Robin Plemmons – Spread Eagle
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEHearts & Buttholes presents: Robin Plemmons – Spread EagleIt’s a comedy thing about Crohn’s. This shit isn’t funny (but sometimes it totally is). Hearts & Buttholes is the love child of Robin Plemmons & Melanie Losacco. It’s like if Brené Brown was R-rated, depressed, & had a busted asshole.As the show opener, Melanie will be warming us up in more ways than one.And Robin will be coming in strong with amusing visuals & insightful commentary on her journey through all of the literal & emotional shit that comes with chronic illness.
COVERFEST III: A Benefit for Asheville Middle School
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM- PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT ASHEVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOLCOVERFEST IIISunday January 14th, the Grey Eagle will host Coverfest III: “A Benefit for Asheville Middle”. This special community event will raise funds for Asheville Middle School’s annual 8th Grade capstone trip to Washington DC. Several of Asheville’s amazing bands will donate their time & talent to perform mini-sets of covers throughout the day. Come hungry and get dinner at the Grey Eagle Taqueria as this year’s Coverfest promises to be a uniquely entertaining night of music & community all for a great cause. Doors 4pm, show 5pm till 10pm. FEATURING PERFORMANCES FROM:Drunken PrayerDulci EllenbergerFashion BathHearts Gone SouthJeff Santiago y Los GatosKid BillyKrave AmikoScott Stetson’s Stink Bug BandTin Roof EchoUpland Drive
Princess Goes
ALL AGES – STANDING ROOM ONLY PRINCESS GOES Michael C. Hall: Vocals Matt Katz-Bohen: Keyboards Peter Yanowitz: Drums “We’re a weird band,” states Princess Goes drummer Peter Yanowitz. He’s not wrong. But weird like David Bowie, Bjork and Brian Wilson’s Smile might be termed “weird.” In other words: unconventional and quite possibly irresistible. Princess Goes’ second full-length album, the 12-song Come of Age, is the trio’s most accessible work to date, yet it’s still chock-full of innovative songs that traverse a thrilling and often surprising sonic and lyrical landscape. The first single, “Shimmer,” highlights Michael C. Hall’s powerful, ethereal vocals atop quietly propulsive rhythm lines, and features Stephen Trask (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) as guest guitarist. “Shimmer”’s equally stunning and expansive video was directed by Tim Richardson (Elton John, Billie Eilish, Givenchy). “Take Me Home” serves up a soaring emotive trippiness that morphs into headbanging moments worthy of the heaviest metaller or your favorite Zeppelin album, while the haunting “Jetpack” showcase Hall’s poignant lyrics and penetrative voice, at once bell-clear and diaphanous, as the song builds to a wild and harrowing conclusion. The 12 songs on Come of Age are by turns foreboding, mystical and danceable, Ray Bradbury- meets-the-Jetsons in its galactic aural scope. The ominous semi-drone beginning of “Blur” morphs into synthwave spectacularness, the song’s dynamics suiting Hall’s lyrics about “an illicit formative encounter.” Some of Hall’s most pointed writing is on the title track, “Come of Age,” the irresistibly bouncy musicality cut by the singer’s trenchant words: “Godzilla goggles seeing nothing but King Kong makes it hard to get along,” he sings, before deadpanning, “did you really mean it when you told me I was good / or are you just a devil spitting Hollywood.” “Come of Age,” explains Hall, is neither a command that the audience come of age, nor a suggestion that Princess Goes has reached some adulting milestone. As with much of what the trio does, it just intuitively felt right. It was likewise an easy decision to include a remixed version of a previously released song, the fan favorite “Let It Go.” Princess Goes felt the cut, as originally written, was sort of an outlier. It started with Yanowitz. Katz-Bohen took it home, sped it up and it became a little more EDM, but also fun, poppy, and anthemic. The LP’s mixer and frequent collaborator Brandon Bost (HAIM, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga) worked on the song with the Princess Goes (and also plays some bass and keys to the album), and now the band can hardly wait to play the new, slightly more expeditious incarnation of “Let it Go” live. Hall, Katz-Bohen and Yanowitz are seasoned performers forging new creative ground together in PG: Hall is best known for playing moralistic serial killer Dexter Morgan from Showtime hit Dexter as well as David Fisher from HBO’s revered Six Feet Under. Katz-Bohen has played with Blondie since 2008, while Yanowitz is a veteran of the Wallflowers and his own group, Morningwood. Exclamation Pony
The Record Company
