Jul 21

Jul 21 This Week in Asheville: July 21-27

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.

The Head & The Heart

The indie folk sextet from Seattle went from burning homemade CDs and playing small hometown shows to signing with Sub Pop, jumping to a major label, and selling out huge venues — seemingly overnight. Somewhere along that meteoric rise, the bigger production lost me a bit. But goddamn! Their debut remains a brilliant blend of pop-rock melodies and folk harmonies. —Jonny Leather

w/ Wild River + Marfa
at Asheville Yards
Tuesday, July 22
Doors: 5:30pm / Show: 7pm
[indie rock, folk]
more info

Hotline TNT

Just a few years ago, the NYC-based indie rock quintet was opening for Sheer Mag at an undersold show at Different Wrld. That venue may be gone but Hotline TNT has taken off — and rightfully so. The band’s new LP, Raspberry Moon, somehow builds on their already dialed-in blend of shoegaze and indie rock, pushing their sound to even greater heights. —JL

w/ Tarantula + Tanner York\
at Eulogy
Tuesday, July 22
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[indie rock, shoegaze]
more info

Rose City Band

Best known for fronting the spacey psychedelic outfits Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo, Ripley Johnson has spent recent years leading the more earthbound Rose City Band. With its warm, twangy textures and laid-back grooves, the country rock project feels almost tailor-made for an Asheville crowd. Its latest record, Sol y Sombra, is rich with breezy pedal steel and steeped in the spirit of classic Grateful Dead. —JL

w/ Powers/Rolin Duo
at AyurPrana Listening Room
Tuesday, July 23
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[Alt-country]
more info

Widespread Panic

If I don’t at least acknowledge that Panic is in town for a three-night stand, a sizable portion of this city might conspire to tie me to the back of the tour bus and drag me out of town — assuming they’re not all too stoned to organize it. —JL

at ExploreAsheville.com Arena
Thursday, July 24 - Saturday, July 26
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[jam]
more info

Washed Out

The fact that Ernest Weatherly Greene Jr. and I were born on the exact same day might not mean much to most, but I can’t help feeling a strange connection to the chillwave pioneer. Maybe that was the deciding factor that got me to The Orange Peel for his standout set at the 2024 AVLFest. I went in with modest expectations and left thoroughly impressed. With Neon Indian also on the bill for a DJ set, this show is shaping up to be the cool, synthy summer night Asheville’s could use. —JL

w/ Neon Indian (DJ set) + AVL.XLR & Phantom Pantone
at Burial Forestry Camp
Saturday, July 26
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[electronic, vaporwave]
more info

Dustin Nickerson

Returning to Asheville is the self-described “world’s most average person.” Hailing from the Seattle area, Nickerson finds humor in the everyday, with material that often revolves around marriage, parenting, and the chaos of family life. His clean, observational style makes for the kind of stand-up set you can bring your parents to — without spending the rest of the night squirming in your seat. —JL

w/ Nathan Owens
at AyurPrana Listening Room
Saturday, July 26
Doors: 6:15pm / Show: 7pm
[comedy]
more info

John R. Miller

Hailing from West Virginia and currently based in Nashville, this singer/songwriter pulls from both locations’ sonic traditions, plus a whole lot more. Not every Music City resident can claim playing in punk bands in high school and touring in an old-time string band in his 20s, but atop this unusual synthesis of influences are insightful lyrics that rank up with any and all of Miller’s peers. —Edwin Arnaudin

w/ Miss Tess
at Grey Eagle Music Hall
Sunday, July 27
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[Americana]
more info