PATIO (FREE): The Nature Boys
– ALL AGES – FREE SHOW- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE NATURE BOYS Nature Boys is a trio of longtime Asheville musicians, featuring some from Town Mountain—Jesse Langlais, Jack Devereux, and Nick DiSebastian. Their sound is rooted in bluegrass among other things. Come enjoy this new Asheville trio!
PATIO: Bam-a-Lam
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BAM-A-LAM This duo of guitar/drums one-man-band multi-dextrous rock-n-roll fire and standup bass acrobatics with harmony singing appears to have several more arms and heads (than 4 and 2 respectively) and serve up lo-fi pop aural satisfaction. Made up of Asheville musical veterans Jason Krekel and Craig Kelberg who combined have performed under more bands and diverse genre styles than can be counted…Has to be seen to be believed!
PATIO: Jesse Valcich and Skylar Gowanloch
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE JESSE VALCICH AND SKYLAR GOWANLOCH Jesse Valcich and Skylar Gowanloch are American musicians, singers, and songwriters seeking to express the existential tug of human experience through an eclectic music style and poetic lyricism. Skylar’s subtle and vibrant lyricism takes her listeners on long journeys through unfolding emotional landscapes. Jesse, known both for his solo work and his role as guitarist and singer of the band Strictly Liquid, is more on the nose. Whether it’s stripped down acoustic arrangements or loud and rowdy electric compositions, Jesse digs his heels deep into the raw unfolding nature of sound. Drawing inspiration from The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Phish, their contemporary americana sound blends elements of blues, jam, rock-n-roll, and experimental noise. Jesse’s soon-to-be-released folk album “I See You Now in Everything,” featuring Skylar and recorded in the back of their Ford E250 conversion van, will be available to stream in the spring of 2025 across all platforms along with past releases, “Weird Year” and “Surrender Into Grace.”
Dogpark
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY DOGPARK Dogpark got their start performing at University of Richmond (their alma-mater), before launching into sell-out shows across the country. The band consists of Eamon Moore (lead vocals), Chris Conte (drums), Declan Harris (lead guitar), and Billy Apostolou (bass/guitar)). Infectious stage presence and an homage to the indie-rock of the 90s have kick-started their career from a backyard band to a mainstage group. The band’s EP, ‘Breaking in Brooklyn,’ proves that they are here to make a mark, and with the release of their upcoming second EP, they’re just getting started. EDGEHILL Edgehill is an alternative rock band from Nashville, consisting of Chris Kelly (lead vocals/guitar), Jake Zimmermann (lead guitar/vocals), Andrei Olaru (bass), and Aidan Cunningham (drums). They formed in the fall of 2021 and have released singles like “Shooting Glances” and “Jonny’s Friend”. The band is known for their energetic live performances and is working on an EP. LUA FLORA Creating in a state of constant adventure, Asheville, NC-based Lua Flora has successfully unified sounds that typically don’t go together. The electrifying passion and introspective lyrics of songwriter Evan Button, meet a mesmerizing blend of Caribbean, Eastern, and American music to create a previously undefined genre; “Beach Folk.” This cultural phenomenon lends itself to easy listening from the perfect barrels of the Pacific Ocean to the hollers of Appalachia. In three quick years, the project has gone from backyard parties to national stages across the U.S. supporting Satsang, Franc Moody, Of Good Nature, and Kendall Street Company in addition to festival appearances at Front Porch Fest, Kentucky Yoga Festival, Between the Trails, and others.
