Not to be unromantic, but Valentine's Day is a tar pit of potential disaster. All of the ingredients for trouble are wrapped up in one pretty package. Unrealistic expectations, too many glasses of champagne, budgetary constraints and romantic jitters can cause real relationship strain. And when it comes to sticky subjects like matters of the … Read more
This is not to say that we’re experts on love, or even dating. We can’t tell you if you’ve got a perfect match on your hands, or a Fatal Attraction in the making. But if you do have a special someone in your sights and that someone has agreed to spend Valentine’s Day (or some … Read more
Click here to download the PDF version. My dearest __________ (local food product), As I awoke this __________ (time of day) and gazed upon the shimmering __________ (downtown Asheville building), my thoughts could not help but turn to your __________ (adjective) __________ (body part). It almost made my own __________ (body part) blush. And it … Read more
One look at the band photo to the right, and it’s pretty clear that local songwriter Angi West — that’s her in the hedgehog mask — has a, well, rather quirky sense of humor. “I think that most of the time I censor myself,” says West about her new album, Opportunity Cost, which she recorded … Read more
In 2006, singer/songwriter/bandleader/all-around-nice-guy Josh Ritter was named in Paste’s "100 Greatest Living Songwriters," which was probably as daunting as it was flattering, since Ritter was, at the time, 29 years old. Dylan, Neil Young and Springsteen were numbers 1, 2 and 3 respectively; Ritter was number 97. But he still beat out T Bone Burnett, … Read more
It’s no shock that Bobby Bare Jr. became a musician. The alt-rock troubadour grew up surrounded by the business. His father and namesake was a country music star. Waylon Jennings and Shel Silverstein (himself a noted songwriter) were regular fixtures at the house. His childhood neighbors included George Jones and Tammy Wynette. … Read more
S/He Loves Me, S/He Loves Me Not, a modern-dance-meets-musical showcase, explores the giddy, passionate, turbulent and tumultuous — along with the sweet and triumphant — emotions inspired by love. Members of Moving Women, Asheville’s female-fronted performance ensemble and a project of Arts2People, partnered with area musicians and visual artists to present a funny, contemplative and … Read more
The Suspect: Tapes ‘n Tapes This indie band formed at Carleton College in Minnesota 2003; in 2005 Pitchfork gave their debut album, The Loon, an 8.3 rating (out of 10), “Best New Music” tag and cites the band’s clear influences as “Pavement, Wire, Beach Boys and Pixies.” Each of the four members of Tapes ‘n … Read more
Jake Shimabukuro When Jake Shimabukuro's mother handed him a ukulele at age 4, she probably never imagined her son would become a virtuoso, known for complex finger work and renditions of classic rock tunes (a Hendrix-style "Star Bangled Banner," for one). Of his most recent album, Peace Love Ukulele, Shimabukuru says, "if everyone played the … Read more
The retirement of longtime Buncombe County Register of Deeds Otto DeBruhl has sparked a fight between the local Democratic Party’s old guard and young Turks. When DeBruhl announced his retirement Jan. 31 after 32 years on the job, he proposed that Assistant Register of Deeds JoAnn Morgan take the helm, declaring, “There is not a … Read more
