Is Al Gore actually living in Henderson County and [did he do] the Randy Molton cartoon in the Oct. 22 issue of Mountain Xpress under a pseudonym? Gore, back on Dec. 14, 2009, said declaratively that the polar ice caps would be gone in five years. We are approaching the five-year anniversary of that proclamation, and yet … Read more
“The world needs more funk, and these guys are leading the revival,” says a press release for Colorado-based prog collective The Motet. While that statement may be up for debate, for those hoping to up their funk intake, this seven-piece outfit offers a well-honed blend of Afrobeat, disco, electronic and soul, all based in the … Read more
How does your Bier Garden grow? In nearly 20 years of operation, downtown Asheville’s Bier Garden has assumed multiple identities, rebranding the company’s look and feel to reflect demand. This year’s upgrade includes a second bar and a new cocktail lounge seating area, which management aims to unveil by late November. “We always try to … Read more
The piercing glare of a red-shouldered hawk; the regal trot of a burnished stallion; the silent grace of a moonlit wolf; the reassuring purr of a well-loved tabby; the furry muzzle of a family dog. Animals console us; they dazzle us and, in some cases, they love us unconditionally. But however impressive their prowess — … Read more
“We got a call from a lady in Horse Shoe; it was a Sunday morning,” remembers Mary Beth Bryman. “There was a Canada goose in her bedroom.”
She told them her husband had gone to church early that morning. After making herself a cup of coffee, she’d returned to her bedroom to open the blinds — and realized she wasn’t the only one there.
Southern writing evokes a certain set of expectations, from Flannery O’Connor’s “Christ-haunted” prose to Gail Godwin’s glimpses into shifting society. But when talking about North Carolina writers, there’s one theme that returns again and again: place. From Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain and Robert Morgan’s Gap Creek to Ron Rash’s Serena and Vicki Lane’s A Day … Read more
Throughout his years of restaurant work, Dan Sobalsky saw the advantage of plating each dish. Carefully arranging the components for optimal presentation, when the food went out to the customer, there was no question how it would look. Now as the food service director at Katuah Market, that control is out of his hands in … Read more
Even a fleeting experience with the music of Suno Deko will inevitably be a pleasant experience. The shimmering, experimental-pop project of Atlanta-based musician David Courtright takes the stage at The Mothlight on Sunday, Nov. 9. Building his songs primarily on intertwining, gently cascading electric guitar lines and sinewy vocal parts in the vein of Ben … Read more
Like a lot of kids, Erik Johansen doodled his way through math and social studies classes. Unlike a lot of kids, he taught himself to draw and launched a lifelong pursuit. After traveling the world to further his self-motivated art education, Johansen settled in Asheville. According to his bio, he “tends to focus his artistic … Read more
