“Everybody gives you feverThat is something we all know.Fever isn’t such a new thingFever started a long time ago.” — sung by Peggy Lee A dancer slowly strolls on-stage, keeping time with the sway of her hips, with the flutter and swoop of the pair of feathered fans she wields so sensually. The dancer teases … Read more
Ever since Fred Chappell stepped down from the post last December, no one wants to suggest who North Carolina’s next poet laureate ought to be. In a state brimming with writers — from the haunted Outer Banks to our own mountains at the other end — it won’t be easy finding that perfect replacement. Chappell, … Read more
“Hoss [Haley] is doing something important,” announces John Cram, sitting on a bench in the lower level of his downtown gallery, Blue Spiral 1. He is surrounded by painter Julyan Davis’ oils — lovely, luminous landscapes of waterfalls and mountains and sunsets. Work that anyone can “get.” Work that Cram knows will sell. Upstairs, in … Read more
Of note Magnificent seven: • Local “western-wave” front-runners Wayne Robbins & The Hellsayers recently announced plans to release their first official recording before summer’s end. Although details are murky, Robbins has stated that the yet-to-be-titled album is planned as a seven-song demo. For more information, visit www.goodluckcricket.com. • Be on the lookout for the debut … Read more
It’s after midnight in downtown Asheville, and the city feels alive. The air is warm, and the smell of pollen-heavy mountain air fills the streets, blending with car exhaust and perfume. You can almost feel the city’s heartbeat — a kind of urban thumping echoed in palms hitting skins at a Pritchard Park drum circle, … Read more
The long days of early summer carry much promise for gardeners. This is the period of peak production — for weeds and many insect pests, as well as for our crops! It’s also the time to start many fall crops, or at least prepare a space for them. But the summer garden’s sprawl (and the … Read more
Trotting down Coxe Avenue, I make it to the Transit Center and onto the Route 12 bus at the next-to-last minute. Sinking into my seat, I’m grateful that it’s cool and shady inside, in contrast to the heat and slime beyond the glass. My fantasies of moving to Iceland temporarily assuaged, I glance around. A … Read more
“If we’re just here to rubber-stamp [the city manager’s budget], then why do we have elected officials?” — Council member Brian Peterson On land, it’s called a coup. At sea, it’s called a mutiny. In the Asheville City Council chambers, it’s called passing a budget. In most cities, watching a municipal government discuss an operating … Read more
Fresh from the farm This year’s edition of the Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project’s Local Food Guide just hit the streets, and according to Local Food Campaign Director Charlie Jackson, “This is one of the most comprehensive guides in the country.” And that, he explains, is due in no small part to the fact that “our … Read more
