Nefesh Mountain: “Beacons” Album Release Show
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE NEFESH MOUNTAIN The latest album from Nefesh Mountain, Beacons emerged from a bold and wholehearted attempt to transform the world around them. Soon after wrapping up a whirlwind tour booked with the mission of spreading their newfound message of radical love, co-founders Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg immersed themselves in the feverish writing of songs that turned their frustrations and fears into irrepressible hope, all while reaching far beyond their bluegrass roots and forging a fiercely joyful sound unbound by genre convention. By the time they’d completed that process of musical alchemy, the New York-based husband-and-wife duo had profoundly refined the band’s vision and voice and arrived at the unfettered radiance of Beacons: an epic double album affirming Nefesh Mountain as a singular musical force—one whose deeply impassioned songwriting awakens us to new ways of navigating an endlessly troubled world. Self-produced and mainly recorded at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, Beacons expands on the soulful intentionality Nefesh Mountain has brought to their music since forming a decade ago. “We live in such strange and divided times, and while we wanted this album to be a full-on celebration of American music, one of our main goals was to bring love, hope, and positivity into a world that sorely needs it,” says Lindberg. “In the end we made a choice: instead of getting angry, we just made music.” Although much of the album stemmed from their rumination on the political landscape (political polarization and division throughout the U.S., the Israel–Hamas War, and Russo-Ukrainian Wars), its spirit of purposeful optimism is made all the more potent by Nefesh Mountain’s willingness to speak about their most intimate struggles and triumphs, including the birth of their now-three-year-old “miracle baby” Willow, and Zasloff ’s journey with sobriety. “This is definitely the most revealing and personal album we’ve ever made, which was a big leap for us,” says Zasloff. “At some point it became obvious that if we’re going to really open our hearts, we need to talk about things we’ve never shared before, with the hope that it will end up helping others.” The result: a selection of lived-in and truly revelatory songs, each providing a beacon-like transmission of uplift and light. The follow-up to Songs for the Sparrows—a 2021 LP praised by Rolling Stone as a “master class in string music”—Nefesh Mountain’s fourth full-length effort, encompasses two distinct discs, the first of which blurs the lines between Americana, blues, country, and psych-folk, offering up an electrified sound created with the help of their longtime live band and guest musicians like pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz (Beck, Joni Mitchell, Ray LaMontagne, Willie Nelson). Meanwhile, the second disc to Beacons finds the duo working again with legendary roots musicians Jerry Douglas (on Dobro), Sam Bush (mandolin), Rob McCoury (banjo), Cody Kilby (guitar), Mark Schatz (bass), and Stuart Duncan (fiddle), and serving up an all-acoustic lineup of songs spotlighting their boundary-pushing form of bluegrass. “Bluegrass has an energy that’s so intense and invigorating, and for this album we wanted to take that even further,” says Zasloff.
Abby Bryant + Dr. Bacon
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY ABBY BRYANT A music minister’s daughter turned fierce frontwoman on the festival scene, Abby Bryant found her true love for performing while attending Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Quickly forming a touring band and playing the Southeast and beyond, Bryant released her debut album Not Your Little Girl which garnered critical acclaim and Americana chart success with themes of growing up, leaving home, and finding her own identity outside her traditional upbringing. Produced by Dave Schools of Widespread Panic, Bryant’s highly anticipated upcoming album Glowing is slated for release in September 2024 and includes a cast of heavy-hitting session musicians including Adam MacDougall (Circles Around the Sun, Chris Robinson Brotherhood) and John Kimock (Mike Gordon Band, Oteil Burbridge & Friends). Glowing features a collection of even more mature and contemplative tracks that highlight Bryant’s artistic growth and the evolving sonic landscapes she is exploring. DR BACON DR. BACON is a 6 Piece touring Appalachian Funk, Grass and Rock &Roll band. Wielding a diverse instrumentation with broad, deepmusical influences allows the band to perform a plethora ofenergetic, accessible, and danceable music.The Dr. Bacon LiveExperience is truly a spectacle to behold, bringing the audience on amusical journey that lulls and spikes in energy, caressing ears withlush beauty and whipping crowds into a tribal romp, shaking bootiesand shedding inhibitions. This manic versatility ensures that nomatter what genre of music you identify with most, you will hearsomething that resonates at a Bacon show. Dr. Bacon startedplaying together in 2012 on King Street in Boone, NC as a 3 piecebusking with acoustic bluegrass, folk, and 90s pop/rock/hip-hopinfluenced party music. Several lineup changes over the years and arelocation to Asheville, NC have refined, redirected, electrified, andmatured the band’s sound, incorporating funk, rock, soul,psychedelic and world music to their bedrock of Appalachianinfluences. The blending of several elements of these genres (oftenwithin the same song) along with a unique & shiftinginstrumentation is the real Dr. Bacon flavor, and Bacon goes with everything!
