Corey Ryan Forrester
– AGES 18+- FULLY SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE COREY RYAN FORRESTER (presented by Modelface Comedy)Corey’s love for comedy started when he was a toddler watching Carson (and then Leno) from a blanket on the floor next to his daddy, Dale. By the second grade, Corey had already informed his teachers that he would be a comedian and didn’t ever consider another profession. At 16, he worked up the nerve to do his first open mic (lying about his age to be admitted into the club). Corey spent the next decade hawking jokes in dingy bars and comedy clubs at night, then waking up to do random jobs to supplement his income. He was a house painter, retail associate, motorcycle salesman, urine sample collector, flower delivery boy, hotel maid, college textbook reseller, and hay bailer… at one point, he ran a family bakery with his mother and sister where he was considered the “Head Quiche Chef.” In 2015 Corey traded in his chef’s hat for a full-time trucker hat. Under Corey’s trucker hat is a giant head, and under that are surprisingly thought-provoking rants on society, culture, and politics. His stand-up blends humor and common sense into a high-energy act full of silly physical comedy, recounting wild stories and emotionally-driven tangents. Corey dreams of being in the small club of EGOT winners. His creative output is nearly insatiable and propelled by his passion for writing, performance, and silliness. Choosing to live in his hometown of Chickamauga, when Corey isn’t on the road touring internationally as part of the wellRED Comedy Tour, he takes hours-long walks through the woods, talks on the phone with his momma, and makes live videos to destigmatize mental health. You can find daily videos and writing across Corey’s platforms. He makes viral character videos and political satire sketches, writes daily for his Substack subscribers, works on his upcoming second book, and produces more podcasts than you can count. Corey’s undeniable charm has garnered fans like Whoopi Goldberg, Chelsea Clinton, Leslie Jones, and Dave Bautista. His greatest honor has been connecting with people of all kinds, meeting fans on the road, and making his family proud, even if they cringe a little.
Nicotine Dolls
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYNICOTINE DOLLS Nicotine Dolls is a NYC based Pop/Rock band formed in 2017 with lead singer Sam Cieri, Guitarist John Hays, Bassist John Merritt, and Drummer Abel Tabares. The band has been steadily releasing singes and EPs since 2019. They have built a devoted and strong base through their successful Social Media engagement. The bands most recent release “What Makes You Sad” was able to garner over 19k Pre-Saves and opened at #5 on the Itunes all Genre chart.ABBIE ROPER Abbie Roper and her band bois make up a four piece indie rock / punk band based in NYC. Abbie and the bois can be found in some of NYC’s classic venues playing a mix of your favorite early 2000’s covers and her originals of ardor.
LIVE! ON STAGE: JONATHAN RICHMAN featuring TOMMY LARKINS on the drums!
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYLIVE! ON STAGE: JONATHAN RICHMAN featuring TOMMY LARKINS on the drums! “Richman is one of America’s most unique and dynamic songwriters…” – Nashville Scene “Richman didn’t need much else besides a beat to work his magic.” – New York Daily News “Buy tickets early. Buy tickets often. This is just good general life advice, but even more so when you’re talking about Jonathan Richman. Don’t get denied at the door, don’t leave things up to chance: You will regret it.” – Nashville Scene “Rhymes worthy of Ogden Nash.” – The New York Times “Richman has spent decades removing barriers between himself and his audience, cultivating an intimacy that is almost extinct in modern music.”- Nashville Scene “The music we’re doing now works well in quiet places like theaters and performing art centers. We still don’t use a program or a set list so we don’t know what we’ll do until we do it. Please do not expect old songs. Many singers my age do a retrospective; this show is not like that. It’s mostly stuff made up in the last 3 and 4 years. Some of the songs presented might be in different languages; this is not to be esoteric or clever, it’s because the different languages help me express different feelings sometimes. One last thing, my idea of a good show has nothing to do with applause. It’s about if all the songs I sang that night were ones that I felt.” – Jonathan
The Supersuckers