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYTHE RECORD COMPANY At 2pm on December 19, 2022 — the dreaded final day of the year in the music business — The Record Company got a telephone call from the, um, record company. It was the head of the label, who’d been sitting on their new demos for months, while the band sat in limbo. It was a scene out of a movie about the bad luck bands sometimes have with big record labels: a pleasant “hello” led to a Charlie Brown’s teacher murmur that amounted to “you’re dropped from the label, Happy Christmas, fellas.” Apparently, the label was going “in a different direction” — Hollywood code for “The Record Company’s many radio hits and Grammy nomination are no guarantee that you’re going to push further into their idea of mainstream, or that you’re great at TikTok.” “It was tough to swallow,” says bassist Alex Stiff, “because we had already set out to write the most stripped-back and raw record we’d done in years, and they had demos of this new music, and ultimately dropped us. Combine that with some new economic realities, a canceled tour, and we really felt like everything was crashing down at once.” On The 4th Album, The Record Company see that rejection as a rite of renewal, a way to cleanse themselves, to start over. They head back to their roots: creating the raw, self-produced, blues-based music that in past years earned them multiple Billboard #1 AAA songs, a Grammy nomination, and brought them from playing small clubs to arena tours supporting John Mayer and Bob Seger. These “roots” would include half-working dumpster guitars, no-name drum sets from garage sales, no click tracks or studio tricks, all recorded in the bass player’s living room. “Almost every band you love at some point tends to drift away from that raw spark that made them unique in the first place,” says drummer Marc Cazorla. “They search for bigger sounds, bigger budgets, more expensive instruments, producers, mixers, etc. We’ve been subject to that as well, but now we’ve come back full circle to what matters most: making raw, honest music that moves peoples’ souls.” The band titled the new collection “The 4th Album” to signify the start of a new chapter. When the needle drops, we hear TRC lead singer Chris Vos spit out an offhanded quip: “I ain’t ever givin’ up,” an impromptu line that is an instant touchstone for anyone who’s ever seen their dreams fading, and then been able to regain hope. That line quickly became a call-to-arms for the band and a rock-solid theme for this album. The 4th Album finds the band at peace with themselves operating as outsiders in an ever- changing musical landscape. “You’re not going to find us posting goofy videos, salad recipes, or telling the internet what every song is about,” says Chris. “We’ve had some ups and downs, but we’ve managed to find a way through it, and put it all back into the music.” JESSE AHERN When Jesse Ahern walks onstage, he looks like a regular guy-albeit one with a six string strapped across his body and an anchor tattoo under his right eye. As he tears through his set, easily rousing brand new crowds to shout his choruses back in his face, it’s clear Jesse could be everybody’s friend.
Big Freedia’s Christmas in Central City Tour
– ALL AGES – STANDING ROOM ONLYBig Freedia has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold will go to The Ally Coalition’s work to support homeless and at-risk LGBTQIA+ youth. Asheville and Knoxville are rescheduled dates and will not be participating in the PLUS1 partnership, but ticket buyers should keep an eye out for ways to work with The Ally Coalition on getting involved in local LGBTQIA+ organizations in their city!BIG FREEDIA New Orleans icon Big Freedia is dreaming of the future of bounce music. Over the past two decades, the Queen of Bounce has expanded the booming sounds of Southern rap on a string of high-energy, twerk-inducing projects, while showcasing her inimitable charisma on blockbuster hits by Drake and Beyoncé. But where some might rest on their laurels, the Queen Diva still sees plenty of opportunity to expand her empire. “Bounce has been through many iterations—from Triggerman to Sissy to Cash Money Bounce—but my new single is something I call Bigga Bounce,” says Freedia, heralding this new chapter for the genre. “Welcome to Central City, y’all, where I pay homage to my city, my roots, hip-hop, and to the art of creating a new sound.” The tireless mogul broke into television in 2013 with Fuse’s Big Freedia Bounces Back, released her memoir Big Freedia: God Save The Queen Diva in 2015, launched a cannabis line called Royal Bud in 2022, and is on track to open her very own Hotel Freedia in New Orleans in 2024. In addition to promoting Central City Freestyle, and $100 Bill Ft. Ciara, the Queen Diva is gearing up to launch a new original series, Big Freedia Means Business, which will explore her prolific entrepreneurial endeavors. Visuals and even more new music are already in the works too. But in the greater scheme of things, Big Freedia hopes her voice and platform as an unapologetically authentic artist will inspire, especially at a time when the rights of LGBTQ+ people are under constant attack. “We gotta keep pushing, and I hope this album speaks to my community and everyone who feels they don’t have a voice,” she adds. “I am living proof of why you don’t let yourself get dragged down. We keep going. We keep fighting.”HAIKU HANDSANJELIKA “JELLY” JOSEPH
William Elliott Whitmore
