The Steel Wheels
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY THE STEEL WHEELS The Steel Wheels have long been at home in the creative space between tradition and innovation, informed by the familiar sounds of the Virginia mountains where the band was formed, but always moving forward with insightful lyrics and an evolving sound. In 2005, Jay Lapp (vocals, guitars, mandolin) and Eric Brubaker (vocals, fiddle) joined lead singer Trent Wagler (guitar, banjo) in forming the band as a vehicle for Wagler’s songwriting. They released several albums under Wagler’s moniker, before officially adopting the The Steel Wheels name with the 2010 release of Red Wing. Quickly staking their claim as independent upstarts in the burgeoning Americana scene, The Steel Wheels followed up this release with three more self-produced albums in the next five years, before joining forces with producer Sam Kassirer for Wild As We Came Here (2017) and Over The Trees (2019). Kevin Garcia (drums, percussion, keys) joined in 2017, bringing a new level of sonic depth and polish to the outfit. Newest member Jeremy Darrow rounds out the rhythm section and grounds the band as they continue to explore deeply rooted yet fresh folk rock sounds. Having gained the experience of thousands of shows, festivals and many miles on the road, the stubbornly independent band has formed deep bonds with each other and the audience that sustains them. The Steel Wheels have responded to this time of isolation and loss by seeking to connect with their audience in new ways. In 2020, unable to perform their rootsy brand of Americana for crowds in live settings, the musicians turned their creative powers to crafting songs for individuals. Produced in isolation in the band’s home studios, the Everyone a Song albums are part of an ongoing project to collect the personal experiences of fans and forge them into that most enduring, yet ephemeral, format we call “song.” An accompanying podcast, We Made You a Song, explores the stories behind these songs, and the songwriting process itself. While each song was commissioned to honor a specific relationship or event—a birth, a wedding, a memory of home—the emotions evoked are universal. Nowhere is this shared humanity more evident than at the band’s own Red Wing Roots Music Festival, a weekend-long celebration of music, community, and the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Hosted by The Steel Wheels every summer, the festival provides a space for the band to shine, from their high energy Saturday night main stage set to their afternoon showcase with young Red Wing Academy students. At Sunday’s gospel hour you are as likely to hear Steel Wheels originals or Warren Zevon covers as you are traditional gospel fare. The weekend is rounded out by the beloved tribute set in which the band collaborates with a cadre of fellow artists to honor an influential figure in American music, with past tributes ranging from Dolly Parton to John Prine. Whether at a joyous summer festival, in their many shows across the country and beyond, or in the studio, The Steel Wheels continue their mission set out over a decade ago; shaking up traditions to see what sticks, telling stories, and joining communities through song.
Glare with Cloakroom, Jivebomb, and Destiny Bond
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY GLARE When you hear music like this—the wild, loose and woozy drags of guitar; the impossible beauty of it all—what kind of landscape presents itself in your mind? Vistas big enough to be forgotten in. Deserts which stretch back to the beginning of time. Infinite horizons melting into pink bokehs. It’s Texas, isn’t it? Formed in 2017 in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, Glare aren’t so much genre traditionalists as they are painters of wide realms and intense moods. The four-piece band has already accumulated a large audience, both in the flesh with their reputation for sell-out shows, and on the internet, a place where people go to short-circuit feelings through their screens. Sunset Funeral, the band’s debut LP, is a fog of dreamy grief, where feeling supersedes language. It’s music, as guitarist Toni Ordaz puts it, “for people who don’t know how to talk about how they feel.” An album that’s been years in the making, Sunset Funeral is a document of unspeakable grief, charting the process of mourning and how it travels through our subconscious and dreams. One of the great charms of Sunset Funeral, and of Glare overall, is how they approach such a large, celestial sound with humble materials. Among