Both records have received local and regional praise for their passion and creativity. Stephen’s strong melodic songwriting style is a blend of vivid imagery, darkness, and hopeful optimism. There’s no denying the feeling that shines through with his evocative vocals and lyrics. Songs like ‘Ghost Among the Trees’, ‘The Garden’, ‘Cherokee Hills’, ‘Shining Star’, and ‘1000 Roses’ are beacons of his folk rock song craft. With radio play on Western North Carolina radio stations, as well as shows around the region, Stephen Evans & the True Grits are becoming a local favorite. “Buzz of Bees” is their latest album, released in December of 2022, of folk rock with some songs dipping their toes into other styles like Americana, Latin Folk, and Vaudeville. Singles from the LP, ‘Ghost Among the Trees’, ‘Winning the Day’, and ‘Estefania’, are already receiving radioplay on local stations as well as national online radio and music podcasts. Look for Stephen Evans & the True Grits playing fun live shows all around the area to support this beautiful album.
PATIO: Shake a Leg
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDSHAKE A LEG Local singer-songwriter Josh Pierce has been writing and sharing songs for 25+ years. Originally hailing from central Illinois, Josh initially made Asheville his home in 1995. Since then, his zig zag travels have included WNC, northern Florida, Kentucky and now back in Asheville. Along the way Josh has continued to honor his passion for live music (LIVE MUSIC IS BETTER) and songwriting. Blending elements of folk, blues, country, and rock and roll, Josh aims to connect with the audience…and have a good time along the way. After years of playing open mics, restaurants, and bars as a solo artist, Josh knew that it was now or never to start a rock and roll outfit. When moving back home to Asheville in 2022, he quickly reconnected with friend (and bass player) Jody Stevenson aka “Skilly” to form SHAKE A LEG. “SHAKE A LEG brings unique and energetic songs that come straight out of Josh’s daily life and travels”. David Boughner – local roots rock weirdo
PATIO: Leah Marlene
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDLEAH MARLENE Leah Marlene is a songwriter, artist, and producer with a deeply rooted desire to create art unlike anything you have heard before. With a unique, engaging voice and a songwriting style that combines elements of folk, rock, pop, soul, funk, jazz and more, she cannot be put into a box. Leah grew up in a house full of music and guitars as her father, Derry Grehan, is a songwriter and lead guitarist with the Canadian band, Honeymoon Suite. He passed along his knowledge and passion for writing and performing. Leah began singing and writing her own songs at a very young age and never looked back! She has been performing professionally since the age of ten and releasing music since she was thirteen. Leah has been making writing trips to Nashville since she was 13, and after graduating high school, she made the move there where she spent two years studying songwriting at Belmont University. She then returned back to the midwest to produce her latest album, “Many Colors.” Now twenty-one years old, Leah most recently came off an incredible run on season 20 of American Idol, where she released her latest original single, “Flowers” and placed second runner up of the season! Leah is a lover of people and her greatest hope is that her music may meet you exactly where you are at and help you feel whatever it is you need to feel in a given moment.
PATIO: Moon Water
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDMOON WATER The mother/daughter duo whose tight blood harmonies drive the music, came to be during the covid-19 pandemic when Jenny Renee, a single mom, moved her two kids, Blu Belle and Bud, to The Appalachian Mountains from Manhattan, New York. Having grown up in the south, Jen got reconnected to her roots and started playing old hymns and mountain music with her kids. They began posting videos and getting positive feedback. Without much work due to the pandemic and being free of the bustle that is NYC, Jen had time on her hands to write more music and contemplate what’s important in life. As a cancer survivor, she found new joy and appreciation for life and nature on the mountain top and began singing about it. Blu started experimenting with fiddle, lap steel and bass when Moon Water was born. Bud sits in occasionally on drums as well. Why Moon Water? A month after arriving in Western North Carolina, Blu collected rain water before the Flower Moon and then sat it out the night of the full moon. There the water became moon water and they keep it in a mason jar as their positive energy force for musical inspiration. Their new album Deep Medicine, recorded at Citizen Studios and featuring Matt Smith on pedal steel and Lyndsay Pruett on fiddle, is available on all streaming platforms.
PATIO: Acoustic Light Brigade
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDACOUSTIC LIGHT BRIGADEAcoustic Light Brigade (ALB) is the project of Jess Wells, Josh Batenhorst and Ginny Andino – three unique voices blending in harmony. Pulling inspiration from the high plains of Texas, las playas de Puerto Rico, and the Georgia heat, ALB is determined to spread light into the darkness…and occasionally vice versa. Bring your shades and your shiny attire – it’s gonna be a party.Jess Wells (guitar, vocals, violin) is a performing musician and theatre professional. His work as a composer has been seen on stages in Atlanta for more than 15 seasons. A multi-instrumentalist – he plays violin, mandolin and bass in addition to his unique electric-acoustic sound on the guitar. Previous bands include Jyve Tractor, Almighty Sol Shakers, and Cosmic Fire, playing stages from small venues to large festivals. In 2023 and in life, he hopes to be intelligent, brave and kind.Josh Batenhorst (aka “Capt. Josh,” aka “Capt. Happy,” aka “CEO” – vocals, guitar, percussion) has been writing songs since his teenage years on the plains of West Texas. A devotee of the Texas troubadour tradition he finds inspiration in whimsical, thoughtful, heartfelt lyrics and simple songs that seek the truth – be it light or dark. He has been a veteran of Asheville stages both on stage and behind the scenes since 2002. A prolific writer, he decided to turn his focus to music in 2022 to share all the stories in his heart.Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ginny Andino has been performing since she was 5 years old, both in PR and throughout the USA. She plays guitar, flute, recorder, accordion and piano. She is trained in opera, classical choral, ballet, jazz and modern dance, and musical theatre. She is a public school educator but she hasn’t let that break her spirit yet! With a voice that can penetrate your soul with sweet solo soprano à la Joan Baez, or disappear into a blended harmony like Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, her sound is specifically tuned to shed light on YOU!