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMIITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEWILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE A man armed only with a banjo and a bass drum can be a formidable force, especially if his name is William Elliott Whitmore. With his powerful voice and honest approach, Whitmore comes from the land, growing up on a family farm in Lee County, Iowa. Still living on the same farm today, Whitmore has truly taken the time to discover where his center lies, and from that he will not be moved. Whitmore has repeatedly carved his own path, honoring the longstanding tradition of folk music throughout his nearly 20 year career, while always allowing his blues, soul and punk rock influences to shine through. Getting his first break opening for his friend’s hardcore band with just a banjo in hand, he would discover bands like The Jesus Lizard, Bad Brains, Lungfish and Minutemen and soon learn to play his own brand of rural, roots music with that same DIY ethic. William Elliott Whitmore has been back and forth across the United States and to cities around the world. He’s toured with such diverse acts as Frank Turner, Trampled By Turtles, Clutch and Chris Cornell to name a few. He’s appeared on some of the biggest stages around the world including Stagecoach Fest, Byron Bluesfest (Australia) and End of the Road Fest (UK). His willingness to take his show to any playing field has proved invaluable as he turned strangers to diehards with every performance.CHRIS McGINNISChris McGinnis writes songs that exist somewhere between a hiccup and a heartache. His debut EP, Songs For You, touches on the peculiarity of your hometown morphing beyond recognition. It tells the story of two Baby Boomers falling in and out of love across time zones and decades. It’s about connection and disconnection alike. With the release of his debut full-length album Mamaw’s Angel, Chris veers deeper into these familiar themes. Through tales of stolen Winnebagos and hip-shaking grandbabies, Chris’ music is Appalachian absurdity for the 21st Century.
David Wilcox Annual Thanksgiving Homecoming Concert
– ALL AGES- FULLY SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEDAVID WILCOX David Wilcox is a penetrating storyteller. The revered folk musician has an effortless talent for spinning lyrics that quietly cut deep, and crafting melodies that seamlessly ride the plot twists and turns. Wilcox handily exemplifies the power of lyrical and musical catharsisPick any song from Wilcox’s new acoustic album, My Good Friends, and you will find yourself instantly immersed. Sometimes you’ll see yourself in the lyrics, other times you’ll marvel at the four-minute mini-movie. My Good Friends is a stripped-down, acoustic collection of ten songs, a fan-requested creative respite for Wilcox as he also continues to work on a full band album coming in 2024.Of special note on the new recording is “Jolt,” with its jittery rhythm playing perfect backdrop to lyrics about today’s obsession with online fear mongering and internet disinformation. The title track is a folk-blues number about living a life filled with close calls and surviving them all. Then there’s a trio of story songs – “Dead Man’s Phone,” “This Is How It Ends,” and “Lost Man” – that are as cinematic as they are charismatic. Wilcox says those last three songs “create a whole movie in my imagination.”In fact, the way Wilcox feels about every tune on My Good Friends proves this is indeed a fan-requested labor of love. “I am grateful for the community that sustains me – my good friends,” he says. “These are the kind of friends that get you through difficult times. The kind of friends that you go to for a fresh perspective when the future looks grim. These songs grew out of conversations with friends, and they hold ideas that I like to have around.”Such dedication to honoring personal and heartfelt music has been the backbone of David Wilcox’s entire career. The Ohio native with the warm baritone found his artistic muse in North Carolina during the mid-1980s. In 1987, he released his debut album, The Nightshift Watchman, which led to winning the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival in 1988. That translated to a four-album stint with A&M Records starting with 1989’s How Did You Find Me Here, which sold 100,000 copies by word of mouth. Thirty-plus years and twenty-plus albums later, Wilcox won top honors in the 23rd annual USA Songwriting Competition in 2018 for his effervescent “We Make the Way by Walking” from his last album release, The View From the Edge. Wilcox has deservedly earned praise over the years in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, and Rolling Stone, to name a few. He also has a dedicated and vocal core of fans who regularly write to thank him for his work and the impact his songs have had on their lives.Today, Wilcox is still earning his admirers with storytelling that cuts deep into the soul and observes the human condition from both the nerve center and the outside looking in. That kind of storytelling is certain to become a good friend.