the shoegaze revivalists, Glare come to the canvas with a more resourceful, DIY perspective than many of their peers. Glare’s music is too sublime, too huge to sound like it came from any kind of manmade instrument, tiny amp box or otherwise. On first listen, Sunset Funeral—which scans as vast as desert sand—may overwhelm the senses. But look closer, and you’ll find a multiplicity of heavily crushed textures, treasures. ‘Guts’, with its sweetly chugging guitar line, dissolves the borders between bliss and despair. ‘2 Soon 2 Tell’, one of the album’s most gauzily romantic tracks, is both tense and transcendent. Nü Burn, a crunchy and lilting number, harkens back to the band’s grittier hardcore roots. But even when they deign to go hard, you can hear a softening in Glare’s sound compared to any of their previous releases, as well as an attempt to lean into more traditional pop song structures. The music drifts heavenward, to be sure, though it’s still tethered down by steady foundations. It’s beautiful. It’s humid. It’s delirious. It’s music made by people whose feelings speak louder than their words. with special guests…. CLOAKROOM JIVEBOMB DESTINY BOND
Five Eight LIVE: Weirdo Movie Screening + PINKEYE Album Release Party
ALL AGES FEATURING PERFORMANCES FROM FIVE EIGHT & PINEYE, PLUS A SCREENING OF WEIRDO & Q&A WITH THE BAND FIVE EIGHT Hailing from the legendary music town of Athens, Georgia, Five Eight is a band that has turned personal chaos into cathartic rock anthems for over three decades. Fronted by the fearless and emotionally raw Mike Mantione—a self-described manic depressive whose songwriting pulls no punches—the band became a cult favorite by channeling raw nerves into razor-sharp emo-infused rock. Formed in the late ’80s, Five Eight first made waves with their 1989 cassette Passive-Aggressive, a fitting title for a debut that blended ferocious energy with deep introspection. Alongside Mantione, the band’s long-standing core included bassist Dan Horowitz, guitarist Sean Dunn, and drummer Patrick “Tigger” Ferguson—a lineup that would help shape their early, incendiary sound. Through lineup changes, personal battles, and shifting scenes, Five Eight has remained a band of uncompromising honesty and sonic fire—a lifeline for misfits, poets, and anyone who finds beauty in the wreckage. WEIRDO: THE STORY OF FIVE EIGHT is a feature documentary about Mike Mantione and his band Five Eight’s rollercoaster ride of a career from mental institution to touring with their heroes, R.E.M. and beyond. Director Marc Pilvinsky (editor of TORN ASUNDER: WAGING ALEX GARLAND’S CIVIL WAR and director of many music videos) spent nine years chronicling the Athens, Georgia band’s ups and downs in an attempt to figure out how a band this good, for this long, can remain relatively unknown. PINKEYE PINKEYE is a raucous punk band out of Asheville, North Carolina, born in the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic. What started as a garage project in Black Mountain quickly evolved into a full-throttle, no-holds-barred force of rock. The trio—Scott Sturdy (bass), Chad Clay (drums), and Joe Hooten (guitar)—harnesses the untamed energy of ‘70s punk, with all three members sharing lead vocal duties and songwriting duties, crafting a raw, gritty sound. Influenced by the likes of The Stooges, Dead Boys, and MC5, PINKEYE blends old-school punk swagger with their own fierce edge.In the years since, PINKEYE has become a fixture on the Southeast punk circuit, lighting up venues and building a reputation for their relentless live shows. They’ve shared stages with legends like Agent Orange, Pylon Reenactment Society, and Soul Asylum, spreading their wild punk gospel to anyone who’ll listen. With a DIY attitude and a relentless passion for their craft, PINKEYE’s no-frills approach to music is unapologetically punk—always loud, always in-your-face, and always ready to rock.PINKEYE is set to release their highly anticipated second album on August 22nd, 2025. Recorded live in the studio and produced by Kevin Boggs at Loc Level Sound in Arden, NC, the album captures the band’s raw energy and unfiltered spirit with uncompromising authenticity. This release features standout collaborations with Jay Gonzalez of Drive-By Truckers, Myles Dunder from Dr. Bacon, and the queen of the NC underground-Hope Nicholls of Fetchin’ Bones & It’s Snakes, adding bold new dimensions to PINKEYE’s gritty sound. To celebrate and support the release, PINKEYE will hit the road on tour this Fall, bringing their explosive live show to fans across the region and beyond.