East Nash Grass + Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY EAST NASH GRASS East Nash Grass is one of the hottest young bands in Bluegrass, picking up this year’s International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award for Best New Artist and stacked with IBMA Best Instrumentalist winners: Grand Master Fiddle champion and AMA Instrumentalist of the year nominee Maddie Denton, Cory Walker (banjo), and Harry Clark (mandolin). Put them alongside charismatic frontman James Kee and bassist Jeff Partin (Rhonda Vincent, etc.) and you’ve got a powerhouse leader of the next generation in bluegrass excellence. WSLR in Fogartyville calls them “a balance of undeniably hard-driving bluegrass alongside surprisingly introspective songwriting and earnest narration.” They are far more than a group of impressive instrumental technicians. As a group that came together organically via set after set on Nashville’s East Side, playing tiny stages for the love of it between tours backing bigger acts, they have a hard-forged bond that’s reflected in their stage chemistry. Audiences freak out over how much fun these guys have. As they work on the follow up to 2023’s “Last Chance To Win” — look for a release in the spring of 2025 — they now find themselves one of the most in-demand groups in Americana, fanning out well beyond the traditional bluegrass spots. BRONWYN KEITH-HYNES Bronwyn Keith-Hynes has long been renowned as a prolific instrumentalist, earning two IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year awards as well as a Grammy for her work with Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway. But on her latest album I Built a World, the Charlottesville native unlocks an impressive new sound: her voice. “This is the first album I’ve ever sung lead on. Singing is something I’d always thought I’d do at some point and in 2020 I had the time and space to finally find my voice,” Bronwyn says. Even as the pandemic halted touring and so much else, vocal lessons kept her focused. “It’s funny,” she jokes of the timing, “you put a mask on me and suddenly I want to sing.” I Built a World marks her first vocal album, but Bronwyn has been a musician since before she can remember. “Apparently, I saw two girls busking on the street playing fiddles when I was three,” she explains with a laugh, “and I pointed to them and said, ‘I will do that.'” As a child, music lessons gradually transitioned into public performances, with a particular emphasis on Irish music after her family relocated to Charlottesville, Virginia. And her lifelong musical education continues to shape her work today. A background in dance makes her a captivating and energetic live performer. An on-stage collaboration with fellow Charlottesville native Dave Matthews taught her how a crowd could feed your energy. And attending Berklee during the early years of its American Roots Music program offered inspiration from classmates like Sierra Hull and Alex Hargreaves—as well as an introduction to Tuttle and most of Bronwyn’s Golden Highway bandmates. “My favorite bluegrass musicians today are the ones who are rooted in traditional music, but don’t really see any boundaries,” she says. “It’s as if they draw from a traditional bluegrass vocabulary, but use it to say what they want to say.”
Golden Folk Holiday Special
ALL AGES 6PM DOORS / 7PM SHOW FULLY SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE GOLDEN FOLK HOLIDAY SPECIAL Open Folk Avl has rebranded to Golden Folk! Beyond the name change and the occasional addition of non-musical performing artists, everything else remains pretty much the same. You can still expect a silent audience, great sound, hand-picked artists, a fair amount of goofin, and a whole lot of heart. One of the most beloved traditions over the past three years has been the Holiday Special, and by popular demand, we’re bringing it back! Eight artists will each perform a holiday-inspired original and a holiday classic. For this very special event, we’ll be celebrating at one of the most iconic music venues in the Southeast: The Grey Eagle. Staying true to our values of accessibility, we’re offering tickets in three pricing tiers. The first two tiers guarantee entry and are available for presale only. Day-of-show tickets will be “pay what you can if you can.” with no one turned away for lack of funds. Here’s the breakdown: • $25 for Priority Seating (first three rows) • $10 General Admission (presale) • $0-$25 Day-of-Show (no minimum) We can’t wait to see y’all there
Jolly La La La ft Pleasure Chest + Brody Hunt & The Silent Knights
– ALL AGES – STANDING ROOM ONLY – GINGERBREAD HOUSE DECORATION CONTEST – OYSTERS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE Holiday hangs + oyster roast with your favorite Asheville bands — Pleasure Chest (9pm) + Brody Hunt & The Silent Knights (7pm)! Bring in your finest gingerbread house decorated to the nines for our not-so-serious contest with prizes and more! FREE entry to gingerbread house competitors. PLEASURE CHEST Blues, Soul and Rock ‘n’ Roll from Asheville, NC. BRODY HUNT & THE SILENT KNIGHTS An Asheville-area honky-tonk band playing classic holiday tunes!
