OUTPOST: Dave Desmelik
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE- FREE SHOWDave Desmelik is a singer-songwriter and instrumentalist whose musical focus is on original compositions. What attracts listeners to Desmelik’s tunes, old and new, is the element of authenticity incorporated in them. There is no sugar coating involved. His songs are not wrapped in false smiles, rather they are stark and open and tend to settle on the pulse of everyday life. An unclosed and evolving journal of thoughts set to music and melodies in prose and instrumental performance. If you listen to Dave Desmelik’s songs, whether lyrical or instrumental, you may become pleasantly fixed in the simplistic realness of them and if you hear Desmelik in a live setting you may realize that there are no tricks, just a genuine venture into the highs and lows of life.
Billy Jonas Band ‘Pre-New Year’s Eve’ Family Concert
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- EARLY SHOW BILLY JONAS BAND Fun for All Ages! Bring the family, and prepare to ring in the New Year at an afternoon show on Dec. 31. The Billy Jonas Band loves to engage and delight both young and adult audiences. Whether performing for adults, families, school groups, faith communities, or a mix, they strive for a musical excellence that inspires, entertains, and moves people literally and figuratively. With “wild winded word magic” (Dirty Linen Magazine), homemade “industrial re-percussion” instruments, exquisite 3 and 4 part vocal harmonies, plus guitar and bass, they love to create community through song and story. Their specialty: finding and pushing your “wonder” button.In 2010, the Billy Jonas Band was honored with a performance at the White House!
Chatham County Line (Album Release Show)
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYCHATHAM COUNTY LINELaunched a little more than twenty years ago in Raleigh, North Carolina, Chatham County Line built a devoted local following on the strength of their genre-bending live show—an intoxicating blend of bluegrass, folk, country, and rock and roll—before breaking out internationally with their 2003 self-titled debut. In the years to come, the band would go on to release eight more critically acclaimed studio albums, top the Billboard Bluegrass Chart four times, collaborate with the likes of Judy Collins, Sharon Van Etten, and Norwegian star Jonas Fjeld, earn two gold records in Norway (where they were also twice nominated for the Spellemannprisen, Norway’s equivalent of a Grammy), and share bills with everyone from Guy Clark and Lyle Lovett to Steve Martin & Martin Short and The Avett Brothers. NPR hailed the group as “a bridge between bluegrass traditions and a fresh interpretation of those influences,” while Uncut lauded their “powerful melodies and gorgeous harmonies,” and Pitchfork dubbed their music “timeless.” The band’s latest release, Hiyo, marks the band’s first release since the departure of their longtime banjo player and serves as something of a reintroduction to the roots stalwarts, complete with new sounds, new collaborators, and a whole new lease on life. Recorded at Asheville’s Echo Mountain studio with co-producer/engineer Rachael Moore (Kacey Musgraves, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss), the collection finds the trio—Dave Wilson (lead singer/guitarist), John Teer (fiddle/mandolin) and Greg Readling (bass/pedal steel), embracing change at every turn, experimenting with fresh sonic palettes and innovative approaches to their core instrumentation. The songwriting remains classic Chatham County Line here—rich, evocative tales of love and heartbreak, joy and sorrow, righteousness and revenge—but the settings have evolved to incorporate synthesizers, drum machines, and more electric guitar and percussion than ever before. DARREN JESSEEDarren Jessee is a familiar presence to alternative music fans thanks to his long tenure as the drummer / backing vocalist in Ben Folds Five. (He also co-wrote that group’s biggest hit “Brick.”) Outside of that outfit, he’s logged time touring with Sharon Van Etten and Hiss Golden Messenger, as well as fronting the indie rock ensemble Hotel Lights. But perhaps Jessee’s most affecting work has been the three albums he has released over the past five years under his own name. On these recordings, he scales everything back to the purest pop essentials, with strings, acoustic guitar, and a smart application of vintage keyboards serving to put further emphasis on his languid vocals and plainspoken, yet elegiac lyrics. Jessee’s latest full-length Central Bridge is his best yet. A hushed understated affair recorded primarily in the artist’s North Carolina home, the album revels in the small details of life—a crumpled pack of cigarettes found in an old jacket, a pile of wet swimwear on the floor—that somehow leave a lasting impression on a person or stir up deep seated memories.
