Cybertronic Spree
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY CYBERTRONIC SPREE More than meets the eye, The Cybertronic Spree are here on Earth with one critical mission: To party like it’s 1986! This band of Transformers has been brought together by the power of rock ‘n’ roll and they can’t be stopped. Hotrod, Arcee, Rumble, Unicron, Soundwave, Shockwave, Bumblebee and a Quintesson prove they’ve got the power to light your darkest hour. Known across the galaxy for having cast aside their warring factions in the search for the ultimate party, these rockstars in disguise play music from The Transformers: The Movie, hit film and anime songs, video game covers and original tunes. They blend their love for the 80’s and 80’s metal into an energon-fueled, unforgettable live show.
OUTPOST: Stephen Evans & The True Grits//Nick Mac & The Noise//Carolina Drifters
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Stephen Evans & the True Grits After many years of vacillating between being a professional musician and building a nest in Asheville, NC, Stephen Evans decided to put music to the forefront of his life again in 2014, and formed Stephen Evans & the True Grits with Brian Shoemaker (backing vocals, bass, and lead guitar), Woodstock (mandolin), and Sam Hess (drums) “Buzz of Bees” (Dec. ‘22) is their latest collection of folk rock with some songs dipping into other styles like Americana, Latin Folk, and Vaudeville. Singles from the LP, ‘Ghost Among the Trees’ and ‘Winning the Day’ have already received consistent radioplay on local stations as well as national online radio and music podcasts. Look for Stephen Evans playing solo or with the True Grits supporting this beautiful album with shows all around the WNC area. Nick Mac & the Noise Nick Mac is a singer-songwriter born and raised in the hills on Western North Carolina. Nick grew up with high hopes of one day being a professional athlete, but like most of us that was just a dream that he eventually had to stop chasing. In 2012 he learned three chords from his grandfather before he passed away later that year. Within the next year Nick started writing songs on the 74′ Fender that his grandfather left behind. This first song he wrote was titled “Jay”, an ode to his late grandfather. Nick is quoted as saying “when the chords finally came together with the lyrics for the first time it brought me to tears and I knew this was something that I could passionately pursue”. Nick writes songs about love, life experiences, and hardships we all face in the day to day grind. It’s hard to put a label on his genre because he dives into Blues, Country, Rock, and Folk music. For the last few years Nick has been tearing up the local scene in Western North Carolina with his band, Nick Mac & The Noise. They have a reputation for being a smooth playing, good-time-chasing, high energy, rockin’ country band that brings a good mix of originals and eclectic covers to the table. Nick put out two singles as a solo artist, “Win or die” and “Heal My Soul.” He has performed at several venues in the WNC and upstate SC area such as The Grey Eagle, The Isis Music Hall and Silverados Music Park. You can often find him performing at a Songwriters-in-the-Round or playing with his band in and around the regions of NC, TN, and SC. Carolina Drifters Carolina Drifters, an Alt-Country band hailing from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, delivers a heartfelt blend of Country and Southern Rock storytelling with a dash of Pop. With their soulful harmonies, twangy guitar riffs, and blue collar everyman lyrics, the Carolina Drifters are a sure-fire recipe for a good time that embodies the spirit of their southern roots.
OUTPOST: Mama & The Ruckus with Magenta Sunshine
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Mama & the Ruckus is led by Melissa McKInney, who writes songs about the trauma and pain that every person inevitably experiences in their lives. She sings these songs as a cry for hope and inspiration to others and you hear that in every single note that she sings. This intergenerational Roots project features original music that they hope will ignite healing, spread joy, and shine up your soul. With dual guitars, wailing vocals, screaming harmonicas, and funky bass, keys, and drums, the Ruckus puts on a show you won’t forget. Magenta Sunshine is a horn-driven, hard-hitting roots fusion band from Asheville, NC. Lacing danceable rhythms, brassy soundscapes, and poetic lyricism into genre-defying arrangements, Magenta Sunshine is an all-original, six-piece unit composed of instrumentalists from some of Asheville’s most respected ensembles. Since 2018, the band has earned a dedicated following and a valid reputation for “blistering” live performances that place the audience at the intersection of psychedelic improvisation and well-crafted songwriting.
