Aug 18

Aug 18 This Week in Asheville: Aug. 18-24

Asheville’s wealth of live music, theater, and comedy offerings can leave concertgoers feeling overwhelmed when it comes to picking which shows to attend. But have no fear! The Asheville Stages staff is here to help with insights on the week’s most appealing options.

Kairos Creature Club

The collaborative project from indie veterans Lena Simon (La Luz) and Glenn Van Dyke (BOYTOY) ventures beyond the sonic boundaries of their previous bands. The result blends the buoyant psychedelia of Stereolab with a dreamy layer of West Coast surf pop. —Jonny Leather

w/ Minorcan + Powder Horns
at Static Age Records
Monday, Aug. 19
Doors: 8pm / Show: 8:45pm
[indie rock, garage rock]
more info

Five Eight + PINKEYE

Long a missing piece in the story of Athens, GA’s legendary indie rock scene, Five Eight may finally get the recognition they deserve thanks to the new documentary Weirdo: The Story of Five Eight. The film will be screened alongside performances by the underground legends themselves and local punks PINKEYE — who will also be celebrating the release of their new album, Better Stay Clear! —JL

at Grey Eagle Music Hall
Friday, Aug. 22
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[indie rock, garage rock]
more info

BASK

The local quintet knows how to throw a party — and the release show for their epic new album, The Turning, is no exception. Bask has curated a wildly diverse lineup of top-tier local acts (including Secret Shame’s first hometown performance of 2025) in a bill that mirrors the band’s own stylistic range. Best of all? It’s free. If you have any interest in what Asheville’s music scene has to offer, this one’s not to be missed. —JL

w/ Secret Shame + Generation of Vipers + Tombstone Poetry + Cliff B. Worsham
at The Orange Peel
Friday, Aug. 22
Doors: 6pm / Show: 7pm
[metal, post-punk, alternative, folk]
more info

Beth Stelling

Since breaking out on the comedy scene in the 2010s, the Ohio-born stand-up has earned a reputation as one of the sharpest in the business, drawing big laughs from her keen observations on everyday life. In her brand-new half-hour, The Landlord Special, Stelling shares outrageous tales of some truly unhinged landlords. Local stand-up (and meme king) Peter Smith-McDowell opens. —JL

at The Orange Peel
Saturday, Aug. 23
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[comedy]
more info

Leanne Morgan

Selling out a show at the local arena is no easy feat, which makes Leanne Morgan’s four-performance run this weekend — with three already at capacity — all the more impressive. The comedian’s breakout came in 2023 when her Netflix special Leanne Morgan: I'm Every Woman catapulted her into the spotlight. Since then, she’s landed a self-titled sitcom with a strong supporting cast, proving she’s tapped into something big. —JL

at ExploreAsheville.com
Saturday, Aug. 23 & Sunday, Aug. 24 (2 shows each day)
Doors: 2pm / Show: 3pm & Doors: 6pm / Show: 7pm
[comedy]
more info