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYTHE SUPERSUCKERSAt a time when many alternative rock bands were either filtering hard rock tropes through a filter of irony (such as Urge Overkill, Big Chief, and Redd Kross) or reworking them into grunge (like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, or Stone Temple Pilots), the Supersuckers stood out as a band who approached their music with tongue firmly in cheek while still making it clear they loved arena-ready hard rock, both for its absurdity and for its punch-to-the-gut power. Playing like they should be in a 20,000-seat arena even when they were playing bars that held 200 people, the Supersuckers sounded like the bastard sons of Foghat, AC/DC, and ZZ Top after being weaned on punk rock, unafraid of massive guitar riffs, outsized personalities, or pledging allegiance to sex, weed, and Satan with a wink and a nudge. Rising to nationwide recognition while signed to Sub Pop, they made their debut as a rather ordinary punk band with 1992’s The Smoke of Hell, then dove head-first into speedy hard rock with 1994’s La Mano Cornuda and 1995’s The Sacrilicious Sounds of the Supersuckers; they then detoured into reefer-addled country with 1997’s Must’ve Been High. While their Sub Pop era contained most of their best work, they were still capable of making their sound work in the studio, particularly on 2003’s raucous Motherfuckers Be Trippin’ and 2008’s (relatively) thoughtful Get It Together.THE RUMOURSThe Rumours are a rock band based out of Waterloo, IA. The once, straight-up Rock N Roll band finally made-out with Punk — leaving you beggin’ for more with their Kick-In-The-Face look & sound. It’s all about HOOKS, LOOKS & LOUD GUITARS. The Rumours are the hottest three-some you’ll ever see.
OUTPOST: Sufi Brothers
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINEThe Sufi Brothers are Aaron “Woody” Wood on vocals and guitar and Jason Krekel on vocals, mandolin, guitar, and fiddle. We represent over 15 years of Americana from Asheville – as true locals that have played a diverse collection of venues from revivals to dive bars. The Sufi Brothers play an improvised set that starts with a tribute to country roots, blues, gospel, and folk, then travels a path unknown guided by an openness and sensitivity to each other and the universe. Like our namesake the Sufis – we let love and a higher power determine the course the music takes.
Chris McGinnis and Mamaw’s Angels
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYCHRIS McGINNIS AND MAMAW’S ANGELS North Carolina musician Chris McGinnis writes songs that exist somewhere in between a hiccup and a heartache. His last EP, 2019’s Songs For You, touches on the absurdity of your hometown morphing beyond recognition. It tells a story of two Baby Boomers drifting together from across the US into the Golden Gate City, then drifting apart, and then together again. It is about connection and disconnection alike. With his debut full-length album, Mamaw’s Angel, Chris veers deeper into these familiar themes. “I think this album is largely about manic loneliness. These songs are ultimately about people who are afraid of losing their relationships. They refuse to accept that they may have already lost these relationships, and they refuse to accept that they are to blame.” The manic aspect of the “manic loneliness” manifests itself in the album’s refusal to rest in one genre. “What If We Went to the Moon?” is what Chris describes as “a cosmic country song with a countrypolitan foundation.” Heartland rocker “Home Away From Home” has all the stomp and 12-string firepower to park a Wilbury. Other tracks like “Mailman’s Son” and “Old Chestnut” teeter between lo-fi indie folk and roots freak out. Tying all of these styles together are the lyrics and the characters at the center of them. Overbearing grandparents and stubborn grandchildren, washed-up fraternity brothers yearning for the New Year’s Eve parties of yesteryear, a missing Winnebago, a tree that just won’t quit, and other wild personalities run throughout the ten tracks found on Mamaw’s Angel. More than just a few are inspired by people and stories Chris had met and heard back towards his home in Western NC’s Linville Gorge Wilderness area. Mamaw’s Angel is a collection of sensationally-delivered tales about characters struggling on the sidelines of their own realities. “The characters in these songs are all incredibly flawed. I wanted to write songs that expressed truly ugly emotions. Loneliness, anger, denial, regret. The characters are all being eaten away by these feelings, and it motivates their words and actions. But I also think that that is how some of the absurdity is palatable.” Mamaw’s Angel was recorded at Clubmen Studio in Blairsville, GA, and produced by Atlanta-based artist Jacob Davis Martin. Among the musicians heard throughout the album are Asheville, NC’s Carly Taich, members of Asheville’s Jack Marion & the Pearl Snap Prophets, Atlanta-based strings trio Me Me Me, and Will Easter of Boone, NC.BOAT COMMANDBoat command consists of four main components: bass, keys, guitar, and drums. Occasionally accompanied by horns and/or vocals. Described by some as ‘post-lofi yacht hop’ the sound is founded in jazz and fusion roots yet sustained by the methodologies of more modern genres such as hip hop and electronic music. The philosophy is expressiveness through low volume and allowing space to be a fundamental piece of our delivery. The message is to embrace what boating can do for you.