PATIO: Doc Robinson
ALL AGES LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE DOC ROBINSON Fronted by the commanding tenor vocals of Jon Elliott, the soul of Doc Robinson is a swirl of song-forward sensibility, heartbreak harmonies, and feel-good vibes. Named for the two main influences of the original 2016 collaboration that spawned the band — Doctor Dog and Smokey Robinson — they have catapulted themselves beyond genre categorization into a midwestern gumbo concoction. Known for their captivating live performances, the band draws crowds in with their engaging stage presence and infectious energy. Since its inception in Columbus, Ohio, Doc Robinson has emerged as a driving force in the grassroots indie music movement. The band’s nationwide tours alongside acts like Caamp, Neal Francis, The Brook and the Bluff, and more, as well as song placements on major TV series like The Walking Dead and BoJack Horseman, have helped them reach audiences worldwide.
PATIO: Baby Yaga
ALL AGES LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BABY YAGA Formed in late 2018, Baby Yaga’s sound is reminiscent of 90s post-punk and has been compared by the charleston city paper to Blue Album and Pinkerton era’s weezer. The band’s sophomore ep “ i’ll ruin your life” was in the post and courier’s “the best of south carolina music 2021.” Their newest release “ssdd” touches on the absurdity of reentering the dating world after heartbreak. Producer Wolfgang zimmerman married the band’s angsty sound and anthemic hooks with a heavy hitting, no nonsense delivery.
PATIO: Carbon Harry
ALL AGES LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE CARBON HARRYHailing from the mountains of Northeast Georgia, Carbon Harry is a four piece rock band featuring kids between the ages of 9 and 11 years old. Don’t be fooled by their small stature, these kids are the next generation of great rock and roll, playing with a spirit and reckless abandon that only comes with having not yet reached middle school. Featuring Izzy on guitar, her brother Davy on bass, Scout on keyboards, and Davis on drums, Carbon Harry plays a mix of original songs along with covers reimagined in their own Carbon Harry style. Their greatest joy comes from inspiring other kids to pick up instruments and start playing so if you have a young music lover at home, you will not want to miss the chance to bring them out to see Carbon Harry live!
Richard Lloyd Group (of Television)
ALL AGES STANDING ROOM ONLY RICHARD LLOYD GROUP (of TELEVISION) Richard Lloyd is a legendary electric guitarist, singer/songwriter, and founding member of Television, a band that rose to fame with their 1977 debut release, Marquee Moon, widely regarded as one of greatest albums in rock and roll history and perhaps the most defining and highly influential release of the 1970’s New York rock scene. Lloyd embarked on a solo career after Television disbanded, releasing seven solo albums and working as a guitarist, session musician, and band member with Matthew Sweet, John Doe, Rocket from the Tombs, and more. Released in October 2017, Lloyd’s book, Everything Is Combustible: Television, CBGB’s and Five Decades of Rock and Roll: The Memoirs of an Alchemical Guitarist establishes Lloyd as a masterful storyteller, and a humorous, insightful writer with an acerbic, razor-sharp wit.
The March Violets
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLYTHE MARCH VIOLETS Once Upon A Time In Leeds, 1981. The March Violets strummed their first riff and scrawled their first set list. An impressive post-punk legacy ensued, including BBC sessions for John Peel and other DJs, along with huge indie chart success in the mid-’80s with singles such as ‘Crow Baby’, ‘Snake Dance’, ‘Walk Into The Sun’ and ‘Deep’. The band were subsequently snapped up by London Records for the 1987 release of ’Turn To The Sky’ – which featured in the John Hughes movie Some Kind of Wonderful – before splitting up later that same year.They eventually reunited in 2010 around a nucleus that included founder members Rosie Garland (vocals) and Tom Ashton (guitar), releasing albums in 2013 and 2015 and promoting them with European and US tours.A double album collection of the BBC sessions entitled ‘Big Soul Kiss’ was made available by Jungle Records for the 2021 edition of Record Store Day, with the same label issuing the singles compilation ‘Play Loud Play Purple’ and five-CD box set ‘The Palace Of Infinite Darkness’ shortly after. These coincided with a well received European tour that included headlining sets at Wave-Gotik-Treffen (WGT) in Germany and Tomorrow’s Ghosts Festival (Whitby Goth Weekend) in the UK.“Fantastic, post-punk shrapnel guitar from founder member Tom Ashton and the strikingly scary, esoteric beauty of Rosie Garland. The songs clatter and grind around the drum machine and their powerful fug fills the room”John Robb | Louder Than War2024 has seen The March Violets sign to Metropolis Records for a brand new album entitled ‘Crocodile Promises’. Out on 19th July, it will be promoted with a launch show in London at The Garage (20th), followed by Rebellion festival in Blackpool on 2nd August and other TBC dates. A single and video for the song ‘Hammer The Last Nail’ precedes the album in mid-June. Mat Thorpe (bass, vocals) joined the band in January 2024.THE MARCH VIOLETSRosie Garland – vocalsTom Ashton – guitarMat Thorpe – bass, vocals ROSEGARDEN FUNERAL PARTYRising from the inferno of heartbreak with a determination towards gentility, humility, graciousness, and kindness, Rosegarden Funeral Party takes influence from life’s tragedies and spins chaos into beauty. Leah Lane fronts the band with a voice like that of the lovechild between Morrissey and Siouxsie Sioux and her guitar playing has been compared to that of Daniel Ash. with bass playing that takes obvious inspiration from Peter Hook. With synths trapped in the loving arms of the 1980’s, rhythmic percussion and drums inspired by dark dance floors, Rosegarden Funeral Party prove to be the second-coming of traditional goth.