Indigo DeSouza: A Winter Benefit Show for Campaign for Southern Equality
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY WINTER BENEFIT CONCERT FOR CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN EQUALITY INDIGO DESOUZA (FULL BAND) SET AT 8PM. AFTER PARTY DJ SETS FROM WIFI MOMMY AND BOYS_CAMP! INDIGO DESOUZA A note from Indigo about the show: “Hello! We will be playing (full band) at the Grey Eagle, this month— December 18th. We will be followed by DJ sets from @wifimommy and @b0ys_camp. Proceeds from the show will go towards Campaign for Southern Equality :The Campaign for Southern Equality is based in Asheville, NC, and advocates for lived and legal equity for LGBTQ people throughout the South. You can learn more at www.southernequality.orgI am very excited to sing, excited to dance, excited to raise money for community that is dear to my heart!Tickets will be live this Friday ~Hope to see you there
Jerry’s Dead: Benefit for IamAvl’s Music Relief Fund
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY JERRY’S DEAD Join us as we raise money for the Music Relief Fund through IAMAVL. Jerry’s Dead plays 100% Jerry from GD and JGB.
of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins 20th Anniversary Tour
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY of Montreal On of Montreal’s seminal album The Sunlandic Twins, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Barnes followed up their 2004 Polyvinyl debut, Satanic Panic in the Attic, with what became the band’s most commercially successful album to date. Originally released in April 2005, The Sunlandic Twins marked a significant turning point for of Montreal, showcasing Barnes’ evolving songwriting and a shift towards a more electronic and dance-oriented sound. The album’s vibrant blend of synth-pop and psych rock helped cement its status as a fan favorite and a defining moment in the band’s career. Iconic tracks like “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games” and “The Party’s Crashing Us” became some of the most beloved songs in the band’s extensive catalog. WAGGING Wagging is Alison, Mark & Emily: three friends making harmony-driven, primitive pop in Asheville, NC
The 40, 20, 10s + Reverend Finster: A Benefit Show for Big Pillow Brewing
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY THE 40, 20, 10s NEON (out October ‘24) is the latest album by The 40,20,10s. Recorded over six days with producer Kevin Moloney ( U2, Sinéad O’Connor) in the historic studios at Citizen Vinyl in Asheville, North Carolina. This is the third recorded project by the band and we are proud to share these new tunes with you. REVEREND FINSTER Reverend Finster is an all acoustic tribute to the music of R.E.M. We feature songs mostly from the earlier albums from the 80s and IRS years.
Tyler Ramsey
ALL AGESPARTIALLY SEATED SHOW (please note SEATED vs SRO at checkout) TYLER RAMSEY Tyler Ramsey is an introspective singer-songwriter and unique fingerstyle guitar player who has built a rich catalog rooted in folk and melodic indie rock. Ramsey refined his sound while living in the western mountainous region of North Carolina, where he studied local styles of folk and drew inspiration from country-blues musicians who used to travel through the area. He has released highlights like 2008’s “A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea” and 2011’s “The Valley Wind”, all while being the lead guitarist and songwriter of Band of Horses for 10 years. Since striking back out on his own, he put out the rustic-toned “For The Morning” in 2019 and his latest album, “New Lost Ages,” in February 2024, which was captured in Seattle, Washington, by storied producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty). The 10-song LP is an ongoing sonic quest — meticulously wandering across the musical landscape, this undulating tone of indie and folk stylings. The new album is about peeling back the layers of oneself, to locate and open up the dusty boxes of your past from the back of the closet of your mind. It’s memories and mistakes, lessons and lifelines bringing the present moment into focus — the future bright with possibility and purpose, so long as you never forget the road to the here and now. Everything Ramsey has absorbed in his travels — onstage and on the road — is continually channeled through the lens of his words, unique tunings and guitar chords. It’s a whirlwind of sound and scope, all radiating from one human being with guitar in-hand, a silent room of curious souls awaiting the next number of beauty and grace conjured by Ramsey with such ease. SPENCER THOMAS Spencer Thomas cut his teeth as a drummer, singer and songwriter for country rockers Young Valley in his hometown of Jackson, MS before striking out on his own and recording the 10-song LP “Hangin’ Tough” in 2019. Alongside his songwriting partners Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster (Water Liars, Marie/ Lepanto) and Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel-Nut Zippers), he toured tirelessly throughout the United States sharing these songs and emerging as a frontman. The halt of the pandemic lockdown forced a reflection for Spencer that ultimately led him from his familiar backdrop of Jackson to Athens, Georgia. When he moved to the small yet lauded music town in August 2020, both the Georgia heat and the pandemic were still in full swing. In what was a time of intense isolation for many, Spencer saw the move as a personal test, and experienced a redefining of self which he distilled into the musical language he so deftly communicated. He would record a demo of a song, and in the evening walk the streets of Athens’ Normaltown neighborhood, listening intently to what he had created. The resulting album, “The Joke of Life” (out now via Strolling Bones) , was recorded over the last three years with the help of a veritable “who’s who” of the Athens music scene and beyond, including members of My Morning Jacket, Drive-By Truckers, Reptar, Heffner and Futurebirds, for which he served as the band’s keyboard player from 2020-2024.
