PATIO SHOW: The Tillers
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE The Tillers: The Tillers got their start in August 2007 when they started thumping around with some banjos and guitars and a big wooden bass. Their earliest gigs were for coins and burritos on the city’s famous Ludlow Street in the district of Clifton. The songs they picked were mostly older than their grandparents. Some came from Woody Guthrie, some were southern blues laments, and many were anonymous relics of Appalachian woods, churches, riverboats, railroads, prairies, and coal mines.Their look didn’t fit the stereotype. They were clearly recovering punk rockers with roots in city’s west side punk rock and hardcore scene. The punk influence gave their sound a distinctive bite, setting them apart from most other folk acts- a hard-driving percussive strum and stomp that brought new pulse and vinegar to some very old songs. But their musical range soon proved itself as they floated from hard-tackle thumping to tender graceful melody, all the while topped by Oberst and Geil’s clear tenor harmonies. They began picking up weekly gigs around the city’s bar scene. It didn’t take long before their signature treatment of classic folk songs became the preferred versions of Cincinnati locals. Their audiences swelled, growing into an assortment of grey-haired mechanics, neo-hippies, farmers, punkers, professors, and random strays all stomping, clapping, singing, and belting outbursts of “John Henry!” “Darlin’ Corey!” Ever since, the band has come to each show with the same energy. They are magnetic showmen, mature musicians, and colorful storytellers. Opening sets by The Montvales, and Frances Eliza Frances Eliza: Asheville-based singer/songwriter and guitarist Frances Eliza blends her love of songwriting with her passion for jazz, folk, and pop music. Performing around NC and SC for over a decade, Frances has been described as “An intimate storyteller who invites the listener into her private life as she shares and explores experiences of love, loss, and pain.” Influenced by artists like Joni Mitchell, The Cranberries and Taylor Swift, Frances has performed solo and with many talented musicians at hundreds of venues over the past decade, and has released 2 original EPs thus far.
The Wildwoods
ALL AGES STANDING ROOM ONLY RAIN OR SHINE ***THIS SHOW HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE GREY EAGLE AT 185 CLINGMAN AVE*** “Every note we play is a chapter in our story, a journey through the heart of American roots music. We’re The Wildwoods, where each lyric is a leaf in the vast forest of our sound.” In the heart of Lincoln, Nebraska, The Wildwoods emerge as a folk/Americana trio, a musical tapestry woven by husband-and-wife, Noah (guitar) and Chloe Gose (violin), alongside bassist Andrew Vaggalis. Their story is a symphony of exploration and connection, a journey that has taken them from the Midwest to international stages, carving out a unique place in the folk landscape. Their presence has graced stages alongside artists such as Mighty Poplar, Sierra Ferrell, Aiofe O’ Donovan, Melissa Carper, Jamie Wyatt and Joe Nichols at concerts and festivals like Summerfest, FreshGrass and the Oyster Ridge Music Festival. The Wildwoods have become a force in the folk scene, boasting accolades like being finalists at the FreshGrass Music Festival Band competition and Gems on VHS “Gems in the Rough” competition in 2023. Their songwriting prowess is underscored by semi-final placements in the International Songwriting competition, with tracks like “Untitled” and “Way of Train.” Recognized consistently at the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Awards, they were crowned “Best Band” by the Lincoln Journal Star’s Lincoln Choice Awards in 2022. Their sonic journey unfolds through albums like the debut “Sweet Nostalgia” (2017), followed by “Birdie & Goose” (2017), “Across A Midwest Sky” (2019), and their latest masterpiece, “Foxfield Saint John” (2023). The band’s evolution is evident in each track, a testament to their commitment to pushing musical boundaries. United by a passion for folk/Americana, the trio’s influences range from Watchhouse and Nickel Creek, to Gillian Welch & David Rawlings. Their music, though comfortably under the folk/Americana umbrella, weaves intricate chord structures and emotional textures that defy genre boundaries. Together, their harmonies resonate with artful sincerity, drawing inspiration from nature, their shared experiences of growing up in Nebraska and life on the road.
