May 25

May 25 This Week in Asheville: May 25-31

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.

Tongues of Fire

According to a recent social media post, the local alt-rock quartet is going on an indefinite hiatus — but not before two final shows, one here and one in Atlanta. Friday's free performance won’t just be their last for the foreseeable future, but will also serve as the release party for the band's roaring new self-titled album. This may very well be the group’s grand finale, so expect them to hold nothing back. —Jonny Leather

w/ Rest Home + Two Planes
at Eulogy
Friday, May 29
Doors: 6pm / Show: 7pm
[alternative, indie rock, psych rock, post-punk]
more info

Andrew Bird w/ Asheville Symphony Orchestra

A onetime member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Andrew Bird has amassed quite a career since his work with the swing-revival heroes in the 1990s. Much of it traces back to his artistic breakout, the 2005 record The Mysterious Production of Eggs — a baroque pop masterpiece showcasing his brilliant lyricism, virtuosic violin, and the otherworldly whistling he's become celebrated for. On Friday night, he'll be backed by the Asheville Symphony Orchestra for a special performance of the career-defining album. —JL

at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
Friday, May 29
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[chamber pop, indie rock]
more info

Field Trip: Weird Al

Only the long-reigning king of musical parody could coax me out of town for a show. Yankovic rose to fame at exactly the right moment to capture my childhood heart — though I'll admit I drifted from him in my teens and 20s, when enjoying music that didn't take itself seriously felt somehow embarrassing. That distance didn't last. My love and admiration for the man has arguably reached new heights in recent years. Has any artist from that era aged more gracefully, so utterly unscathed by the pitfalls of fame, wealth, and power? —JL

w/ Puddles Pity Party
at Bon Secours Arena (Greenville)
Saturday, May 30
Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm
[parody, comedy, rock, pop]
more info

Sounding Arrow

Scott Kinnebrew came up through Scrappy Hamilton and Truth & Salvage Co., bands that took him across the globe and gave him the kind of road-worn perspective that can't be faked. That well-traveled soul is all over Skyman, his latest album under this solo project moniker — and he'll be marking its release with a rare early evening show at Fleetwood's, joined by the wonderful Gary Jules. —JL

w/ Annalise + DJ Soul Motion
at Fleetwood’s
Sunday, May 31
Doors: 6pm / Show: 7pm
[indie rock, singer-songwriter, folk]
more info