Bob Log III
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYBOB LOG III Bob Log III is a one man band slide guitar party. A perverse product of the Arizona desert, Bob Log III has been diligently travelling the globe since 1996, showcasing his incomparable talents and developing a devoted following along the way. A whirlwind of dexterous limbs and digits, this super star sonic showman has to be seen to be believed. Clad in his cannonball man, extra tight jumpsuit and signature motorcycle helmet with telephone/microphone attached, Bob Log III unfailingly sweats up a river while kicking on a kick drum, stomping his homemade foot cymbal and playing slide on an old archtop guitar. His endless pursuit for musical mayhem and a downright party has seen his unique talents utilized for children’s birthday parties, obscure beer barns, mammoth music festivals and everything in between. Yet, beyond these mesmerizing visuals, lies the true reason for Bob Log’s international cult status and superhero adoration. It is quite simply the guitar playing – finger picked lightning, sliding up and down, stopping when it wants to, then starting again when it feels like it, all in a way that makes people move uncontrollably, smile and reel. YAWNiA hospice nurse and a Waffle House waitress start a band…femme-grunge-punk with yallternative country sensibilities
LATE SHOW: Dinosaur Jr
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- LATE SHOW (9:30PM DOORS / 10:00PM SHOW)DINOSAUR JR Here is Sweep It Into Space, the fifth new studio album cut by Dinosaur Jr.. during the 13th year of their rebirth. Originally scheduled for issue in mid 2020, this record’s temporal trajectory was thwarted by the coming of the Plague. But it would take more than a mere Plague to tamp down the exquisite fury of this trio when they are fully dialed-in. And Sweep It Into Space is a masterpiece of zoned dialing. In the decades since the release of Dinosaur Jr.’s original triptych of foundational albums, it has become clear that their sound — once hailed as a sort of almost-tamed noise — is/was/always-has-been fully functioning pop music of a sort. The subsequent generations of bands who grew up breathing Dino’s fumes managed to tinker around with the edges of their original post-hardcore song-forms enough for listeners to realize there had always been melodies at the center of everything they did. What Dinosaur Jr.. produces is nothing but a beautiful new version of the rock continuum — riff, power, beat and longing, created with an eye on the infinite future. Recorded, as usual, at Amherst’s Biquiteen, the sessions for Sweep It Into Space began in the late Autumn of 2019, following a West Coast/South East tour. The only extra musician used this time with Kurt Vile. J Mascis says, “Kurt played little lead things, like 12 string one at the beginning of ‘I Ran Away.’ Then I ended up just mimicking a few things he’d done. I was listening to a lot of Thin Lizzy, so I was trying to get some of that dueling twin lead sound. (laughs)” “But the recording session was pretty well finished by the time things really hit the fan. So I just ended up doing more things by myself. Like the mini digital mellotron on ‘Take It Back.’ Originally I’d thought I’d have Ken Mauri (who has done keyboard work for Dino in the past) come in and play piano. But when the Lock Down happened in March, that meant I was on my own. But it was cool.” Indeed, Sweep It Into Space is a very cool album. As is typical, Lou Barlow writes and sings two of the album’s dozen tunes and Murph’s pure-Flinstonian drumming drives the record like a go cart from Hell. Lou’s songs here are as elegant as always. “Garden” is a mid-paced ballad with genteel guitar filigree giving it a ’60 Brit feel in spots. And the album’s closer, “You Wonder,” is a strangely excellent answer to the question — “How would Blue Oyster Cult handle a country tune?” J’s tracks flow and flower in the different directions he often follows. Some are guitar howlers, like “I Met the Stones,” with a string sound midway between Hendrix and Asheton. Some are power ballads, like “And Me,” its lyrics atomized in a manner invented by Mascis, then famously borrowed by Kurt Cobain. And there are anomalies, like “Take It Back,” which starts with a blue-beat rhythm putting one in mind of Keith Richards’ Jamaican explorations (at least for a little bit.) But there are very few moments where you wouldn’t know you were hearing Dinosaur Jr.. in blindfolded needle drop. They have a signature sound as sure as the Stooges or Sonic Youth or Discharge ever did. They continue to expand their personal universe with Sweep It Into Space, without ever losing their central core. So if you ever do find yourself swept into space (hey, who knows?), I just hope these tunes are on your playlist. — Byron Coley