OUTPOST: Dust Box Band
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Dust Box Band – A collaboration among four talented singer-songwriters from Interlochen Arts Academy, Dust Box Band is touring from New York to South Carolina in August of 2024. Each artist brings original songs backed up by their multi-instrumentalist band members. This tour will showcase a high energy performance by the group that includes their original music as well as creative takes on classic covers. Dust Box Band is made up of the artists Sebastian Dallisay-Hocket (@sebastianjdallisay), Eliza Prymak (@elizaprymak), Imogene Stevens (@imogenestevens.music), and John Teti (@johnteti_music).
CANCELED: OUTPOST: River & Rail // Luke Vanhine & Samuel Gottlieb // Claire Hoke
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE ** THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED ** River & Rail: Grace and Alex Fincher wed in 2021, moving from Missouri to Nashville, TN and establishing Indie Folk/Americana duo, “River and Rail.” They have since performed over 100 shows- opening for acts such as Willi Carlisle, Esme Patterson, and The Arcadian Wild. Possessing a voice that is equal parts haunting and agile, Grace’s songwriting captivates the listener. Alex’s textural, melodic acoustic guitar and mandolin weaves between, adding plaintive supporting vocals. The two have crafted a rich yet close acoustic sound that leans into dynamics, nuanced embellishment, and out-of-the box musical changes. In November 2023, the duo released their debut EP “Trees and other Relatives” a collection of stories mined from Grace’s lineage. Claire Hoke: Claire Hoke is a North Carolina born, soulful song storyteller who weaves melodies that resonate with raw emotion and honesty. With an acoustic guitar in hand and a heart full of vulnerability, Claire’s music serves as a cathartic journey through the complexities of human experience. Drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of folk and pop, Claire’s sound is a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation. Her songs are windows into her inner world, exploring themes of struggle, growth, and resilience. As a songwriter, Claire confronts her own problems and feelings of discomfort, transforming them into melodic prose that resonate with authenticity. Through her music, she seeks not only to process her own emotions but also to create a space where others can find solace and connection. Luke Vanhine and Samuel Gottlieb will also be performing as a duo.
OUTPOST: Old Sap with Peter Stone & Anterra, and Southern Pine
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Old Sap: Poet from Chicago, rambled out to Montana, cut a banjo from a tamarack, strings across the country, foot like a freight train, voice rushing down over lush Appalachia, sings a thrush tune through the rush hour and into your long-forgotten prairie dreams. Folk. Folk Rock. Americana. Anterra: Anterra is a multi-instrumentalist weaver of songs and siren of sorrow. She delicately intertwines ethereal, harmonically-rich, unexpected vocal arrangements with lush, powerful instrumentation; all a backdrop supporting her poignant and moving meditations on self-purpose and grief. A distinctive melodic and poetic voice in dark indie folk. Peter Stone: Peter Stone is an independent musician and a writer of songs that are equal parts intimate and cinematic, energetic and evocative, familiar and haunted. It’s easy to imagine any of Peter’s songs playing over the final shot of a film about love and loss, giving your tears just enough time to dry while the credits roll before you leave the theater. With a voice like warm evening sunlight creeping in through a ranch homestead’s western windows, it does not come as a surprise that they have lived all across the United States, acquiring dust and stories along the road. In addition to releasing their own music as a solo artist, Peter is also the co-founder and former guitarist of The Rare Occasions, an LA-based band whose explosive garage rock anthems and soaring melodies have been heard by millions of listeners around the world. Songs by The Rare Occasions featuring Peter’s guitar and songwriting contributions have been streamed over 500 million times worldwide. Southern Pine: Southern Pine is the moniker of songwriter and multi instrumentalist, Zack Kardon. Originally from the Northeast, Southern Pine now resides in Asheville, NC. Kardon’s songs look inward. They don’t seek to describe or explain but simply hover- bottling the essence of a feeling.