That1Guy: MOON LOOPS IN 5D
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY THAT1GUY With an extensive and amazing track record of unique and imaginative performances featuring his curious instrument and copious amounts of originality, Mike Silverman, a/k/a That1Guy, has set himself apart as a true one-of-a-kind talent that rivals any other artist currently in the entertainment industry. He was the ʻTap Water Award’ winner at the Edinburgh Festival for best musical act. His legendary collaboration and multiple tours with Buckethead performing as The Frankenstein Brothers has further cemented his virtuoso story as a creative visionary. His innovation continues to soar with his latest tour, That1Guy & The Magic Pipe Present: An Evening of Musical Magical Wonder… The Likes of Which Ye Haven’t Yet Seen, which kicked off in 2014. Along with his pioneering main instrument, The Magic Pipe, a monstrosity of metal, strings, and electronics, he facilitates the dynamic live creation of music and magic in ways only That1Guy can conjure. You can also expect to see magic seamlessly integrated into the already clever performance. With the addition of magic in his live shows, he has legitimately achieved an all-inclusive audio/visual performance unlike anything experienced before. “So much of my music has miraculous qualities to it because it’s hard to tell what’s going on. There are lots of slights of hand and sonic misdirection. It feels like I was meant to do magic”. Silverman’s back-story is similar to many musicians that have come before him. He grew up a self-proclaimed music geek, soaked in the influence of his jazz musician father, and enrolled in San Fran Conservatory of Music before joining the local jazz scene himself as a sought-after percussive bassist. This is where the similarities end though and where That1Guy truly began. “In my case, being a bass player, I just felt very restricted by the instrument itself,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to sound different and have my own sound. I was headed that way on the bass, but for me to fully realize what I was hearing in my head sonically I was going to have to do it my way”. His influential and innovative double bass style eventually evolved into what we see today as That1Guy and The Magic Pipe. As his story continues to develop, Billboard has famously noted, “In the case of Mike Silverman’s slamming, futuristic funk act… the normal rules of biology just don’t apply.” In addition, Silverman also has new music and videos in the works for 2015 that will further validate his status as a trailblazer. “I like being my own person”, he says. “I didn’t set out to be a weirdo, but I’m starting to embrace it”. Ultimately, his motivation can be encapsulated as this: “Human beings do our best work when we’re challenged and pushed up against the wall”. That1Guy goes on to further explain, “By nature, we’re hunters and gatherers, spending each day looking for their next meal. It’s easy to be lazy when you don’t have to come up with something creative right away.”
Vandoliers: Life Behind Bars Tour
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY VANDOLIERS “Most personal album yet” is a well-worn cliché within the cliché-addled world of music promotion. But Life Behind Bars, the fifth studio album from beloved Texas country-punk ensemble Vandoliers, brings new meaning to that phrase. This album marks a series of firsts for the band, it’s their first release with upstart Break Maiden Records and distributed by storied indie Thirty Tigers, their first with Grammy-winning producer Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem, Flogging Molly, Lucero), and their first recorded at the sprawling Sonic Ranch studios in West Texas. Most importantly, though, this collection of songs offers a window into frontwoman Jenni Rose’s journey through addiction and gender dysphoria — a journey that has culminated in her decision to come out as a trans woman while working in the macho worlds of Texas country and punk rock, at a moment when the rights of trans people are more intensely threatened by the day. “It’s heavier than our other stuff,” says Rose. “Why is this country punk band that’s usually a source of positive energy so melancholy? It’s because I was dealing with accepting my gender dysphoria, while also trying to get sober.” For the uninitiated, even the most melancholy Vandoliers song has a degree of exuberance and verve, full of an irrepressible energy that has led the band to tour with everyone from Flogging Molly to the Turnpike Troubadours to fellow Dallas-Fort Worth natives the Toadies and the Old 97s. Songs like pandemic anthem “Every Saturday Night,” “Cigarettes in the Rain,” “Sixteen Years” and their irresistible take on the Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” have