For many locals, healthy eating means thinking back before the age of processed, imported foods and scouting out only the freshest local, organic ingredients to transfer from farm or garden to plate. One might think the concept of minimally processed, local food runs rampant throughout this environmentally conscious town — it’s Asheville, right? But some … Read more
Nomad is not just the name of Omara “Bombino” Moctar’s new album, produced by Dan Auberbach of The Black Keys; it’s also a description of the guitarist himself. Moctar is a member of the Tuareg people, a traditionally nomadic ethnic group who have herded cattle in the Sahara desert for centuries. Moctar has lived through … Read more
I just read the article "The Real Deal: The Life of a Food-Truck Owner" by Michael Franco [Oct. 30 Xpress]. It seems like all the articles about the food-trucks lately have focused on the negativity — how hard it is, how much time it takes and how little money they make. How about an article … Read more
We're all about milestones because, unlike birthdays, no one minds racking up accident-free days, perfect attendance awards and decades of happy marriage. Bands are kind of like marriages, and local roots-music outfit Red June is about to commemorate five years together. That anniversary coincides with another piece of good news: The trio recently signed to … Read more
While you probably wouldn’t know it, 2013 has been a seminal and perhaps notorious year for movie exhibition. Major studios have been slowly moving away from the use of film stock, forcing movie theaters to either convert to expensive digital projectors or simply shut down. In small towns across the country, numerous independent theaters are … Read more
The deep, melodic sound summoned me like a call to prayer or meditation. I looked up and saw wind chimes, moving ever so gently in the breeze — just enough to emit beautiful, mysterious sound and to remind me that having a cup of coffee can be a spiritual experience. Yes, not only do I … Read more
With all precincts reporting, here are the results for Asheville’s 2013 municipal election: Asheville Mayor 8,341 votes Esther Manheimer (68.4 percent) 3,790 votes John Miall (31 percent) Asheville City Council (three seats) 9,136 votes Gwen Wisler (28 percent) 8,936 votes Gordon Smith (27.4 percent) 8,161 votes Cecil Bothwell (25 percent) 3,503 votes Mike Lanning (10.8 … Read more
The turnout was low, but the results of the Nov. 5 election were decisive. In an electoral landslide to become Asheville’s next mayor, Esther Manheimer buried former city Director of Risk Management John Miall. And former Coleman Co. CEO Gwen Wisler, along with incumbents Gordon Smith and Cecil Bothwell, also won convincing victories over former … Read more
Say you’re an Australian future-beat musician named Nicholas Murphy, and you’ve got a good, soul-tinged sound, except that people show up at your shows expecting to see some other Nick Murphy. You do the logical thing: Change your name to honor one of your jazz heroes. Yeah, Murphy’s not a jazz guy. But Chet Baker … Read more
Former Asheville resident (and former Beards of Comedy member) Joe Zimmerman will be coming back to town to record his debut solo comedy album at Lexington Avenue Brewery. Since moving to New York City a few years ago, Zimmerman has been a rising star in the national comedy scene, doing television spots and winning accolades … Read more
