MAMA’s got the Blues: Back from Memphis

mamas got the blues back from memphis

ALL AGES PARTIALLY SEATED SHOW OPTION OF SEATED VS STANDING TICKETS AVAILABLE AT CHECKOUT   MAMA MAMA is a Soul Shakin’ Original Blues project from Asheville, NC. MAMA recently earned Second Place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN and they are excited to be back to celebrate with their community. MAMA is fronted by Melissa McKinney, a vocalist known for her raw power, emotional delivery, and genuine connection with audiences. Beyond the stage, McKinney is a respected leader in the Asheville arts community, serving as Programming Director for LEAF Global Arts, co-founder of the WTF (Women to the Front) Music Festival, and a board member of AVL Fest. MAMA is led by band leader Jonathan Lloyd of the J Lloyd Mashup. The lineup features Peter Dimery on saxophone, Andre Lyles on bass, Duane Simpson on guitar, Marcus White on keys, and Nik Hope on drums. ADAMA DEMBELE Adama Dembele is a 33rd generation musician from Ivory Coast, West Africa. He has been a culture keeper with LEAF for more than 12 years. In January 2015, the Ivory Coast government demolished their family home and many others in Abobo (a city of 1.5 million people), citing erosion and unsafe conditions, a fact that is common in this part of the country where very little infrastructure exists. Thousands of people were pushed out of their homes with one week’s notice–some forced at gunpoint–and were given no temporary housing or compensation. Many families and chil­dren are now homeless with little expectation that the Ivory Coast government will provide housing or reimbursement for those im­pacted. To support the continuation of the inspirational work of the Dembele family, LEAF partners with Adama Dembele and Krimbo Delagrange to provide West African Drum & Dance traditions to the community.  

Pool Kids w/ Pretty Bitter

pool kids w pretty bitter

ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY   POOL KIDS Pool Kids’ third album, Easier Said Than Done, shimmers with emotional clarity and courage. Adrenalizing and irresistible, it brings the dynamism of the band’s live show into the studio, showcasing a style that’s unmistakably their own. Pool Kids first started playing on Tallahassee’s house show circuit. The band earned a fan in Paramore’s Hayley Williams with their debut album, 2018’s Music to Practice Safe Sex To. After they filled out to a four-piece — Andy Anaya on guitar, Nicolette Alvarez on bass, Caden Clinton on drums, and Christine Goodwyne on guitar and vocals — their 2022 self-titled record netted critical acclaim with its lush, high-contrast mixture of pop, emo, and math rock. They’ve shared stages with The Mountain Goats, PUP, Beach Bunny, and La Dispute. They hold fast to their DIY principles: Anyone can do what Pool Kids do. Anyone can start a band.   For Easier Said Than Done, Pool Kids worked with producer Mike Vernon Davis (Foxing, Great Grandpa). They funded the record themselves, and spent five weeks recording in Seattle. To save money during sessions, they stayed with friends, in motels, and slept on the floor of the studio. “We did a lot of searching, playing each song a million different ways and deciding which one sounded the best,” says Goodwyne. With the completed record in hand, the band signed to Epitaph.   On the thundering “Tinted Windows,” Goodwyne grits her teeth at the way spending months on tour and missing important milestones can stress close relationships. “Exit Plan” memorializes the experience of saying goodbye to friends at the end of a string of shows, knowing those powerful bonds may never feel the same again. On “Bad Bruise,” Goodwyne makes a bid for understanding: “Pretty please, empathy / Got me on my knees,” she sings while the band closes ranks around her.   Powerful collectivity rings through Easier Said Than Done — in the dynamic interplay between Goodwyne and Anaya’s guitars, in Alvarez’s gravitational basslines, in Clinton’s whirling drum patterns. Pool Kids lock together into a unified force, propelling themselves forward into hard-won release. Easier Said Than Done impresses one of the most important reminders anyone can hear: You don’t have to do anything in this world alone.   PRETTY BITTER Pretty Bitter was formed in Washington, D.C. after a creative partnership formed between Mel Bleker and Miri Tyler in 2017 Prior to the conception of Pretty Bitter, some members of the band were involved in the project Nah. from 2015- 2019, and during that time released a record titled Patchwork via Blossöm Records. After Nah.’s dissolution, Pretty Bitter formed and developed a local following, performing with notable bands such as The Ophelias and Sunflower Bean.  