helped the band find a devoted following across the world, fans who pack out shows that are always life-affirming and usually end with some Vandoliers hopping around onstage shirtless. It was onstage that Rose fully realized who she was for the first time. In early 2023, she was barely six months sober and fighting to stay that way while touring with some of the most raucous bands around; she was also trying to write a new collection of Vandoliers songs responding to the first feedback she’d gotten from Hutt. “Your songs are superficial,” he told Rose. “There’s a barrier between what you’re actually writing and your deeper self.” In the middle of that, Vandoliers happened to be playing a show in Maryville, Tennessee the same day that the state’s governor, Bill Lee, had signed what was generally understood as a “drag ban.” Cory Graves, who sings and plays keyboard and trumpet in the band, suggested they all wear dresses for their show that night in protest. “I was like, ‘Hell yeah, I would love to do that’ — like, how harmless is this?” says Rose. Photos from the show went viral, and were covered by Rolling Stone, among many other outlets. Rachel Maddow did a segment on the band on MSNBC. “That was the first time I had ever worn a dress in public, but not the first time I had worn a dress — and then the entire planet saw it. The wall that I had keeping this side of me invisible was completely shattered. I wrote down in my journal, ‘Fuck, I think I’m trans.'” “We’ve been breaking rules in country for 10 years,” says Rose. “‘You play too fast.’ ‘You’re too loud.’ ‘You sing too high.’ ‘You’re more of a punk band.’ All that matters, though, is that people hear our songs and they help them in any way — that’s all we can hope for. I’m struggling so much on this record, but I hope that another trans girl listens to it and finds something in it for themselves.” NATE BERGMAN
Datrian Johnson & Friends’ Soulful Christmas (feat members of ESB, Funk You & The Fritz): A Benefit for Unity Church
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY A BENEFIT FOR UNITY CHURCH, RAISING MONEY TO BRING CHRISTMAS TO FAMILIES IN NEED THIS YEAR DATRIAN JOHNSON & FRIENDS’ SOULFUL CHRISTMAS featuring members of Empire Strikes Brass, Funk You & The Fritz Join us for Datrian Johnson’s annual “Soulful” Christmas show. A local legend, Datrian is bringing out his friends, including bandmates in Funk You, Empire Strikes Brass, The Fritz and a whole lot more. This year proceeds will benefit Unit Church to help bring Christmas to families in need this year.
[CANCELED] INDIGO DE SOUZA PRESENTS: WIFI MOMMY, BOYS_CAMP, ORIGAMI
THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO THE IMPACT OF HURRICANE HELENE. REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED AS SOON AS WE ARE ABLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND GRACE DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED TIME. ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY Indigo De Souza’s Wholesome Evil Fantasy EP Release Dance Party I am throwing two dance parties to celebrate these new songs. One in LA and one in Asheville. I will not be performing, but we will be blessed with sets from some really special DJs from each city. Huge thanks to everyone involved 🙂 Can’t wait to hang with ya’ll – Indigo featuring: WIFI MOMMY BOYS_CAMP ORIGAMI
The Dirty Nil
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY 6PM DOORS / 7PM SHOW THE DIRTY NIL If there’s one rule people should follow when approaching the Dirty Nil, it’s this: Never tell them how to rock ‘n’ roll. Ontario’s Juno Award-winning trio is a finely tuned rock machine that is at its best when the members are pursuing their penchant for thrashy riffs, bashed out drums, and levels-to-the-max volume. And on their fourth album, Free Rein to Passions, the band followed their instincts down to the note to produce their most authentic work to date. The Nil’s back-to-basics approach was a direct reaction to their previous record, 2021’s Fuck Art, a creative process that brought too many industry people whispering in the band’s ears, telling them how to polish and tweak their songs to fit on the radio or streaming playlists or whatever other arbitrary whims the modern music machine demands. “There were all these expectations and pressures, people telling us to try this or that,” says frontman Luke Bentham. “We’re by no means the biggest band in the world, but in our ecosystem it became hard to try to make all these people happy. We were given challenges, and I think we met them, but getting to that place, it made me realize: ‘If we go any further in this direction, then I don’t know what we’re doing anymore.’ It had gotten to a point where the creation wasn’t very fun.” In order to incinerate their apparatus, they had to destroy it completely. So as soon as Fuck Art was in the can, the Nil got back to having fun and doing what they love. They jammed away in their practice space for weeks, not overthinking anything or taking any external input. They didn’t sweat the small details or fret over transitions and arrangements. Less second guessing, more reckless abandon. It’s the same approach to rock they’ve taken since they were kids. “We had the best time pulling these songs together. It made me feel like a teenager in my parents’ basement again,” Bentham says. What came out was the appropriately titled Free Rein to Passions, a palate cleanser for the Dirty Nil, and a reminder for them to stick to the fundamentals of rock and stay true to themselves. “What was it LCD Soundsystem said about trading in guitars for turntables and synthesizers?” Bentham laughs. “I’d say that’s unlikely for us.” Staring into the abyss of entertainment serfdom, the trio spat on it. They smashed the chalice of poison brought to their lips, grinding the shards under their heels. A rock and roll band is partreligion, part small business and part pirate ship. Sabres were wielded and planks were walked for The Dirty Nil to bring Free Rein to Passions into this world. It was a battle well worth fighting. GRUMPSTER HOUSE & HOME
Banned From Utopia with Paul Green Rock Academy: WE LOVE ZAPPA Tour
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLYLIMITED NUMBER OF VIP MEET AND GREET TICKETS AVAILABLEBANNED FROM UTOPIABanned From Utopia featuring legendary Frank Zappa alumni Ray White, Bobby Martin and Scott Thunes, will be touring North America with The Paul Green Rock Academy this summer starting in July! The We Love Zappa Tour celebrates the music of Frank Zappa from all eras! Banned From Utopia was formed in 1994 to keep the true spirit of Frank Zappa’s music alive. Covering a variety of Zappa songs, the ensemble lovingly recreates the eclectic virtuoso approach of their former band leader.Ray White – vocals, guitar One of the most powerful and distinctive voices that ever graced a Zappa vocal, Ray White. Ray White’s distinctive, powerful voice was first heard interpreting Zappa’s music in 1976. From that beginning, he became an integral member of Frank’s band through 1984, and can be seen on the DVD recorded the summer of that year in New York, “Does Humor Belong In Music?” A former member of the Edwin Hawkins Singers gospel group, he also brings a solid R&B guitar style to the blend, both as a rhythm player and as a soloist. Looking towards future creative endeavors with Banned From Utopia, Ray is also a gifted writer and lyricist Robert Martin – vocals, keyboards, saxophone, French horn Keyboards, horns, and of course, the voice that always made Frank smile, Robert Martin brings it all. Robert (Bobby) Martin joined Frank Zappa in 1981 and sang and played various instruments on every tour from then on, through the final tour in 1988. In addition to the diverse sonic palette Robert brought to the band with his multi- instrumental skills, Zappa relied heavily on Robert’s unique vocal power and range to enhance the variety of musical styles Frank explored in all his performances. In any moment, Frank might switch from heavy metal to classic Doo Wop, or anything in between, and Robert would be right there. Scott Thunes – guitar, vocals Scott Thunes played with Zappa’s band from 1981 to 1988, and plays on such albums as “The Man From Utopia”, “Them or Us,” “Broadway the Hard Way,” “You Can’t Do That on Stage Anymore,” “Does Humor Belong In Music?,” “The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life,” “Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention,” “Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch,” “Make a Jazz Noise Here,” and “Guitar,” a double-album compilation of Zappa’s live guitar solos. His most prominent bass performance can be heard on Frank Zappa’s “Valley Girl,” which peaked at #32 on the Billboard Hot 100.also featuring: Robbie Mangano – guitar, vocals / Jamie Kime – guitar / Joel Taylor – drums THE PAUL GREEN ROCK ACADEMY The Paul Green Rock Academy (PGRA) is the latest music program from School of Rock founder Paul Green. From the very beginning of his teaching career Paul has taught the music of Frank Zappa, calling it “one stop shopping for musical education.” While co-headlong the German Zappa festival Zappanale in 2023 Paul and his students got to see Banned From Utopia in action, and vice versa, and an instant bond was formed between the acts.
OUTPOST: Wallflower Makers’ Market
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE- 10 AM – 2 PM A locally run, BIPOC owned makers’ market focused on supporting artists, growers, and makers in the WNC area. Featuring vintage clothing, handmade jewelry, house plants, fruits & veggies, and so much more!