Eric Hutchinson Solo: “Sounds Like This” 15th Anniversary Tour
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEERIC HUTCHINSON Singer/songwriter Eric Hutchinson is feeling nostalgic as he prepares to spend 2023 celebrating the 15th anniversary of his debut album, Sounds Like This. “It’s a special record for me – one that changed my life, my career, and introduced my music to a new audience I could only have dreamt of,” the Takoma Park, MD native reflects. To commemorate the anniversary, Eric has announced that he will be playing shows all year long, performing the album in its entirety. He’s also revealed that Sounds Like This will finally be available on vinyl for the first time ever. Furthering the deep-dive into his past, Eric also released a new single, “Sad Songs”, a forgotten pop tune he wrote and performed regularly on tour in 2008 but never got the chance to record until now. Sounds Like This ended up being a chart-topping album released by Warner Bros. Records, but it almost never happened. Just before Eric recorded those songs, he says he was a frustrated kid who was seriously considering quitting music. “I had spent several years toiling away on the road, playing tragically low-attended shows, and recording several failed albums that were not ready for prime time,” Eric remembers. But as discouraged as he was at the time, Eric says he hated the idea of telling his friends and family that he had quit music. “I decided to dig down deep and make one last-ditch attempt to record a professional debut that lived up to the legacies of my musical heroes like Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Paul Simon, and Michael Jackson,” Eric recalls. “I went for broke, literally, to capture the music that I was hearing in my head – the songs that represented me at that time. I could never have imagined where those songs would take me.” Today, Eric is a seasoned musician and touring artist who’s released eight albums, performed in all 50 states and experimented with diverse kinds of musical genres like pop, folk, reggae, alternative rock, and jazz. Still, more often than not, Eric says if people are familiar with his music, they know the songs from Sounds Like This. “I love getting to hear stories from so many people who remember growing up with the music,” Eric says. “I’ll meet people and they’ll tell me about watching the music video for “Rock & Roll” on VH1 while getting ready for school, or listening to “Food Chain” on a burned mix CD that an older sister made to celebrate getting her driver’s license, or singing “Ok, It’s Alright With Me” in their college a capella group. I’m proud of this album I made many years ago, but I’m even more gratified by the part my music got to play in so many other people’s lives. I’m hoping I get to celebrate Sounds Like This with all those people in 2023.”
PATIO: George Shingleton
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVEDGEORGE SHINGLETON Generations of Shingleton men have played an amalgam of bluegrass and the Appalachian “hill country” music familiar in their area of rural West Virginia, but George Shingleton was the first to make the move from the local church choir to Nashville. Despite a childhood spent with music at the forefront, however, he didn’t seriously begin writing songs until he was an adult. Shingleton’s second full-length album, 2020’s Out All Nighter, proved him “a skilled song craftsman and a talented vocalist… straddling the line between outlaw country and southern rock in his own original style” (Glide Magazine), and his Shot or Two EP, released in January 2023, paired him once again with dear friend Dave Pahanish as his producer. Shingleton is working on more new material, to be released later this year, and is committed to maintaining authenticity and integrity within his stories and sound — a move that has, throughout his career, garnered him the respect of artists such as Bucky Covington, Charlie Daniels, John Michael Montgomery, Darryl Worley, and others who have invited Shingleton to share the stage.
Sam Barber – Till I Return Tour
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYSAM BARBERSam Barber was raised on a farm in a small town in Southeast Missouri surrounded by a supportive family and an abundance of friends. Most of his childhood was devoted to athletics where he learned many lessons such as the importance of a team, practice, discipline, respect and hard work. Music has not always been his passion and as a child, he never participated in music class or music performances. Sam’s music journey has been completely unplanned and his success continues to astound him. When he was 16, Sam picked up his great grandfather’s Gibson, out of tune with 5 strings and fell in love with the art of playing. He soon learned that he also had the God-given talent to sing along. Sam’s vision is to continue to grow and become stronger as a vocalist and songwriter. He wants to deliver songs that people feel in their soul. Above all, he wants to stay true to his faith, the man he truly is, and the type of music he wants to make without boundaries or conforming. Since releasing Straight and Narrow in November 2022 Sam’s social reach has soared past a million followers and garnered over 4.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Sam has hit the Global viral charts and reached #1 in UK, Aus, Ire and more.LILY FITTS At the age of 22, Lily Fitts showcases a musical artistry that is distinguished by the delicate nuances and infectious raspy quality of her voice. Her alternative country folk compositions resonate with a rare balance, where the fragility of her delivery intertwines seamlessly with a captivating and contagious tone. Her music reflects her Boston roots, creating songs that feel warm and relatable. The authenticity in her lyrics adds a deep and genuine touch to her compositions. Lily has been singing since childhood and started sharing her music on YouTube and Vine at just 9 years old. Over the past year, her acoustic renditions, showcased on TikTok and Reels, have garnered commendable attention from distinguished artists such as Noah Kahan, Zach Bryan, The Lumineers, Sam Barber, Mt. Joy, and others. In August 2023, Lily made her debut performance at Zach Bryan’s sold-out Crypto Arena show in LA, singing “Oklahoma City.” Lily is gearing up to unleash a series of singles at the start of 2024, paving the way for the unveiling of an EP in late spring. She looks forward to hitting the road for more frequent touring, strategically timed around the release of her singles and EP to connect intimately with her fans.