OUTPOST: Joe Medwick For the Love of Levon and Lowell
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Born in the North Country of New York State, just minutes from Eastern Ontario Canada, Joe was touched by music at a very early age. His piano playing mom loved the great American song book as much as Joe adored The Beatles, Stones & Sly and The Family Stone and more. Thier home near Thompson Park was filled day and night with music from Ray Charles, Count Basie, Gordon Lightfoot and Bob Dylan, mostly on free formatted Canadian radio stations or on their always occupied turntables in the house. Joe’s first band The Baskerville Hounds were a huge hit in the summer of ’69 on the Gatsby-ish Thousand Islands, Catholic school dance and US Army and Air Force base circuits. Heady stuff for a 14-year-old soul music loving lead singer. Joe started booking bands after in high school and later became the youngest professional booking agent in NYS at age 20 in Ithaca New York, home of Cornell University, Ithaca & Wells colleges. Booking frats and shows all over the Northeast. Later stints in artist management, one stop and retail record sales followed which led him to San Francisco CA to finish school at San Francisco State University and later at the legendary Tower Records at Columbus and Bay in the city, eventually landing him a top exec job at Tower’s Corporate Offices in West Sacramento, with stops in LA, The East Bay and NYC along the way. All the time writing, performing and working for various prestigious record labels like Warner Bros, Vanguard and Rykodisc Records in their respective Creative Services and A&R departments and enthusiastically promoting friends records like Levon Helm, Little Feat, Albert Lee and Lonnie Mack and many more. Joe’s debut album MEMPHIS TO MONTREAL was released to rave reviews in 2017 and features RRHOF legend Garth Hudson from The Band, guitarist Lee and members of Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal’s bands and more. His follow up album ALL MY FRIENDS released in 2023 features long time Lucinda Williams Band guitar man Doug Pettibone and members of The Levon Helm Horns and The Savoy Family Band, legends of South Louisiana Cajun music.. His massive love for his friends Rick, Garth and esp Levon Helm from The Band and for all of his friends in Little Feat (now and then), is unmeasurable and still drives his soul today here in the new live music capital of the world music loving hometown, Asheville NC.
OUTPOST: Farewell Friend
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Farewell Friend:Hailing from the cornfields of Indiana and now residing in Greensboro, North Carolina, front man and singer/songwriter Tom Troyer’s eclectic style traverses folk, rock and blues. Farewell Friend’s music resonates with authenticity, vulnerability, and an unwavering commitment to the power of poetic storytelling. Their sound is a delicate avalanche of sonic texture – a presentation of recognizable and distorted folk and Americana forms. Tom’s exceptional talent shines through in all three albums, which he produced, wrote, recorded, mixed, and mastered. The live band lineup may vary, but Evan Campfield on upright bass has been a consistent presence since 2016, while Zac Covington, Caleb Baer, Alan Barnosky often contribute their skills for live performances and as session musicians on recordings. Wild Roots Rising is an indie folk band based in the Southeast United States. It is led by songwriters, vocalists, and instrumentalists Julia Houghton and Olivia Moore.Their music is described as a classical-folk fusion; unique arrangements and complex harmonies, combined with acoustic instruments and meaningful lyrics. They are known for sharing songs that create a beautiful, uplifting aura for the listener. WRR released their self-titled, debut album in September of 2021 and have been performing at festivals, music venues, and bars throughout the southeast. They are very excited to share their music with the public.Enviornmentalism and social justice activism are deeply important to Olivia and Julia, and these themes present themselves in the music. They create a space on stage to share, think, and talk about current issues. Together they bring strong intentions to create a positive change in the world, and to stay true to themselves in the work.
OUTPOST: Frances Eliza, AJ Buchanan, & Clara Blyth
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Frances Eliza Asheville-based singer/songwriter and guitarist Frances Eliza blends her love of songwriting with her passion for jazz, folk, and pop music. Performing around NC and SC for over a decade, Frances has been described as “An intimate storyteller who invites the listener into her private life as she shares and explores experiences of love, loss, and pain.” Influenced by artists like Joni Mitchell, The Cranberries and Taylor Swift, Frances has performed solo and with many talented musicians at hundreds of venues over the past decade, and has released 2 original EPs thus far. AJ Buchanan AJ Buchanan is a singer/songwriter based in Asheville. Her music focuses on love, her loved ones, memories, and weaving images of these themes with the feelings to which they are tied. Her sound is soft and powerful with attention to finger picking and folk/country inspired strumming on the acoustic guitar. Clara Blyth Clara Blyth is a vocalist, cellist, guitarist and alternative folk singer/songwriter based in Asheville, NC. Clara’s music is driven by crippling sentimentality and lyrical imagery, and she is currently working to release her debut EP later this year.