OUTPOST: Will Hartz & The Midwives Vinyl Release Party with Santiago y Los Gatos
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Moving back to Western North Carolina after 13 years of working as a professional musicianin Maui, Will Hartz joined forces with The Midwives, a session band, at Echo MountainRecording in Asheville, NC. The band is a collaboration between Zack Page on bass,Nashville based Herschel VanDyke on drums, Muddy Welles on lead guitar and Jim Aaron onharmonica. Members of The Midwives have recorded and performed with artists such asElizabeth Cook, Casey Kristofferson, Amy Nelson, Krave Amiko and more. Hartz’s debutalbum, “Easy”, also features guest appearances from Jamar Woods on Hammond B3 (SleepAlone and Heavy Door) and Casey James on pedal steel guitar (Show Me).Over two days, they rehearsed and recorded eight tracks at Echo Mountain Recording inAsheville, NC with Grammy award winning engineer Julian Dreyer at the board (engineeringand mixing), Autumn Greenfield producing and Kenny Harrington assisting. The album will bereleased online and on a limited vinyl run, with digital and vinyl mastering done by Dave Harrisat Studio B Mastering in Charlotte. The songs on the album were tracked live in the studio,with minimal overdubs, and prerelease reviews of “Easy” have compared this LP to earlyBlack Crowes more than once.The album releases digitally worldwide on May 17, 2024 and a limited run of vinyl will beavailable for sale at the vinyl release show on June 20, 2024 with Santiago y Los Gatosopening the evening.
The Remantlists: Album Release Show (performing The Kinks’ Arthur, and debuting NOT Arthur)
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLYTHE REMANTLISTSOn Saturday, July 6th, The Remantlists present an album release show, performing Arthur by The Kinks, as well as their new album, Not Arthur.Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) is a classic concept album released by The Kinks in 1969. It very loosely outlines the story of Arthur, who in real life was the man who married Ray Davies’ sister and convinced her to move to Australia.Not Arthur is a concept album, written and recorded by The Remantlists, which shares only the song titles, in order, of Arthur, by The Kinks. It has its own story, songs, and lyrics, and was written independently and with little knowledge of the original Kinks album.The Remantlists are:Troy Crossley (Carnivale Macabre/Rocky Horror Music Show) – Guitar/VocalsEvan Scott (Carnivale Macabre) – DrumsChris Tullar (Carpal Tullar/Rocky Horror Music Show) – Keyboard/Guitar/VocalsAnd will be joined by:Dave Baker (Carpal Tullar/The Long Distance Relationship) – Guitar/VocalsChris Carter (Alarm Clock Conspiracy/The Long Distance Relationship) – Guitar/VocalsRob Heyer (Carpal Tullar/Ska City) – BassIan Reardon (Alarm Clock Conspiracy) – Guitar/VocalsAndrew Thelston (Andrew Thelston Band/Rocky Horror Music Show) – Guitar/VocalsAnd (most of) the Ska City Horn Section:Gabe Holguin – TrumpetDennis Owenby – Alto SaxDave Wilken – TromboneBesides performing both of these albums in their entirety, The Remantlists will be releasing Not Arthur on the same day.Not Arthur is a an album that tells the story of Arthur, an aging, disgruntled DJ who wishes to illuminate the world with prog rock greats of the past, but is always being derailed by the pop radio industry, which is only concerned with maximizing profits by playing the hits of current pop icons. Unsuccessful in his efforts, Arthur is approached by an older musician who has a supernatural offering to lift Arthur’s despair, which turns out to be a plan of revenge.
