Town Mountain
Raw, soulful, and with plenty of swagger, Town Mountain has earned raves for their hard-driving sound, their in-house songwriting and the honky-tonk edge that permeates their exhilarating live performances, whether in a packed club or at a sold-out festival. The hearty base of Town Mountain’s music is the first and second generation of bluegrass spiced with country, old school rock ‘n’ roll, and boogie-woogie. It’s what else goes into the mix that brings it all to life both on stage and on record and reflects the group’s wide-ranging influences – from the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia and the ethereal lyrics of Robert Hunter, to the honest, vintage country of Willie, Waylon, and Merle. The Rolling Stone says “Call it an evolution or a revolution but its clear that Town Mountain is at the forefront.” Town Mountain features guitarist and vocalist Robert Greer, mandolinist Phil Barker, fiddler Bobby Britt, and Zach Smith on bass. Town Mountain’s album New Freedom Blues (October 2018) is their second consecutive album to debut in the top 10 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart, and receive multiple mentions by Rolling Stone, No Depression, Music Mecca, and more. Full of new material and featuring several guest artists including Tyler Childers and Miles Miller (Sturgill Simpson, drummer), they prove they have staying power by regularly cranking out authentic hit albums. The impression the band has made on fans is clear through their engagement at top tier festival appearances, and those sweet Spotify streams (30+ million). And if you still can’t get enough of this hard working group, you can look forward to new music in 2022. Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
Big Richard
The world-class musicians in Big Richard initially convened in 2021 for a festival date. The quartet showed up to the one-off like it had been together for years, bursting with jaw-dropping virtuosity; playfully irreverent stage banter; stunning four-part harmony vocal interlace; imaginative arrangements; a refreshingly eclectic repertoire; and a healthy dose of lady rage. Quickly things for the Colorado-based, neo-acoustic supergroup morphed into something way bigger than a one-and-done appearance. The sellout club shows, and the confirmed festival dates across America drastically changed its members’ lives. Now, Big Richard is poised to penetrate the Americana music world and beyond. To date, the quartet has issued 3 singles, the Live from Telluride album, and it has new music on the way. Big Richard siphons from traditional bluegrass, oldtime, classical, modern bluegrass, country, and pop. The four-piece band masterfully mash up genres, often using traditional fiddle tune pieces as instrumental flights of fancy between its storyteller original songs. The group also refreshingly reinvents beloved traditional tunes. The four musicians have previously played together in various configurations, but united to rage fiddle tunes and smash the patriarchy in Big Richard. The band is platinum recording artist Bonnie Sims on mandolin (Bonnie & Taylor Sims, Everybody Loves an Outlaw, Bonnie and the Clydes), multi-genre musician Dr. Joy Adams on cello (Nathaniel Rateliff, Darol Anger, Half Pelican, Bruce Hornsby, Bobby McFerrin, Chick Corea, Ben Folds), Hazel Royer on bass and guitar, and Eve Panning on fiddle (Lonesome Days, TEDx, Barrage, Hollywood Film Score Orchestra). Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok
APP AID Fundraiser for Community Foundation of Western NC
APP AID Fundraiser for Community Foundation of Western NC Gone Ghosts Charles Latham & the Borrowed Band Entrez Vous Kym Register (duo) Sugaree String Society
APP AID Fundraiser for Community Foundation of Western NC
APP AID Fundraiser for Community Foundation of Western NC Sluice Slow Teeth T Gold Dunums MEGABITCH
Last Dinosaurs
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | TikTok
Wallice
Wallice is an indie pop wunderkind who has swiftly become one of Gen Z’s most exciting new voices, known for her tongue-in-cheek, self-effacing anthems. After picking up her first instrument at age 6, Wallice started writing songs in middle school and later played in her high school band, inspired by the lyricism of Thom Yorke, Lana Del Rey and the punky irreverence of Weezer and No Doubt. She also modelled and acted (once appearing in an episode of Frasier) throughout adolescence, with her former actress mother supporting all creative pursuits. A proud college dropout, she attended the New School in New York City for Jazz Vocal performance for a year before moving back to California and connecting with childhood friend marinelli, who helped her hone the wistful indie pop style that led to her rise. A breakout 2021 culminated in the release of her debut EP Off the Rails, her signing to Dirty Hit, her first sold-out headline shows and support tours. Her second EP 90s American Superstar pushed Wallice even further, chronicling the rise and fall of a fictional version of herself. She wrapped up 2022 on a very high note with a gorgeous autobiographical song and video titled “Japan” and a sold out US headline run. Now about to tour Asia and Australia as direct support for the 1975, Wallice is rolling out her third EP while on the road. She’ll then roll into a headline US tour this summer before heading to the UK for Reading and Leeds. She has found champions in the likes of Vogue, New York Times, The FADER, BBC Radio 1, Pigeons & Planes, Steve Lamacq, Zane Lowe and NME, where she was named as part of the ‘NME 100’ for 2022. Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | TikTok | Spotify
Kyle Hume & The Astronomers