Andy Shauf at Asheville Masonic Temple
– ALL AGE- SEATED SHOW – AT ASHEVILLE MASONIC TEMPLE (80 BROADWAY ST) ANDY SHAUF Andy Shauf’s latest album, Norm, out now on ANTI-, and presents its lead single/video, “Wasted On You.” In conjunction, Shauf announces a 2023 Norm Tour including some of his biggest shows to-date (tickets are on sale this Friday). Hailed as “a gifted storyteller” (NPR Music) for 2016’s The Party and 2020’s The Neon Skyline, Shauf writes albums that unfold like short fiction, full of colorful characters, fine details and a rich emotional depth. With Norm, however, Shauf has slyly deconstructed and reshaped the style for which he’s been celebrated, elevating his songwriting with intricate layers and perspectives, challenging himself to find a new direction. Under the guise of an intoxicating collection of jazz-inflected romantic ballads, his storytelling has become decidedly more oblique, hinting at ominous situations and dark motivations. Shauf had planned to be touring around The Neon Skyline but, like many of us in the early days of the pandemic, he spent a lot of time alone instead. He sequestered himself in his garage studio, self-producing and playing every instrument on Norm, a collection of more conventional songs written predominantly on guitar, piano and synths. The latter was essential to creating the more spacious and tactile sounds he sought. Shauf’s goals were uncomplicated: create something melody-driven rather than chord-driven, and make it modern. Shauf recruited Neal Pogue (Tyler, the Creator, Janelle Monae, Outkast), a prodigious shaper of genre-and-time-defying tracks, to mix the album, further building on the gently levitating, synth-laden atmospherics. During this period, he was captivated by David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, which seemed to validate Shauf’s instinct to mix perspectives and tinker with shadowy narratives. He even rewrote all of the album’s original lyrics, recreating the story, and enlisting Nicholas Olson as a story editor – it was only after writing the title track that Shauf decided to build a narrative around the character Norm. “The character of Norm is introduced in a really nice way,” Shauf says of the pleasant songs that precede the album’s centerpiece. “But the closer you pay attention to the record, the more you’re going to realize that it’s sinister.” After gaining indie notoriety with The Party and a Polaris Music Prize nomination, performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and CBS This Morning: Saturday, and praise from the likes of Pitchfork, ESQUIRE, NPR Music, Stereogum, The Atlantic and beyond for The Neon Skyline, Shauf has left the realm of things he’s known on his third album, pivoting away from the semi-autobiographical, and pushing himself to grow as a songwriter in an entirely different way. With Norm, he recreated his idea of a concept album, and also made it about faith and fatalism. But Shauf has realized he doesn’t need to moralize. He’s assigned that task to us, the listeners. At once narrators and investigators, we fill in the blanks.LUTALOAfter releasing their 2022 debut EP, Once Now, Then Again, the 24-year-old born Lutalo Jones emerged as a rising presence in the indie world, catching the attention of Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold and Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker, who invited the young musician on tour. Along with the vinyl release of that breakthrough project, they are releasing its companion EP, AGAIN, which reveals their prenaturally masterful range in sonic expression and philosophical thought.
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.
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
Josiah and the Bonnevilles
– ALL AGES – FULLY SEATED SHOW – LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE JOSIAH AND THE BONNEVILLES Josiah and the Bonnevilles is a musical project led by singer-songwriter Josiah Leming. Josiah was born in Morristown, Tennessee and as a child, Josiah was fascinated by music and began playing the piano and guitar at a young age. Josiah’s musical talents became evident to his family and friends, and he began performing as a teenager catching the attention of music industry professionals. In 2010, he formed Josiah and the Bonnevilles, which presented a unique blend of Folk, Americana, and Country that draws from his roots as a true Appalachian artist, embracing honesty and putting life’s realities into his songwriting. In 2015, Josiah and the Bonnevilles released its debut album, On Trial. The album was praised for its raw, vulnerable lyrics and its combination of acoustic and electric instruments that underpinned the storytelling. The band went on tour in support of the album with the artist LP, performing at various venues across the United States and Europe. Since the release of On Trial, Josiah and the Bonnevilles have continued to make music and tour, gaining a devoted fan base along the way. Josiah remains grounded and focused on his music. He has spoken openly about his struggles with mental health, addiction, and the music industry as a whole and uses his songwriting as a form of therapy. He continues to inspire his fans with his honesty and vulnerability, and his music has touched the hearts of people around the world. MON ROVIAI’m Mon, born in Mon Rovia, Liberia. My life can be summed up by being born into a civil war, escaping the life of a child soldier, rescued by the hands of missionaries. Spent a lot of my developmental years living in a variety of places with a number of life experiences. And then layered on top of all of this is the assimilation I felt being a transracially adopted refugee. My music in a nutshell is a culmination of these experiences blended with the empathy I feel for the experiences with others. The mission of my music is to heal with others — with every nation and tongue, in due time.