Bit Brigade Performs “Super Mario World” + “F-Zero” LIVE
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY BIT BRIGADE Bit Brigade performs rock covers of full NES game soundtracks as their gamer speedruns the game live on stage. “When was the last time you attended a live music performance with a genuine element of risk involved? And no, going to a Gwar show with a white t-shirt on doesn’t count. When Bit Brigade takes the stage your mind will frantically oscillate between “Oh! Agh!! Please don’t die!!” and “YES! He’s doing it!!”Combining the dread and daring of a live video game speed run with the spot-on technique of a live band covering the musical accompaniment to everything you’re seeing on-screen in real time, Bit Brigade will have you swinging between the two mediums. From thrashing about to live renditions of your favorite stage themes, fingers yearning to the sky in a rock ‘n roll parody of sea anemones seeming to silently plead, “Please, feed us more fretboard pyrotechnics!,” to being locked in stock-still rapture as the infallible maestro of the d-pad, Noah McCarthy, takes on the final boss and risks his video game life under the threat of intense peer scorn (or the reward of night-long glory and a credits score). No matter the outcome, Bit Brigade must play on until the deed is done – which it always is – on the first (and last) try. Once Noah’s NES buzzes on, there’s no turning back.” – Metalhead Mike of The Shizz, summer 2011 DISCO GODDESS Influenced by artists like Tobacco and Trey Frey, Disco Goddess has spent over 5,000 hours pushing the limits of the Nintendo Switch app Korg Gadget. With tasteful guitar sprinkled in here and there, Disco offers a gamut of tracks spanning laughably-fun to face-melting awe.
The Steel Wheels
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY THE STEEL WHEELS The Steel Wheels have long been at home in the creative space between tradition and innovation, informed by the familiar sounds of the Virginia mountains where the band was formed, but always moving forward with insightful lyrics and an evolving sound. In 2005, Jay Lapp (vocals, guitars, mandolin) and Eric Brubaker (vocals, fiddle) joined lead singer Trent Wagler (guitar, banjo) in forming the band as a vehicle for Wagler’s songwriting. They released several albums under Wagler’s moniker, before officially adopting the The Steel Wheels name with the 2010 release of Red Wing. Quickly staking their claim as independent upstarts in the burgeoning Americana scene, The Steel Wheels followed up this release with three more self-produced albums in the next five years, before joining forces with producer Sam Kassirer for Wild As We Came Here (2017) and Over The Trees (2019). Kevin Garcia (drums, percussion, keys) joined in 2017, bringing a new level of sonic depth and polish to the outfit. Newest member Jeremy Darrow rounds out the rhythm section and grounds the band as they continue to explore deeply rooted yet fresh folk rock sounds. Having gained the experience of thousands of shows, festivals and many miles on the road, the stubbornly independent band has formed deep bonds with each other and the audience that sustains them. The Steel Wheels have responded to this time of isolation and loss by seeking to connect with their audience in new ways. In 2020, unable to perform their rootsy brand of Americana for crowds in live settings, the musicians turned their creative powers to crafting songs for individuals. Produced in isolation in the band’s home studios, the Everyone a Song albums are part of an ongoing project to collect the personal experiences of fans and forge them into that most enduring, yet ephemeral, format we call “song.” An accompanying podcast, We Made You a Song, explores the stories behind these songs, and the songwriting process itself. While each song was commissioned to honor a specific relationship or event—a birth, a wedding, a memory of home—the emotions evoked are universal. Nowhere is this shared humanity more evident than at the band’s own Red Wing Roots Music Festival, a weekend-long celebration of music, community, and the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Hosted by The Steel Wheels every summer, the festival provides a space for the band to shine, from their high energy Saturday night main stage set to their afternoon showcase with young Red Wing Academy students. At Sunday’s gospel hour you are as likely to hear Steel Wheels originals or Warren Zevon covers as you are traditional gospel fare. The weekend is rounded out by the beloved tribute set in which the band collaborates with a cadre of fellow artists to honor an influential figure in American music, with past tributes ranging from Dolly Parton to John Prine. Whether at a joyous summer festival, in their many shows across the country and beyond, or in the studio, The Steel Wheels continue their mission set out over a decade ago; shaking up traditions to see what sticks, telling stories, and joining communities through song.
