An Evening With Jonathan Coulton
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEJONATHAN COULTONJonathan Coulton is known for his eclectic catalog of masterful songwriting on subjects from zombies and mad scientists to sad parents and dissatisfied software engineers. He’s written songs for The Good Fight and Braindead TV series, as well as the Portal video games, and Spongebob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical. He was the house musician for the NPR show Ask Me Another and is the host and namesake of an annual floating nerd convention called JoCo Cruise.
Aaron Lee Tasjan
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYAARON LEE TASJANSinger, songwriter, guitarist, producer, band leader, activist, and Grammy nominee. Aaron Lee Tasjan has been and continues to be all of these things. Over his past decade plus of writing, recording, producing, Tasjan has released four excellent and critically acclaimed solo albums, toured the world over on his own and as the guitarist in the New York Dolls. He co-founded and co-wrote all of the material for the band Semi Precious Weapons. In 2021 he was nominated for a Grammy for his writing on Yola’s “Diamond Studded Shoes” and most recently, Tasjan produced Mya Byrne’s album Rhinestone Tomboy (Kill Rock Stars Nashville) which helped to establish her as one of the first openly trans artists in Americana Music. He’s cultivated a brilliant and outstanding career to date already. But his forthcoming album Stellar Evolution (Blue Élan Records) is just what the title says. Tasjan’s new album is truly the sum of all of the parts of his diverse accomplishments to date while clearly heading in a brand-new direction. You can’t put any labels on Stellar Evolution except for it being a career defining work and a major leap forward for someone who’s never been afraid to push the boundaries of any and all expectations. As he set out to work on Stellar Evolution, Tasjan knew better than ever what was important to him. He’s been working his way towards a record like this since he first started making solo albums, with 2015’s In the Blazes. He stuck to an alt-country paradigm early in his career, though he knew that all of his favorite artists were the ones who broke out of their own boxes. His approach to that changed when he began to be more open about his queer identity. “The record became a sort of rallying cry for being who you are in a time when people literally wanna try to make it illegal to do that.” There’s not a wasted word on Stellar Evolution, and that’s deliberate. After everything he’s been through and everything he’s learned, Aaron Lee Tasjan is a more intentional artist than ever before. “When you’re a touring artist, songs are like mantras; you have to say them every night. And so I really wanted those words to be affirming, and for the energy that’s gonna come out of them to create more of what I hope to foster,” he says. It’s another grasp towards the community and connection that matters most to Tasjan. “The role I feel like I can occupy is to say, okay, I’m gonna be in these rooms where people are gonna be paying attention, and somebody’s gonna get lifted up; who’s it gonna be?” That’s an attitude that harkens right back to the 11-year-old Aaron Lee in Orange County, a throughline that Tasjan never loses sight of for a minute across this album. With Stellar Evolution, he honors that kid and every other version of himself — past, present and future.MOLLY MARTIN
Christie Lenée & Crys Matthews
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE Christie LenéeFrom crystalline picking to angelic songcraft, singer/songwriter Christie Lenée’s forthcoming new album reminds devout listeners and recently converted fans of her spiritual and sublime songwriting, featuring inspired lyrics and, of course, sensational guitar playing.A Tampa native and North Carolina resident, Lenée took First Place at the International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship in 2017, was voted Acoustic Guitarist of the Year by England’s MusicRadar in 2019, and was named Named “Best Acoustic Guitarists in the World Right Now” by Guitar World in 2020.Coming Alive, with its iconic guitar hooks and powerhouse vocal performances, is a giant leap forward. This time out, she decided to make everything bigger, brighter, and more electric. The first line of the first song, the title track (“I’ve got a feeling deep inside”), tells you everything you need to know: Lenée’s sixth album is a chronicle of joy and hope, of self-confidence and empowerment, of renewal and light. Crys MatthewsAlready being hailed as “the next Woody Guthrie,” Crys Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. A powerful lyricist whose songs of compassionate dissent reflect her lived experience as what she lightheartedly calls “the poster-child for intersectionality,” Justin Hiltner of Bluegrass Situation called Matthews’s gift “a reminder of what beauty can occur when we bridge those divides.” She is made for these times and, with the release of her new, hope-fueled, love-filled social justice album Changemakers, Matthews hopes to take her place alongside some of her heroes in the world of social-justice music like Sweet Honey in the Rock and Holly Near. “I believe in hope,” Matthews said. “As a social-justice songwriter, it is my duty to keep breathing that hope and encouragement into the people who listen to my music.” And, from the title track to the last track, Changemakers does just that all while tackling some heavy topics like immigration, the opioid crisis, Black Lives Matter, and gun safety to name a few.“ Ani DiFranco said, “People used to make records as in a record of an event,” said Matthews, “so I hope that these songs will serve as a time capsule, a record of the events of the last four years and what it was like to live through them.” Crys Matthews’s thoughtful, realistic and emotional songs speak to the voice of our generation and remind us why music indeed soothes the soul. “I believe in hope,” Matthews said. “As a social-justice songwriter, it is my duty to keep breathing that hope and encouragement into the people who listen to my music.”