OUTPOST: Goings with Sani Bronco
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Goings: Formed in Philadelphia, Goings faced a turning point in 2020. With the release of their debut album “It’s For You” and a global pandemic shutting down live shows, the band, consisting of Chris Kearney, Keith Rogers, and Aidan Rogers, had to adapt. But with time on their hands, they regrouped, adding guitarists Alexi Peters and Cam Chung in 2021. This new lineup sparked a creative surge, resulting in their sophomore LP, ‘Memory Card.’ The album explores the complex relationship we have with memories, using catchy melodies and non-linear song structures to reflect on how we perceive our past. From the heartbreak of a broken engagement to the acceptance of loss, Goings confronts these emotions head-on, ultimately aiming to rewrite the narrative and find beauty in our remembrances. Recorded in August 2023, ‘Memory Card’ marks Goings’ return with 10 new songs, ready to take listeners on a journey through the ever-shifting landscape of memory. The album is set to release in September 2024.Sani Bronco: Sani Bronco is a band branded by a half-tame, half-wild mentality. Embracing the duality of heavy rock and indie folk. The band takes influence from a mixed bag such as Bright Eyes, Title Fight, Slowthai, The Rolling Stones, Oso Oso, to name a few. Founder, David Medina says this mix of influences created Sani Bronco’s sound which he dubs “adobe rock” – a genre named after the adobe architecture found in New Mexico, and many parts of Latin America. Saying “it is a good visual representation of what Sani Bronco sounds like. Adobe rock is organic and simple. It’s robust and timeless.” Sani Bronco started as a solo project, but always with the intention of one day making it a full band project. After the release of ‘One Stop Everything Repair Shop,’ David teamed up with Chris Kearney, drummer of Sweet Pill/Goings/typopro, and Kyle Bosler, former guitarist of Goings. They met online through a Facebook group in 2019 and slowly became friends, occasionally messaging back and forth. When it came time to hit the studio in July of 2022, David reached out to Chris Kearney, to join him in writing and recording the next Sani Bronco LP. The new album was made in 30 days at VuDu Recording Studio in Long Island, NY. It was recorded and produced by Frank Mitaritonna who has worked with bands such as Taking Back Sunday, Covet, As Tall As Lions, The Dear Hunter, Thought Crimes, Kevin Devine, and many more. The album was mixed by Billy Mannino at Two Worlds Recordings in Queens, NY. Billy’s most notable work is all of Oso Oso’s discography. Lastly, the record was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music in Hudson Valley, NY. Alan has worked with Sufjan Stevens, The Promise Ring, Animal Collective, Converge, Brand New, and many more. The album is set to release in June 2024. With local support from trust blinks and Pictures of Vernon
OUTPOST: The Pinkerton Raid
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Go see a live show with The Pinkerton Raid, and songwriter Jesse James DeConto might share stories about the history and architecture of his native New England, or forest legends from the Nordic region, or Broadway-showtunes-turned-football-fight-songs from Liverpool. It’s all quite beatnik and granola, steeped in the mysticism of STAR WARS and Celtic lore, the existentialism of Kerouac, the naturalism of THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Standing Rock and Laurel Canyon, and the liberation politics of Woody Guthrie, Karl Marx and Black Lives Matter. There is a fair number of songs about trees. “A fine blend of Beatles-esque dreamy folk,” says AMERICANA HIGHWAYS. The band has opened for Illiterate Light, The Ballroom Thieves, TopHouse, Eliot Bronson, Driftwood, The Collection and Noah Gundersen. They’ve slotted at festivals like Shakori Hills, Albino Skunk, Beacon Bonfire and AVL Fest with artists such as River Whyless, Sunny War, Watchhouse, Amythyst Kiah and Tall Heights.Opening sets by The High Divers and Julia SandersAmericana artist Julia Sanders’ unfolds a meticulously arranged musical landscape anchored by transfixing vocals and a compact but thoughtful narrative style that calls to mind forebearers like Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris. On her most recent album, Morning Star, Sanders explores the complexities of transitions: from woman to mother, partners to parents, and freewheelin’ musician to an adult with roots and responsibilities. The album is a poetic, often dark, yet silver-lined portrait of transformation and growth. With each track, Sanders explores a different facet—a career, a partner, a child—and the range of emotions they carry with them, from joy and pleasure to struggle, loneliness and self-doubt. Unafraid to address the complexities that walk hand in hand with the bliss of having children—such as the loss of autonomy and the fracturing of identity—Morning Star provides a much-needed soundtrack to the experience of matrescence—the physical, emotional and social transition to motherhood