Djunah
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYDJUNAH Chicago-based Djunah spotlights the talents of Donna Diane, who pulls triple duty, simultaneously playing guitar, singing, and pulverizing a Moog bass organ with her foot — a feat some have described as “mind-blowing.” Drawing a broad range of comparisons from Diamanda Galás to Melvins, Djunah (pronounced “JUNE-uh”) pairs her powerful, unrestrained vocals and abrasive guitar with punishing drums courtesy of drummer Jared Karns (Their/They’re/There, Hidden Hospitals). Known for their massive, intense live sound, Djunah is fueled as much by big emotions as it is by love of gear. Diane, who has been featured on Premiere Guitar’s Rig Rundown, is a self-described gearhead who learned to build footswitches to make simultaneously playing both instruments possible. Shortly before the pandemic started, she launched a YouTube series called “Can I Touch Your Gear?” to help represent women’s voices in the gear space. CVLT Nation called Djunah’s first album, “Ex Voto” (2019), “an angular noise rock escalator run on power and beauty … a record that should be heard by all music lovers, no matter what scene you are a part of.” New Noise called it “an instant classic, like we’ve got a new Melvins on our hands.” Everything Is Noise raved, “Seismic guitar … 100% pure emotion … You gotta see it to believe it.” Djunah’s newest album, “Femina Furens,” fuses influences from formal poetry and heavy music to tell the story of diagnosis and continuing recovery from complex post-traumatic stress disorder, or C-PTSD. Animals, chariots/sleighs, and mythological figures appear prominently on the album as a way of exploring themes of emotional regulation, power, and control — some of the core features of trauma disorders. The album’s title comes from the Latin for a “raging” or “furious” woman.LUNGPowerhouse art-punk cello-rock duo Lung have a sound that is dark and commanding, evoking the driving sludge of early grunge with layered sinister undertones. Described as “loud, dissonant, innovative, and fearless” (Fair Shakes and Just Dessert) and “post-grunge mixed with a dose of the avant garde (Paul Silver, Jersey Beat), “Lung doesn’t try to fit in – they pry their way in with a velvet crowbar” (Brian Baker, CityBeat Cincinnati). The band is Kate Wakefield, a classically trained opera singer and cellist, and drummer Daisy Caplan, formerly of Foxy Shazam, Babe Rage, and Ayin. Playing shows from SXSW to Treefort Music Festival to famed DIY venues like 924 Gilman Street, Lung have made their presence known and developed the reputation as a “must see” band. Since their first performance in April 2016, the pair have played over 500 shows across North America and Europe. HARRIERS OF DISCORD Female fronted and formed by Aimee Jacob Oliver, along with with tasty bass licks of Duane Duaneson and the prodigious drumming styles by Marcus Trujillo, Harriers of Discord is a force to be reckoned with. The LA-based band, (currently residing in Asheville, NC) will knock you down and pick you back up again with their eclectic range of instrumental scores, heedless vocals, tremolo swells, soothing ballads, and progressive riffs that refuse to quit.