Michelle Malone Duo
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE MICHELLE MALONEA mainstay of American roots music for more than 30 years, Michelle Malone has built an award-winning career as a songwriter, road warrior, and modern-day guitar hero. Her music is ingrained in the sounds of the south, mixing the rebellious stomp of roadhouse rock & roll with the raw grit of blues, the holy-rolling rasp of gospel, the slow-motion swagger of country-soul, and the organic warmth of folk music. Proudly based in Atlanta, Georgia, she’s always worn her influences on her sleeve — but her music is unmistakably her own. “A wealth of alluring and enticing songs – 1977 could be Malone’s masterpiece. 4/5 stars.” (AMERICAN SONGWRITER) “Malone’s songs unfold cinematically and capture moments of human vulnerability, and her warm, inviting vocals tell stories of the exquisite intimacy of our daily lives.” (NO DEPRESSION) “Michelle Malone has one of the most remarkable voices I’ve ever heard, uniquely able to blow the roof off the place and then whisper a soft song that will break your damn heart.” (PASTE MAGAZINE)Mike KinnebrewSinger-songwriter Mike Kinnebrew’s innovatively soulful, indie-inflected take on the folk and Americana sound has earned him the hearts of a diverse and growing fanbase across the world over 25 years and counting. After spending most of 2023 in the studio, Mike is preparing for a big year ahead with a full-length album release slated for spring 2024, in collaboration with Nashville Grammy winners Charlie Lowell and Matt Odmark.
Dead Poet Society
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYDEAD POET SOCIETY Asked what it is he wants audiences to take away from “FISSION”, the forthcoming second album from Dead Poet Society, Jack Underkofler offers eight small but powerful words: “We want to leave them with the truth.” The affable and engaging 30-year-old delivers these words with the forthrightness that marks his discussions about the band he fronts, completed by Jack Collins (guitar), Will Goodroad (drums) and Dylan Brenner (bass), and the art this collective of college friends have exhaustively dedicated themselves moulding, too often to their own detriment. It’s an answer that epitomizes the dedication with which the quartet approach their craft, and the search for its purest, most meaningful form. “It’s not as simple as saying we want our music to leave people with a positive outlook,” Underkofler explains. “You want music to speak to wherever you find yourself. We want to leave people feeling that whatever they are experiencing is valid, no matter what place they are at in their lives.” After a decade defining, redefining and perfecting their art, where Dead Poet Society find themselves on the eve of their sophomore release is much clearer. Make no mistake: Dead Poet Society are a uniquely captivating group, rock’s next great breakout act, with “FISSION” set to capture the hearts and challenge the minds of fans old and new on the journey ahead. Following on the heels of their acclaimed debut full-length “–!–“ (2021), “FISSION” seeks to unpack the personal journey its creators have been on during that ride to date. “FISSION”, as its title hints, is a 13-track study of personal change and the turbulence of growth that, as Underkofler attests, takes “a microscopic and broad look at the events that changed who we are.” To that end, there are deep rakings over the coals of relationship breakdowns, examinations of addiction in all its guises, ruminations on the responsibilities and challenges of adulthood, and struggles with the evolution, loss and continual search for self. “In a lot of ways this album is about unpacking those emotional pains that come with being an adult,” Underkofler says. To some extent, through “FISSION”’s creation Dead Poet Society have become a different band, too. A more attuned one; more accomplished, certainly. “We were really trying to define our sound more on this record,” Collins nods. “We worked a lot more on guitar tones, bass tones and drum sounds, and paid close attention to melody. The aim was to make our sound bigger – we wanted a more dynamic record, where you could hear the best representation of us live. I feel like the evolution is us maturing a little bit, and wanting to create a sound that was less an obvious reflection of our influences – Muse, Queens Of The Stone Age, Nothing But Thieves, Royal Blood – and more definitively our own. We don’t control where the inspiration comes from. We just had to obey the songs and what they were telling us to do next.” ANDRES
