[CANCELED] Matthew Sweet
Due to a medical illness and on doctors advice, Matthew Sweet must cancel all remaining upcoming shows with Hanson, and his own headline dates, from October 10 thru November 16. Matthew needs to pause traveling for a period of recovery. We plan to have Matthew and his band back out on the road in 2025. Thank you for your understanding, and please wish Matthew a speedy recovery, and a return to action soon. ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY MATTHEW SWEET After spending the ’80s as an up-and-coming jangle pop multi-instrumentalist with acts like Oh-OK, Lloyd Cole, The Golden Palominos, and The Buzz of Delight, Matthew Sweet emerged as the leading figure of the power pop revival with the release of his platinum-selling breakout record Girlfriend in 1991. Sweet adhered to traditional song craft, yet subverted the form by adding noisy post-punk guitar and flourishes of country-rock, resulting in an amalgam of the Beatles, Big Star, R.E.M., and Neil Young. Girlfriend became a word-of-mouth critical and commercial hit with its title track reaching the Top Five on the Modern Rock charts and its anime-styled music videos entering heavy rotation on MTV. His next two records, Altered Beast (1993) and 100% Fun (1995) continued the hot streak, producing multiple top ten singles and achieving gold and platinum sales. Sweet’s success continued in the late ‘90’s and 2000’s with successful US and European tours, major label releases (including Blue Sky on Mars, In Reverse, Modern Art), and a revered collaboration series with Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles) – Under Covers Vols. 1-3. More recent studio albums Sunshine Lies and Tomorrow Forever are championed by critics as persuasive testaments to the enduring qualities of Sweet’s adventurous, emotion-charged songcraft. On Matthew’s thirteenth album, Catspaw (2021), he plays every instrument (except drums) for the first time in his career. American Songwriter called it “a one-man show of sorts that represents another high point in a career that’s now almost four decades long and shows no signs of lagging.” 2024 saw the release of a newly remixed and remastered archival live recording of Sweet’s epic July 4, 1993 headline performance at WXRT’s “Taste of Chicago” in Chicago’s Grant Park.
Rock Academy
-ALL AGES-STANDING ROOM ONLYAsheville’s Rock Academy students perform rock songs of various genres, including blues, classic rock, hard rock, heavy metal, punk, and more.
OUTPOST: Organically Programmed//Kyle Gordon//Indoor Condor//come//Mountain Medicine//
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Organically Programmed: Fresh off sets at AthFest and the 40 Watt Club, OP is branching out beyond Athens, GA to play across the Southeast. OP is a big band with orchestral and electronic instrumentation that weaves psychedelic electronic space disco, easy listening, library music, and jazz. The band features a deep Athens pedigree with a mix of young blood and established musicians, led by Oliver Domingo. Indoor Condor: Asheville’s own pajama rock band just released their debut full-length, Candy Macabre. The release was accompanied by a pop-up shop in the Asheville Mall, a record store that sold only Candy Macabre. Band leader Ben Underwood manned the shop himself, leveraging the abandoned infrastructure of overconsumption to bring energetic lo-fi pajama rock to the people. His recent in-store performance at Baby Rabiez, was featured on a local billboard!?! come: two mice fall into a bucket of cream. the first mouse struggles a bit, gives up, and drowns. the second mouse swims with such relentless vigor, it churns the cream into butter and walks out. come, from athens, georgia, is that second mouse.Mountain Medicine: Mountain Medicine weaves together heartfelt lyrics and soulful tunes that resonate with the spirit of the mountains. This duo brings a unique blend of traditional folk and modern influences, promising a performance that will captivate and inspire. Kyle Gordon: Frontman of Brand new Atlanta band, ANTHMZ, brings a solo set to Asheville. The band just released their debut singles, Soft Core and Summer Queen. Featuring members of MammaBear and Heavy Mojo, the band packs raucous energy into each song and every performance. They’re developing new material in the studio and are testing it on the road.
PATIO (FREE SHOW!): Quickchester
– FREE SHOW!!! – ALL AGES – LIMITED SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED Quickchester is a 5-piece band from Asheville with a library of more than 30 original songs and some 100 covers highlighting their “genre-fluid” style. Paul Quick plays lead electric guitar while Mark Chester backs on acoustic rhythm guitar, and both are contributing songwriters. Singer/songwriter and flute player Kyley Byrd rounds out the three-part vocal harmonies, with drummer Stu Way and bassist J.D. Smith holding down the rhythm. Their music is a blend that ranges from indie rock and folk to good ol’ rock’n’roll. FREE SHOW!! Show runs 5:30-6:45. Food and drink available from The Grey Eagle Taqueria. Family friendly show! Come fill your Tuesday evening with food, drink, fun and some of the best live music Asheville has to offer – all in one place.
Cybertronic Spree w/ Baby Yaga
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. 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.
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.
CANCELED 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.
[MOVED INDOORS AT 8pm]: 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!