Bill Kirchen: “Bill Does Bob”
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE In 1964 and 1965, a young Bill Kirchen made two pilgrimages from his home in Ann Arbor to the Newport Folk Festivals. Among many other wondrous things, he saw Dylan debut Mr. Tambourine Man in ’64, then go full on electric in ’65. Bill swears what he saw and heard at those Festivals ruined him for normal work. Bill brings his ace Texas band for songs and reminiscences from Dylan at the ground breaking Newport Festival shows in ’64 and ’65. BILL KIRCHEN Bill Kirchen first gained renown as founding father, lead guitarist and vocalist for Commander Cody & his Lost Planet Airmen, where the resonant twang of his battered Telecaster drove “Hot Rod Lincoln” into the Top Ten in ’72. Bill went to the Grammys in 2001 for Country Instrumental Of The Year with his chicken-pickin’ composition Poultry In Motion, beat out by the great Earl Scruggs. He has recorded with Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Dan Hicks, Maria Muldaur, Doug Sahm, Hoyt Axton, Hazel Dickens, Gene Vincent and Link Wray. He cracked the Americana Radio Chart Top 10 in 2018. Bill has released well over 2 dozen albums, from his Commander Cody catalogue on through his current 12 releases on the Proper and Last Music Company labels. “A Titan of the Telecaster guitar.” – Guitar Player magazine “Bill Kirchen rules, it’s just that simple.” – the Austin-American Statesman “A devastating culmination of the elegant and the funky, a really sensational musician with enormous depth.” – Nick Lowe “He is one of the singular instrumental stylists of American roots music, and to hear his sound once is to have it indelibly etched on one’s musical memory.” – Pop Matters
PATIO: Dirty Dead
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE DIRTY DEAD The guys who keep breaking boundaries with their grungy-rock boogie versions of the Grateful Dead songbook. Fronted by flautist Paul DeCirce, “the Pied Piper of Asheville” (Mountain Xpress), The Grey Eagle are pleased to host these legends of the local jam scene.
PATIO: McKinney
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE MCKINNEY McKinney is a singer/songwriter/musician living in Asheville, NC. A bass player at heart, McKinney is also at home playing her songs acoustic. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy this evening of genuine connection through lyrics that anyone can relate to, humorous conversations amidst the music, and a voice that will make your chill bumps have chill bumps.
Ruston Kelly – Pale, Through the Window Tour
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY RUSTON KELLY Since making his debut with 2018’s Dying Star, Ruston Kelly has built a catalog of songs that search for transcendence in the most devastating and demanding of experiences: addiction, the strenuous work of self-evolution, the fallout of broken relationships. But in the writing of his latest album, the South Carolina-born artist found himself in unfamiliar emotional territory—a state of sustained joy and inner peace, brought on by a spiritual breakthrough and the dawning of a new love. Brimming with the grit and depth that’s always defined his output, Pale, Through the Window ultimately affirms Kelly as one of modern music’s most astute observers of the human heart and spirit. The follow-up to The Weakness—a 2023 release that earned major acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, The New York Times, NPR and led to his appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers”—Pale, Through the Window finds Kelly reuniting with his longtime collaborator Jarrad K, who also helmed production on Dying Star and 2020’s Shape & Destroy. The first body of work he’s recorded with his longtime touring band, the album centers on a singular sonic palette that often merges synth with pedal-steel guitar while fully embracing Kelly’s ardent love of classic pop-punk and emo—ultimately bringing a raw and potent energy to his soul-searching songwriting. Over the course of Pale, Through the Window’s 13 songs, Kelly offers up everything from the somber rumination of the LP’s title track and the rueful longing of “Twisted Root” (an intimate look at his history with addiction) to the radiant open-heartedness of love songs like “Waiting to Love You” and “Wayside” (a euphoric but unvarnished portrait of love against the backdrop of a world in flames). And in sharing such an all-embracing account of his journey to acceptance and peace, he aspires to provide others with the courage to persevere through their own personal chaos. “If someone’s struggling with doubt or hopelessness because of the state of the world or their relationship with God or with themselves, I hope this record leaves them with the sense that it can be okay and that love truly is the most powerful force we have available to us,” says Kelly. “I also hope they feel at least a sliver of the freedom and joy I felt in writing these songs—even if they’re just having a good time bobbing their head to ‘Waiting to Love You,’ I want everyone to be reminded that the world can be a joyful place.” verygently verygently is the collective force of three established Nashville singer-songwriters—Drew Erwin, Joey Hendricks, and Tristan Bushman—who came together in early 2024. With tours alongside Augustana, The Band Camino, and The Fray, combined with their debut EP, the band quickly turned heads thanks to their high-energy live shows and songs that blend wit and vulnerability, weaving heartache with the undeniable charm of three best friends sharing the stage.