RESCHEDULED: Dolly’s 80th Birthday Bash

rescheduled dollys 80th birthday bash

– ALL AGES  – LIMITED SEATS, FIRST COME FIRST SERVE & STANDING ROOM   DOLLY’S 80TH BIRTHDAY BASHWe will always love Dolly and we’re back at the Grey Eagle Jan. 31 to celebrate her 80th birthday! Hosted once again by CyndiLou & the Want To with special guests including Kate Bryant (Cactus Kate & the Pricks), Meaghan Collins (Sparkle Mountain), Liliana Hudgens, Erin Kinard (Rooster), Gracie Lane, Sadie Lettrich, Alissa Nordmoe (Nordmoe & the Rodeo), Tricia Tripp (Hearts Gone South) and more! Our all-star band includes Phil Alley (Heavenly Vipers) and Marty Lewis (Sons of Ralph) on guitars, Morgan Geer (Drunken Prayer) on bass, and John McKinney on keyboards. 3 sets of live music, a look-alike contest, and a portion of proceeds benefitting Buncombe County Partnership for Children, the local chapter of Dolly’s Imagination Library!

Boogarins w/ DOOM GONG + Silver Doors

boogarins

ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY   BOOGARINS Formed in 2013 by Fernando de Almeida Filho (vocals and guitar), Benke Ferraz (guitar), Raphael Vaz (bass and keyboards), and Ynaiã Benthroldo (drums), Brazilian psychedelic rock band Boogarins announces a commemorative tour celebrating the ten-year anniversary of “Manual, ou Guia Livre de Dissolução dos Sonhos.” With concerts in Brazil and the United States, the band also announces future steps in this tour, bringing the special guest Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas for the Bandshell Beach Club Festival at the Miami Beach Bandshell, who is also collaborating with Boogarins on a new single set for release early this year.   Nominated for a Latin Grammy Award in the category of Best Portuguese-Language Rock Album, “Manual, ou Guia Livre de Dissolução dos Sonhos” is the band’s second studio album, released in October 30th of 2015, by Other Music/Fat Possum. The record confirmed to both audiences and critics that Boogarins were more than just a promise, consolidating them as one of the most important Brazilian rock bands of their generation.   Recorded in the coastal city of Gijón, in northern Spain, “Manual” was made during a one-month break in the middle of the band’s first international tour—which included over 100 shows across cities in the United States, Europe, and Brazil. Unlike their debut album, recorded at home with a more lo-fi aesthetic, the songs on “Manual” were born and developed on the road, during live performances, and were captured in a fully analog studio. The recording process preserved the energy of four young musicians living the dream of traveling the world and making a living from music, while simultaneously developing a new language for Brazilian psychedelic rock.   DOOM GONG Formed in 2022 in Louisville, Kentucky by 7 music school nerds, DOOM GONG has made a name for themselves internationally with their own home-baked genre, Denim Psych – a hodgepodge of psychedelic rock, jazz fusion, prog rock, bedroom pop, lo-fi, contemporary classical music, as well as blood, sweat, and a lot of denim.    SILVER DOORS Formed in 2022, The Silver Doors is a psychedelic rock band from Asheville, NC. Channeling through the lens of the Appalachian mountains, they tap into shoegaze, blues, psych, and krautrock, all with electric violin as the center point. They released their debut album in 2024 that was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Drop of Sun Studios with Alex Farrar and Lawson Alderson. Since then, they have shared the stage with regional and touring bands, hit the road with their own tour up the east coast, and begun honing a new collection of sounds and songs all the while.

George Terry & The Zealots: Album Release Show + Bob Dylan 85th Birthday Tribute set!

george terry the zealots album release show bob dylan 85th birthday tribute set

ALL AGES SEATED SHOW   GEORGE TERRY & THE ZEALOTS George Terry AKA George Trouble sings with carefully crafted phrases and melodies.   The songs speak of populist, mythic, historical and personal stories. They weave an imaginative lyrical landscape with a wide palette, ranging from folk, punk, rock, rockabilly, reggae and ska, to surf and honest country blues. Featuring Aaron Price’s deft musicianship The Zealots offer an exquisite distillation of the American songbook. GT is releasing two records in 2026. His band, The Zealots, is proud to release their fifth record- “Entanglement”, this spring on Bob Dylan’s 85th birthday at The Grey Eagle. The band will play a set of Dylan and the new record as well. George’s second solo album is primarily acoustic and features “Dirty Side of Helene”, a folk lament in the wake of the disaster. GT returns to touring in ’26 with a deeper conviction to sharing the narratives of all who navigate the recovery from Hurricane Helene.