PATIO: Will Easter and the Nomads w/ Zach Warren
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDWILL EASTER AND THE NOMADS Will Easter has always been a creator. “I love seeing something come from nothing” he states as if it’s the most true thing he knows. Art, construction, or music, Will’s hands have alway been creating. Though raised in a musical family, Will wasn’t always set on being a musician. It was once he began writing and performing his own songs, that Will found his calling. Songwriting in the throughline between Will’s raising in a porch picking family and his love of bringing something new into the world. Will’s music doesn’t neatly fit in any genre. His songs range from rollicking dance tunes like “River Song” that leave a crowd on its feet, to “Nostalgic Search” which feels like a gospel song being belted in a mountain church, to “Carolina Home” where he works through the complicated emotions of leaving home. Will writes in a straight, plain english, that fully captures his emotions and leaves the listener feeling surprised at the emotions contained in such simple statements such as “Though I might be gone for quite some time, the only things separating us will be miles.” Much like Will himself, his writing is stripped of embellishments and flair. “I just want to tell the truth. Even if it’s messy.” states Will, and he does just that. His style of writing is specific enough that you can feel his exact emotions, but vague enough that it calls your own memories of those emotions to the front of your mind. Will’s live shows (especially with his full band, The Nomads) are electric. A front man through and through, WIll knows how to connect with his audience. You can feel him weaving a thread through each member and pulling them closer together, closer to his music. He has shared the stage with acts synonymous with Folk and Bluegrass like the legendary Jim Avett, David Childers, Time Sawyer, Brooks Forsyth, The Kruger Brothers, Rhonda Vincent and Danger Muffin. He is the 2022 winner of the prestigious Merlefest band competition. An accomplishment on its own, this was made even more joyous for Will, who attended Wilkes Community College, whose grounds host Merlefest each April. Will Easter is an artist on the rise. Go catch him live while his venues are still intimate. ZACH WARREN Born in Asheville, North Carolina, Zachary Warren at his core, is a songwriter. As a teen, he began remedially filling journals and finding melodies to match. Now, after amble incubation, is prepared for the next step: offering. Growing up in a home with close quarters, his music naturally settled into a place of gentleness: light finger-picking and hushed singing, so as not to disturb his sleeping family. His style began taking shape during nightly front-porch listening sessions, where he learned the power of dynamics from Sam Cooke and the almost-hypnotic effect of clever storytelling from Tom T. Hall. Eventually, he came across songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, and Karen Dalton who taught living intentionally for song’s sake and poets like William Carlos Williams, who emphasized a grounded perception of the local. Emerging from necessity, centered by family, propelled by restlessness, Zachary hopes his songs encapsulate sincere, relatable narratives.
Rock Academy – Hindsight Is 2023 Tour
-ALL AGES-STANDING ROOM ONLY- TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOORRock Academy students perform rock songs of various genres, including blues, classic rock, hard rock, heavy metal, punk, and more.
Nicotine Dolls
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYNICOTINE DOLLS Nicotine Dolls is a NYC based Pop/Rock band formed in 2017 with lead singer Sam Cieri, Guitarist John Hays, Bassist John Merritt, and Drummer Abel Tabares. The band has been steadily releasing singes and EPs since 2019. They have built a devoted and strong base through their successful Social Media engagement. The bands most recent release “What Makes You Sad” was able to garner over 19k Pre-Saves and opened at #5 on the Itunes all Genre chart.ABBIE ROPER Abbie Roper and her band bois make up a four piece indie rock / punk band based in NYC. Abbie and the bois can be found in some of NYC’s classic venues playing a mix of your favorite early 2000’s covers and her originals of ardor.
