May 19

May 19 This Week in Asheville: May 19-25

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.

Sturgill Simpson

Some musicians are so good that they can convince an entire population to enjoy a genre that they’ve more or less written off. The country artist from Kentucky, who's recently gone by the moniker Johnny Blue Skies, broke out big in 2014 with Metamodern Sounds in Country Music. A decade later, he’s as big of a star as it gets. —Jonny Leather

at ExploreAsheville.com Arena
Tuesday, May 20 & Wednesday, May 21
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[country]
more info

Reasonably Priced Babies: The Hasta La Vista Show!

Asheville’s longtime improv troupe bids farewell to member Tom Chalmers — who, we can only assume, has finally been acquired by a mysterious aristocrat intent on harvesting his adrenochrome. —JL

at Grey Eagle Music Hall
Thursday, May 22
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[improv comedy]
more info

Future Islands

Few frontmen command a stage quite like Samuel T. Herring. Channeling the spirit of synth-pop pioneers like New Order and OMD, Herring and his bandmates craft dance music with emotional weight — tailor-made for those too self-conscious to fully surrender to the rhythm. The band’s 2024 album, People Who Aren’t There Anymore, might not have received the critical fanfare of previous releases, but it’s just as good as anything in its catalog. —JL

at Burial Forestry Camp
Friday, May 23
Doors: 5pm / Show: 7pm
[synth pop, indie rock]
more info

Shadowlands

Sean Carey first emerged on the scene as the drummer and backing vocalist for Bon Iver, but it wasn’t long before the classically-trained percussionist carved out a name of his own as a solo artist. As Shadowlands, Carey joins forces with acclaimed jazz trumpeter John Raymond to create a soothing, genre-blurring soundscape. —JL

at AyurPrana Listening Room
Saturday, May 24
Doors: 6pm / Show: 7pm
[jazz, pop]
more info

Billy Wayne Davis

While opening for Sturgill Simpson a decade ago, this stand-up from Tennessee managed to infuriate a white nationalist loser, who later penned a rant claiming an “unexpected tirade of anti-Whiteness and blasphemy sullied the whole event.” If that’s not reason enough to catch the show, you can always find some solid clips on YouTube. —JL

at Eulogy
Saturday, May 24
Doors: 6:15pm / Show: 7pm
[comedy]
more info