Brew Davis with Nick Dauphinais: Brewgrass Album Release Show
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEBREW DAVIS WITH NICK DAUPHINAIS Brew Davis grew up in the shadow of the Bluebird Cafe- the songs of Music City seeping into his bones, working through his soul, and coming out in pen and paper. But not before he’d worked at the seminal Americana label Sugar Hill Records and moved to the Southern Appalachians. All these influences combine to create his own unique blend of “Brewgrass” music. He has shared “Brewgrass” at legendary venues like the Cat’s Cradle, the Down Home, Douglas Corner Cafe and the Basement and received praise from Americana artists, Music Row royalty, and members of the Grand Ole Opry. He’s performed live on WNCW, the WDVX Blue Plate Special and stations across the Tarheel state, and his songs have been used on PBS shows, Amazon Prime and various documentary films. “Green Garland,” which he penned with Charles Humphrey III and Charlie Chamberlain, is currently top 10 on Bluegrass Today’s Grassicana chart for Songs from the Road Band, and his self-titled debut album was #64 on WNCW’s 2018 top 100. Pam Tillis calls “Darlin’ Caroline,” his 2023 single, “a winsome, endearingly earnest account of the many reasons Brew fell heart over hills for the state he now calls home.” He collaborated with Nick Dauphinais to create Brewgrass, his fourth studio album, and the two will be touring extensively as Davis & Dauphinais throughout the Southern Appalachians and beyond in 2024.
Kim Smith
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE KIM SMITH Kim Smith is a singer-songwriter/collaborator based out of Asheville, North Carolina. “Songwriting is not just a passion it’s the expression of my soul in the most vulnerable and strongest times.” Kim continues to record and release songs produced by Asheville-based Chris Rosser as well as Nashville-based Dean Miller. Her first album “Thorns and Whiskey” was released Spring of 2023. Kim continues to record her music in the studio and travels around sharing her message in her music.
Lamont Landers w/ Ashley Heath
ALL AGES STANDING ROOM ONLY LAMONT LANDERS Born and raised in Alabama, Lamont Landers grew up absorbing the soulful sounds of the South that surrounded him. At the age of 14, he taught himself how to play guitar, and, at the age of 19, began singing. He spent years quietly honing his talents behind his bedroom doors, listening to records by Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Sly & The Family Stone, and Ray Charles on repeat. At the age of 22, a candid video recorded by his sister of Lamont performing the Ray Charles’ classic “Hit the Road Jack” went viral on YouTube and garnered over 400,000 views overnight. In the summer of 2023, history repeated itself with similar enthusiastic fan response propelling five Lamont Landers TikTok videos to over 1,000,000 views each. A feature on the Bobby Bones nationally syndicated radio show and shoutouts from music tastemakers ranging from Snoop Dogg to Questlove soon followed. No longer a secret of North Alabama, Lamont will be touring throughout North America in 2024. ASHLEY HEATHWith a voice often described as “velvet soul,” Asheville songwriter Ashley Heath has been winning over the hearts of Americana music lovers since she gave up her barista apron in the spring of 2015. Currently on tour in support of her sophomore album “Where Hope Never Dies,” Heath continues to deliver her signature blend of sultry blues and anthemic rock n’ roll arrangements to clubs and festivals nationwide, most recently appearing at acclaimed events including Merlefest, Bonnaroo, Shakori Hills, and more and supporting the likes of Donna The Buffalo, Del McCoury Band, Anders Osborne, Shamarr Allen (of Galactic), and other staples on the scene. Often compared to music influences Bonnie Raitt, Grace Potter, and Susan Tedeschi, Heath still manages to find a voice all her own, and has been recognized across Appalachia for her strong songwriting and vocal abilities, having made the WNCW Top 100 list and Mountain Xpress “Best Of” awards several years in a row. On the heels of a jam-packed year touring throughout the American southeast and northern Europe, and with her band “The Heathens” in tow, Ashley Heath aims to bring her message of hope and resilience to listeners everywhere and show by example that all it takes to achieve your dreams is the belief that you are capable.