The Supersuckers
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYTHE SUPERSUCKERSAt a time when many alternative rock bands were either filtering hard rock tropes through a filter of irony (such as Urge Overkill, Big Chief, and Redd Kross) or reworking them into grunge (like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, or Stone Temple Pilots), the Supersuckers stood out as a band who approached their music with tongue firmly in cheek while still making it clear they loved arena-ready hard rock, both for its absurdity and for its punch-to-the-gut power. Playing like they should be in a 20,000-seat arena even when they were playing bars that held 200 people, the Supersuckers sounded like the bastard sons of Foghat, AC/DC, and ZZ Top after being weaned on punk rock, unafraid of massive guitar riffs, outsized personalities, or pledging allegiance to sex, weed, and Satan with a wink and a nudge. Rising to nationwide recognition while signed to Sub Pop, they made their debut as a rather ordinary punk band with 1992’s The Smoke of Hell, then dove head-first into speedy hard rock with 1994’s La Mano Cornuda and 1995’s The Sacrilicious Sounds of the Supersuckers; they then detoured into reefer-addled country with 1997’s Must’ve Been High. While their Sub Pop era contained most of their best work, they were still capable of making their sound work in the studio, particularly on 2003’s raucous Motherfuckers Be Trippin’ and 2008’s (relatively) thoughtful Get It Together.THE RUMOURSThe Rumours are a rock band based out of Waterloo, IA. The once, straight-up Rock N Roll band finally made-out with Punk — leaving you beggin’ for more with their Kick-In-The-Face look & sound. It’s all about HOOKS, LOOKS & LOUD GUITARS. The Rumours are the hottest three-some you’ll ever see.
Djunah
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYDJUNAH Chicago-based Djunah spotlights the talents of Donna Diane, who pulls triple duty, simultaneously playing guitar, singing, and pulverizing a Moog bass organ with her foot — a feat some have described as “mind-blowing.” Drawing a broad range of comparisons from Diamanda Galás to Melvins, Djunah (pronounced “JUNE-uh”) pairs her powerful, unrestrained vocals and abrasive guitar with punishing drums courtesy of drummer Jared Karns (Their/They’re/There, Hidden Hospitals). Known for their massive, intense live sound, Djunah is fueled as much by big emotions as it is by love of gear. Diane, who has been featured on Premiere Guitar’s Rig Rundown, is a self-described gearhead who learned to build footswitches to make simultaneously playing both instruments possible. Shortly before the pandemic started, she launched a YouTube series called “Can I Touch Your Gear?” to help represent women’s voices in the gear space. CVLT Nation called Djunah’s first album, “Ex Voto” (2019), “an angular noise rock escalator run on power and beauty … a record that should be heard by all music lovers, no matter what scene you are a part of.” New Noise called it “an instant classic, like we’ve got a new Melvins on our hands.” Everything Is Noise raved, “Seismic guitar … 100% pure emotion … You gotta see it to believe it.” Djunah’s newest album, “Femina Furens,” fuses influences from formal poetry and heavy music to tell the story of diagnosis and continuing recovery from complex post-traumatic stress disorder, or C-PTSD. Animals, chariots/sleighs, and mythological figures appear prominently on the album as a way of exploring themes of emotional regulation, power, and control — some of the core features of trauma disorders. The album’s title comes from the Latin for a “raging” or “furious” woman.LUNGPowerhouse art-punk cello-rock duo Lung have a sound that is dark and commanding, evoking the driving sludge of early grunge with layered sinister undertones. Described as “loud, dissonant, innovative, and fearless” (Fair Shakes and Just Dessert) and “post-grunge mixed with a dose of the avant garde (Paul Silver, Jersey Beat), “Lung doesn’t try to fit in – they pry their way in with a velvet crowbar” (Brian Baker, CityBeat Cincinnati). The band is Kate Wakefield, a classically trained opera singer and cellist, and drummer Daisy Caplan, formerly of Foxy Shazam, Babe Rage, and Ayin. Playing shows from SXSW to Treefort Music Festival to famed DIY venues like 924 Gilman Street, Lung have made their presence known and developed the reputation as a “must see” band. Since their first performance in April 2016, the pair have played over 500 shows across North America and Europe. HARRIERS OF DISCORD Female fronted and formed by Aimee Jacob Oliver, along with with tasty bass licks of Duane Duaneson and the prodigious drumming styles by Marcus Trujillo, Harriers of Discord is a force to be reckoned with. The LA-based band, (currently residing in Asheville, NC) will knock you down and pick you back up again with their eclectic range of instrumental scores, heedless vocals, tremolo swells, soothing ballads, and progressive riffs that refuse to quit.