PATIO: We Have Ignition
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDWE HAVE IGNITION We Have Ignition hails from Asheville. Playing high energy Surf/Punk originals. The band consists of: Robert Lloyd Martin on guitar (Puddles Pity Party, Crooked Fingers) Nick Harvey on drums (Marblehead) Jeff Manson on bass (Rich Nelson band)
PATIO: Many A Ship
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDMANY A SHIP Many a Ship is an indie-folk-rock band deeply rooted in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Formed in 2017, this group of musical friends united to craft a new sound, drenched in inspiration from nature, humanity, frailty and nostalgia. Many a Ship features Vickie Burick (Warm the Bell, Nevada) on vocals, guitar, songwriting; Josh Gibbs (Dave Desmelik, Velvet Truckstop) on lap steel and Andy Gibbon (Dave Desmelik) on bass. Collectively their music is a sea of stories about life, love, heartache, truth and hope. Their love and respect for each other as well as the music they create is palpable. The group released their debut full length album “Sturdy Little Boat” in December 2019. Many a Ship has been interviewed/featured on Asheville and regional radio stations including 103.3 WPVM, 98.1 The River, BuzzRadioAsheville and 88.7 WNCW, as well as streaming platforms world wide. Airtime songs include “Sturdy Little Boat”, “Belong here”, “All the Pretty Birds”, “Butterfly” and “ We All Fall Down”. many a shiplast night in our rocking chairsunder starsclouds pushing up like wavesin the deep blue seaeach time tilting backmy heart open to the skywith music sounding from thewooden slats beneathlifting like fireflies, like sparks from a flamerising into the airone star the portanother the bowurging the clouds into waves of the seamany a ship have set sail in these watersmany a ship yet to be (sowers/burick)
PATIO: John Kirby & The New Seniors
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDJOHN KIRBY & THE NEW SENIORSJohn Kirby Jr. and the New Seniors were born from fire under a full moon in the winter of 2019. Bonding over a mutual love of Van Halen and The Replacements, the three instantly connected and vowed their allegiance to rock and roll in both form and spirit. “We get to the chorus quick.. while also sticking it to the man…”.Fueled by the guitar playing, singing and songwriting of John Kirby and anchored by the rhythm section of old school rockers John Hawkins (drums/vocals) and Chad Nance (bass/vocals), John Kirby Jr. and The New Seniors play guitar driven original rock with a little bit of power pop sprinkled on top.Their music has also been described as “Punk/metal with a bouquet of guitar based pop”, “A cross between Westerberg and Petty” and “Nicely crafted power punk”.The band released their first EP “Don’t Kill the Magic” in September of 2019, followed by their first full length “Sleepers” in May of 2022 and are currently working on a 2023 release. JKandTNS also continues to be involved in the Black Mountain based Holy Crap Records music community as well as playing regular live shows in their hometown of Asheville NC and across the state.
[CANCELED] PATIO: Liz Hopkins (of Delta Rae) + Azul Zapata
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDLIZ HOPKINS (of DELTA RAE) Liz Hopkins has been singing since she could talk, and probably sings more than she talks–.in choirs of all kinds, musical theater productions, open jams, sitting in with all kinds of bands, and as a proud member of North Carolina born DELTA RAE. She started harmonizing with Ian Eric and Brittany Holljes during her highschool years — and they are still harmonizing today. DR has played the Eagle many times! But now, Liz is coming at you with her own distinct flavor. As a vocalist with Delta Rae has toured all over the US, and internationally, released 4 full length albums, played music festivals including Bonnaroo, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza and more- performed on National TV (Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Seth Meyers), and had the honor of meeting Michelle Obama, and shared the stage and had a sign off with Melissa Etheridge. She was real nervous. After 2 rounds with labels. In 2019, Delta Rae left the label they were on (again) and set out on their own and became the most funded independent band until the history of Kickstarter. It has been a wild ride and 13 years into full time musician life, she hasn’t slowed down. She remains proud to be part of Delta Rae, who just released 2 albums in 2020 and 2021 – and is back on tour this year!When Liz is not on the road or in the studio with Delta Rae, she is singing in professional musical theater productions, leading shows of her own around North Carolina, and practicing piano, teaching kids and adults to sing and now finally starting to write her own songs and put together plans for an album of her own. We’ve only just begun… AZUL ZAPATA Azul is a queer Latinx musician that oscillates from tender moments of grief and love to disco dance, music numbers on betrayal and the stress of living in our modern world. Oh and sometimes it is in Spanish. She sings and plays trumpet with her best friends and her goal is connect with her listeners. After releasing her debut original EP in 2021 “The View From Here,” Azul played all over NC and opened for several nationally touring acts. You can hear released music here. You can watch some of the performances here. And the website with everything and socials is here.
PATIO: Lavender Blue
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDLAVENDER BLUE Lavender Blue is the vessel for the songwriting and guitar playing of Kayla Zuskin. Lavender Blue the band consists of Mike Henry Johnson on Pedal Steel and Synthesizers, Mary Steinbrecher on Electric Bass and Jack Victor on Drum Kit. They are in the process of recording and producing their second full length record. Their music can be best described as slow core and alternative indie with a dash of americana. Located in Asheville, NC, Lavender Blue musicians are also music teachers, engineers/producers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists.