Bearly Dead
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLYBEARLY DEAD Bearly Dead is a high-energy tribute to The Grateful Dead and all of its members throughout the years. While the band plays all of the Grateful Dead classics, they also dive into an extended catalog, which may include any song that any member of the Dead ever performed. With over 250 songs in rotation and new material being added all the time, Bearly Dead performs wildly different setlists every night and ensures that each show is a unique experience. With no designated “Jerry” or “Bobby”, this band is able to breathe new life into songs with their fresh, high-energy approach to them.
Slaughter Beach, Dog (solo)
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYSLAUGHER BEACH, DOG (SOLO) Hey, I just got off the phone with Jake Ewald. He says hello. I called him to tell him I’ve been digging the new Slaughter Beach Dog album he’d sent me. I’d been playing it around the house a lot, and had a question about it. He picked up on the first ring and told me that it’s called Crying Laughing Waving Smiling and that it’s going to come out on September 22nd on Lame-O Records. That wasn’t really my question, but I guess it’s good to know.I actually called to ask him if his van really got stolen. He mentions it in one of my favorite songs on the record, called “Engine”. I’ve been a fan of Slaughter Beach Dog for a little while now, and I know that Jake can tell a fantastic story, though I also know a great storyteller can stretch the truth. But Jake said his van really did get stolen in 2020, right at the top of the pandemic. It’s also true that just a little while later he moved from Philadelphia, where he’d been living for a decade, to a house in the Poconos. Once there, he found he had less distraction and a calmer mind. He started going for walks and listening to music. He found some new appreciation for the “old guys”, as he said on the phone- Neil Young, Randy Newman, Tom Waits, those types. Personally, I’d call them the “classic guys”, but I’m a bit older so I’m probably somewhat defensive about age. Anyways, to me it seems like some of this might have led to an old school approach to making a record. In July 2022, the whole Slaughter Beach, Dog band (Jake, Zach, Ian, Adam, Logan) gathered at their long time studio The Metal Shop back in Philly with a bunch of songs Jake had written over the past two years. Jake would show them a new song, singing and playing an acoustic guitar, and then the band would all play what they were hearing for the song. Classic, human, and not overthought. They’d talked before entering the studio about this approach: emphasising the instinctual, not being afraid, listening to each other. The band caught fire. They captured fifteen songs in the first five days. The priority throughout was serving the song. I’ve been listening for days now. I can tell you these songs got served. There’s beautiful space in everything. It’s patient and aware. A few months back I watched Slaughter Beach Dog play a sold out club in Brooklyn. The band was awesome, and the audience sang every damn one of the words to their songs back to them. It was impressive. But I know it’s not effortless, and Jake Ewald has been persistent. Starting with Modern Baseball, he’s led two different bands over countless tours of this country. He’s gathered fans around the world. He’s dedicated his life to rock and roll. He told me that sounds dramatic. Probably, but it’s also true. So as much as it speaks to our own modern age, my favorite part of this record is its timelessness. Before I got off the phone with Jake, I told him that this sounds like a record we’ll listen to in ten years, twenty years, beyond. It should get more and more people into Slaughter Beach Dog and the already deep catalog of music they’ve built. Next time I see the band, there will be even more people singing every word of every song. I’ll be in the back of the room, raising a toast to my pal Jake, congratulating him on the success of this fantastic record. I just hope he’ll still take my calls. – Craig FinnERIN RAE