Electric Six + The Surfrajettes
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYELECTRIC SIX The Devil has always been there. He is the great outsider, the original iconoclast. He is a conniving little shit and never seems to tire of giving humanity a wedgie or a wet willie just for a laugh. The Devil is capable of taking many forms. He can exist as one being or spread out amongst many. He can present himself as an ordinary man or as a horrific cloven-hoofed beast depending on his mood. Above all else, The Devil lives to corrupt, to adulterate, to defile. Electric Six has often used The Devil as subject matter for its songs because of that last bit, the part about corruption and adulteration. That’s what Electric Six has been trying to do with its music now for quite some time!!!! We want to corrupt young women….just like The Devil!!! There’s nothing more rewarding than the seduction of a young innocent maiden, forcing her to wear demonic dresses, levitating her towards the great fiery skull and watching her eyes turn black as she gives into evil and becomes the bride of The Devil!!!! That….is why we started this band….to help women realize their potential as sexy evil maidens with eyes reflecting the utter darkness of a corrupted soul. With its fourteenth studio album Bride of the Devil, Electric Six examines the concepts of evil and corruption, humanity’s various falls from grace, the nine circles of purgatory and of course, the internet itself. Bride of the Devil opens with the thunderous opener “The Opener”, a bombastic celebration of the arena rock Electric Six never got to play. The next two numbers are textbook ear worm guitar pop numbers that deal with debilitating income inequality and nepotism (“Daddy’s Boy”) and the horrors of being forced into a pool of toxic waste by an a rabid Doberman trained to kill (“(It Gets) (A Little) Jumpy”). And then we get to the title track, a radio anthem, where it all becomes clear that The Devil is a metaphor for Russia and the United States is the young girl who is seduced, corrupted and wedded into a Satanic covenant with the beast. It’s all there in black and white. The Carrie Underwood-esque lyrics alongside a backdrop of vodka and caviar and backchannels and Seychllian bank accounts. That’s how they did it. They went after our country performers and got the rubes to feel good about being Russian assets. And still, it is the feel-good anthem of the summer. Finally, the haunting album closer “Worm In the Wood” is Electric Six at its most serious, most tender and emotional. Haunting. Effervescent. Corrupt. Jaundiced. Tired. So there you have it. Electric Six is back with its fourteenth record and it’s poppy and feel-good, as well as heavy, both sonically and lyrically. Our sound will corrupt you and enslave you as the beautiful demonic bride you know you truly are. Fraulein, take this severed hand with it’s creepy long nails from the beginning of time. To do so is truly thine destiny. THE SURFRAJETTESThe Surfrajettes are a four-piece instrumental combo from Toronto, ON, Canada. Since forming in late 2015, the band has charmed audiences with their clever mix of psychedelic rock and reverb-drenched surf music, sky-high beehives, go-go boots, and eyeliner as thick as their guitar strings. The band achieved viral online notoriety from their home-made performance videos and their feature by Norman’s Rare Guitars in LA. The debut 45 single “Party Line / Toxic” released late 2018 on Hi-Tide Recordings to immediate success.
OUTPOST: The Loudes
– FREE SHOW- ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINEThe LoudesEclectic rock band formed 4 years ago in Asheville, NC. Comprising of Anthony Preston on lead vox/rhythm guitar, Glen Case on lead guitar, Sam Barker on bass, and Tyler Matthews on drums, they have a unique style, taking influence from 80s alternative rock. The band is well-established on the local music scene, playing regularly at places such as the Joint Next Door, The Dugout Sports Bar And Grill, and Sweeten Creek Brewing.
520Fest: A ‘Funraiser’ for SoundSpace@Rabbit’s
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYSOUNDSPACE@RABBIT’S 520Fest is a local band showcase of the twanging, squealing and space-rocking sounds of Asheville. This event is a ‘funraiser’ for SoundSpace@Rabbit’s, a music rehearsal and art studio facility inside of a historic 1947 Black-owned tourist court and soul food cafe’ known as Rabbit’s Motel. Opening new soul food cafe Areta’s by chef Clarence Robinson in Fall 2023.Featuring: White Oak Splits, Hex Wizard, JD Pinkus, The Squealers