STICK MEN (featuring Tony Levin, Markus Reuter, Pat Mastelotto)
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLESTICK MEN STICK MEN – Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto, the powerhouse bass and drums of the group King Crimson for a few decades, bring that tradition to all their playing. Levin plays the Chapman Stick, from which the band takes it’s name. Having bass and guitar strings, the Chapman Stick functions at times like two instruments. Markus Reuter plays his self-designed touch style guitar – again covering much more ground than a guitar or a bass. And Mastelotto’s drumming encompasses not just the acoustic kit, but a unique electronic setup too, allowing him to add loops, samples, percussion, and more. Members of STICK MEN have recorded on albums that sold over 200 million records worldwide and all 4 individual members have played collectively in many different projects in past 5 decades in over 90 countries worldwide.TONY LEVIN – Born in Boston, Tony Levin started out in classical music, playing bass in the Rochester Philharmonic. Then moving into jazz and rock, he has had a notable career, recording and touring with Peter Gabriel, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Yes, Alice Cooper, and many more. He has also released 5 solo CDs and three books of photohraphy and poetry. In addition to touring with Stick Men, he is currently a member of King Crimson (since 1980) and Peter Gabriel Band (since 1977), and jazz bands Levin Brothers (with his older brother Pete Levin) and L’Image (with Steve Gadd, Mike Manieri, David Spinozza, Warren Bernhard). Tony Levin is one of the most recorded bass players in history of music, appearing on over 1000 albums, and one of the most iconic and recognizable rock musicians in the past 5 decades. PAT MASTELOTTO – Very rarely does a drummer go on to forge the most successful career on the demise of their former hit band. Phil Collins and Dave Grohl have managed it, so too has Pat Mastelotto, a self taught drummer from Northern California, who has also been involved with pushing the envelope of electronic drumming. Pat has spent a lifetime jumping genres from pop, to prog, to electronica to world music with – among others – Mr. Mister, XTC, David Sylvian, The Rembrandts, Kimmo Pohjonen, and for the last 25 years with King Crimson.MARKUS REUTER – Markus is a composer, guitarist, and producer. Initially trained as a pianist, he subsequently studied Robert Fripp’s Guitar Craft and learned to play the Chapman Stick, later moving onto the U8 Touch Guitar. Reuter has re- leased several solo recordings and worked extensively with other musicians. He is one of the core members of the experi- mental band Centrozoon, is half of the duo Tuner (with Pat Mastelotto) and was also a member of Europa String Choir. WE ARE ANTS TO THEM…is the modular electronic project of synthesist & guitarist André Cholmondeley. WAATT touches base on various spots in the rich 125 year history of electronic music.
ELLA VOS: The Microdose Tour
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYELLA VOSAcclaimed for her dreamy soundscapes and psychedelic anthems, Ella Vos arrived on the scene with her 2017 single “White Noise,” which became an overnight sensation, debuting at #1 on Spotify’s Viral Charts. Her debut album, Words I Never Said, shortly followed to critical praise from Rolling Stone, HuffPost, Nylon, Coveteur and more. In 2019, Vos shared her Watch and Wait EP to acclaim from The New York Times, UPROXX—who called it “cathartic and confessional”— Earmilk and more. She has consistently sold out shows across North America, and with more than 300 million streams amassed independently, her songs have soundtracked hit series on ABC, MTV, E!, The CW and more. Vos’ songwriting is celebrated for exploring modern women’s lives in their totality, from motherhood, postpartum depression, reproductive rights, a lymphoma diagnosis, her divorce, to navigating lockdown with a new partner. With SUPERGLUE, her latest album written and recorded with husband Tommy English (Kacey Musgraves, Noah Cyrus), Vos expands on the complexities of womanhood after a year of intractable life shifts.
Leanna Firestone
– ALL AGES – STANDING ROOM ONLY LEANNA FIRESTONELeanna Firestone is an impressive artist and talented musician from Nashville, Tennessee. While attending Recording Industry school, Leanna entered the professional world of songwriting by fusing her writing with the community of anime stans she found when she first joined TikTok. Ultimately, this led to a short snippet of what would become her first release, “Strawberry Mentos” which reached 5M streams. Then, in 2021, her next track “Least Favorite Only Child” reached 4M streams, while her EP Y/N peaked at #8 on the US singer-songwriter iTunes Charts. One of her songs was also featured during an episode of Love Island UK. In early 2022, she released her first full album Forward / Slash, featuring “Diet Coke”, “Gambling Addiction” and “Smitten.” Currently, Leanna is signed to Frtyfve Records out of London.ABBY CATES Abby Cates is a singer/songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee. Cates started performing in musicals at the age of seven and plays a variety of instruments including guitar, piano, and ukulele. After competing on The Voice in 2018, she continued to pursue music, uploading covers and snippets of original music to social platforms such as Instagram and Tik Tok. After garnering an impressive and loyal following on socials, Cates released her debut single, “roadtripsong” in June 2021. When she’s not creating music, Cates spends her time in class at Belmont University and enjoying the outdoors, from where she finds most of her inspiration. SYDNEY ROSE