Cristina Vane

cristina vane

ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY   CRISTINA VANE More than a mere practitioner of her craft, Cristina Vane has a breadth and depth of serious musical skill compiled from countless miles across all kinds of geography. On her third studio album ‘Hear My Call,’ the pairing of a lifetime pursuit and growing treasure trove of songs makes for a record that demands to be heard. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, her sound reflects and amalgam of experiences; born at the foothills of the alps in Italy and raised between Italy, England and France, Cristina’s half American – half Guatemalan heritage is as unique as her sound. She unapologetically blends her rock roots with her passion for pre war blues, old time banjo, country and bluegrass. Since her time busking on the Venice Beach Boardwalk and working at McCabe’s guitar shop, this deft multi instrumentalist has sharpened her fingerstyle/ slide guitar and clawhammer banjo skills and merged it with crystalline vocals, captivating songwriting, and an entrancing stage presence to make for a truly exciting act. Cristina has an extensive touring history and has provided direct support for: Molly Tuttle, Bob Weir, Jerry Douglas, Wynonna Judd, Sam Bush, Nikki Lane, Town Mountain, Duane Betts Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Arlo McKinley, and Willi Carlisle. She has been mentioned in Rolling Stone Country and NPR, and was featured in the Bank of America ad for Ken Burns’  “Country Music” documentary. She was an invited guest for Billy Strings’ String the Halls 3, has appeared on Travis Book’s (Infamous Stringdusters) Happy Hour and at Portland Blues Festival, Under the Big Sky, Four Corners Folk Festival, and Roosterwalk.

Heartbeats Dance Party w/ DJ Marley

heartbeats dance party w dj marley

21+ EVENT STANDING ROOM ONLY  FESTIVE OUTFITS ENCOURAGED!   HEARTBEATS DANCE PARTY WITH DJ MARLEY 💘A Valentine’s late night dance party. Come single, bring a date, or just come with your crew – but come dressed to impress. This one’s for anyone who wants to dance it out. Flirty energy, great tunes and a packed dance floor! 

Fat Tuesday Celebration w/ Tuesday Night Funk Jam House Band & Firecracker Jazz Band

fat tuesday celebration w tuesday night funk jam house band firecracker jazz band

ALL AGES  STANDING ROOM ONLY  CAJUN FOOD SPECIALS   Get ready to throw down, Mardi Gras–style. 🎭🎷   Join us for a Fat Tuesday Celebration packed with deep grooves, New Orleans spirit, and late-night funk at its finest. The legendary Tuesday Night Funk Jam House Band takes the stage alongside powerhouse vocalist Meschiya Lake, bringing soul-drenched vocals, swagger, and vintage flair that channels the heart of the Crescent City.   Starting this NOLA party out proper is the Firecracker Jazz Band, serving up high-energy brass, infectious rhythms, and full-on carnival vibes. Expect a room full of color, beads, brass, and bodies moving—this is not a sit-down kind of night.   Come early for Cajun food specials from the Grey Eagle Taqueria, grab a drink, and settle in for an unforgettable Fat Tuesday blowout. Costumes encouraged. Funk guaranteed. Laissez les bons temps rouler.

Mason Jennings w/ Slow Runner (solo)

mason jennings

ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE   MASON JENNINGS Minneapolis songwriter Mason Jennings shares his new video for the single, “Only Lovers Welcome” from his brand new album, Underneath The Roses out now via Loosegroove Records. Underneath The Roses is available on limited-edition colored vinyl and is available here.  Watch and share the video for “Only Lovers Welcome” here.   Jennings writes that the songs from Underneath The Roses were, “Written in an unprecedented burst,” following the birth of his son, Western, in March 2022. Jennings explains, “I hadn’t written any songs in about a year. I had been dealing with the psychological after effects of the pandemic as well as the loss of my dad. So, when Western was born I didn’t expect to be writing much. But immediately he was responding to music in a very intense way. For this album, between May and November 2022, I wrote 48 songs! They certainly uplifted me and connected me with the creative spirit, and spirit in general, again. They cover all kinds of ground but, when I listen back, I think the central theme is overcoming fear with love.” Jennings and Stone Gossard are ongoing collaborators in the band Painted Shield, who released their 2021 debut album on Loosegroove, the influential indie label that Gossard founded back in 1994 issued records from acts such as Critters Buggin, Malfunkshun, Weapon of Choice and Devilhead, and was the launching point for Queens of the Stone Age’s debut album in 1998.  SLOW RUNNER (solo) Slow Runner is the creative vessel for Michael Flynn, an Americana-adjacent singer/songwriter based in western North Carolina. His songs have been featured on shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Shameless, and on commercials for useful products like cars and shampoo. He’s also won a few awards for songwriting, most recently the 2021 Newsong Music Grand Prize. After a few years performing under his own name, Michael signed a record deal with SonyBMG in 2006 and began releasing music as Slow Runner in a long-running collaboration with producer/multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaler and other musical friends. Slow Runner has spawned 6 full length albums among other EPs and singles, and has toured internationally with acts like The Avett Brothers, Josh Ritter, and many others. His music explores disparate genres from dreamy synth-pop to confessional folk, always anchored by compelling lyrics and an authentic emotional core.