Canaan Cox
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY – LIMITED NUMBER OF VIP MEET & GREET TICKETS AVAILABLE (VIP PROGRAM BEGINS AT 6:15PM) CANAAN COX Canaan Cox is the definition of a triple threat – artist, actor and dancer. His music is a fusion of contemporary country, pop and a hint of rhythm and blues, which is no surprise as he grew up in a musical household. Originally from North Carolina, his father blasted Conway Twitty records while his mother toured the southeast with her band, and his seven sisters ensured he had a healthy dose of pop music. Cox went on to earn his BFA in Musical Theatre from Catawba College which allows him a unique musical perspective that influences everything he does today, from writing original music to his performance during live shows. Cox moved to Nashville in the fall of 2016, and began playing the downtown bars on Broadway. During a chance encounter in 2021, Cox met radio and television personality Bobby Bones, who loved his hustle and invited Cox to appear on his show, reaching over 9.2 million listeners. His last single “As You Leave” (January 2022) received critical acclaim with marquee playlisting on Spotify including New Boots, Wild Country, Breakout Country, Next from Nashville, Apple’s New in Country, and was highlighted in Amazon’s Breakthrough Country playlist. Following the outpouring of support he received on the Bobby Bones Show, his song was spotlighted on the Country Top 30. This momentum led Cox to a phenomenal year of streaming, seeing incredible 10x growth in 2022. His latest single “Hate Me More” highlights his craft as a songwriter along with a sultry sound that blends his unique styles of music. In addition, Cox is planning to release an upcoming EP and an international tour later this year. There is much to come from this multi-talented artist that is paving his own lane in country music.
OUTPOST: J.M Clifford
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINEJ.M. Clifford A songwriter and music educator from Brooklyn, NY. His music draws on folk, bluegrass, and classic singer-songwriter styles from the 60s and 70s. Clifford’s debut record, On a Saturday Night, was featured on The Bluegrass Situation and received rave reviews from Bluegrass Today and Holler Country. Clifford will be performing as an official showcase artist at the IBMA conference in September 2023. He performed at the IBMA Songwriter Showcase in 2022 and has been selected as a finalist in the 2023 Rocky Mountain Songwriting Festival. Clifford’s upcoming record, slated for release in late 2023, was produced by platinum-selling artist Ron Pope and features Bronwyn Keith Hynes, Seth Taylor, and Jeff Picker. Clifford works as an NYC elementary public school teacher in Brooklyn and leads a bluegrass ensemble at The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
Jojo Hermann (of Widespread Panic)
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYJOJO HERMANNJohn “JoJo” Hermann started playing keys with Widespread Panic in 1992. His major influences stem from New Orleans piano players; most notably Professor Longhair and Dr. John.Throughout his career he has brought his New Orleans piano boogie woogie style into his songwriting.SAM HOLT Sweet, lowdown, and introspective, Sam Holt writes rock songs that are heartfelt and poignant expressions of life experiences that reflect his southern roots. Holt is well known for his guitar tech skills for the late Michael Houser of Widespread Panic, and for his own national touring band Outformation. Sam Holt put his own name front and center with the newly assembled Sam Holt Band, which is anchored by Holt’s distinguished guitar technique – no pick, all thumb! Sam Holt Band brings a hypnotic amalgam of outlaw twang, southern power pop, and face-melting hard rock riff-age. “I really just write from my heart. The music is out there, if I can get out of my own way it’s easier for a song to form,” says Sam. Born in Nashville, TN, Holt spent his youth surrounded by southern rock. The first bands Sam remembers liking were The Charlie Daniels Band and Elvis Presley. Once his mom brought home KISS Alive II, he knew music would be a major part of his life. Graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in recording engineering Sam went to work at Soundcheck in Nashville. In 2000, Holt became the guitar tech for Michael Houser of the wildly popular Athens, GA band Widespread Panic. Houser was impressed with Sam’s skills and told him should be playing his own music. Sadly, Houser passed away in August of 2002 after a courageous struggle with pancreatic cancer. Sam continued to tech for Widespread Panic, and made frequent onstage appearances playing lead guitar on the Summer 2006 tour. These shows were highly valued by Panic’s die-hard fan base. Armed with that experience and Mike’s encouraging words, Sam started the Atlanta, GA basedband Outformation with Lee Schwartz on drums and Grady Upchurch on bass. Outformation toured for five years and recorded three albums: Tennessee Before Daylight (2005), Traveler’s Rest (2007) and Fastburn (2009). In 2010, the members of Outformation went their separate ways. Holt moved to Colorado and became a part of the vibrant Colorado music scene forming The Sam Holt Band with Michael “Spanky” McCluer on bass, Adam Stern on pedal steel and guitar, and Andy Clapp on drums are adding fresh colors and textures to Holt’s catalog of material. Sam notes, “I’m so lucky to have hooked up with these guys. They are such burning players, and I totally trust them in any situation.”