Growing up banging on drums at an early age while somewhat reluctantly taking piano lessons, Kyle fell in love with music. Take a car ride with Kyle or check out his extensive playlists and you’ll get a peek into his creative mind, but also be left a little confused as to what music he really likes…that’s because he doesn’t like music, he loves it…everything about it! Proudly hailing from his hometown in Louisville, KY now Nashville-based Hume enjoys balancing work with play. As a writer, vocalist and producer, Kyle’s committed to discovering his own sound…every day, in every session, with every song. Kyle regards his breakthrough song “If I Would Have Known” as something truly special. A song he was inspired to write by a fan that continues to bring healing to millions around the world who’ve lost someone special. Described as “empathetic and honest.” Kyle has a gift for writing songs that give voice to those who can’t find the words themselves, especially when faced with personal struggle. One fan said it best, “You speak for us all!” Kyle invites his fans to not just listen to his music but also experience it in person at one of his shows coming soon! Website | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube The Astronomers are the band you can’t help but root for. Led by frontman Michael Stensland and producer Ben Baker, the duo boasts a dynamic and energy-filled performance that blends pop, rock, and electronic elements, resulting in a sound that’s uniquely their own. Formed in 2019 and proudly independent the duo write, produce, mix, and master tracks from their home studio in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Their music gained momentum in 2020 with the release of single “Overthinking,” which received support from top 40 radio station; 101.1 WIXX, hitting #1 on Christmas Eve of 2020. Subsequent singles “Bad Type” and “Hotel Rooms” also received full rotation status, with “Hotel Rooms” charting at #88 on US top 40 radio and hitting #1 on 101.1 WIXX. In 2023, The Astronomers embarked on three headline tours across the United States in support of their debut album, “The Occasion,” culminating in performances alongside national acts American Authors, LIT, Neon Trees, and more. Chapter 4 unfolds for The Astronomers with their highly anticipated 16-track sophomore album, “Not Forever Anymore,” set to release on May 17th. In an innovative approach, the band is releasing a new song every other week leading up to the album launch, expressing their dedication to giving each song the spotlight it deserves. With their undeniable talent, captivating live performances, and authentic sound, it’s only a matter of time before The Astronomers become household names. Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | TikTok
Victoria Victoria
Breakout artist Victoria Victoria is praised for her proficient songwriting and celebratory live performances, inviting audiences into a communal experience. In 2023, Victoria Victoria was named a “rising act” by RollingStone after performing on NPR’s Mountain Stage. Joined by her siblings and an air tight rhythm section, the group is brimming with lush harmonies and bewitching chemistry, leaving the audience charmed and wanting more. Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube
With Love, Little Chair, Sugar Snap Peas
Western North Carolina Benefit Concert. All proceeds will go to help those affected by Hurricane Helene via Asheville Relief. Unfortunately, Omni will no longer be playing. With Love is the project of Carrboro-based songwriter Reilly Milburn, brought to the stage with multi-instrumentalists Emmaus Holder, Max Levinson, John DiSabito, Bradley Robasky, and Steve. Formed in late 2022, With Love melds elements of indie, rock, and emotional hardcore with plans to release its first full length LP in early 2025. Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify
Schooner “You Forget About Your Heart” 20th Anniversary Vinyl Release Show
$5 from each ticket will be directed to WNC hurricane relief. Soon after the start of this millennium, the long-fabled music scene in the middle of North Carolina seemed on the cusp of a new renaissance. Avaricious talk of Chapel Hill as the next Seattle had subsided to the slow simmer of people making music because it’s what they loved; Raleigh’s wild alt-country moment had likewise downshifted, some groups breaking up and others settling into the rhythms of lifers. But a crop of young bands bolstered by upstart labels and an enthusiastic audience in several interconnected little cities—Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and their many hinterlands—increasingly felt like they had something significant to say. The ever-wooing Rosebuds led the charge nationally, but Des Ark, DeYarmond Edison, Ticonderoga, and The Kingsbury Manx were just four in a flood of groups that made that moment feel so rich. Of them all, Schooner might have been the most beguiling, with a 2004 debut, You Forget About Your Heart, that remains a gem of sad-eyed Southern songwriting wonder, even if most people have yet to hear it. As is inevitable in small and energetic scenes where everyone abuts everyone else’s business, Schooner sprang from a few different disconnected projects. Songwriter Reid Johnson and guitarist Tripp Cox played plangent rock that echoed Britpop in a band called The A.M. Johnson, meanwhile, was making lo-fi recordings in his apartment near N.C. State, late-night testaments of a recent grad enduring a breakup and wondering just where his life was going. When The A.M. couldn’t make a show in early 2003, Johnson, Cox, and a few friends stepped forward with full-band versions of these softer songs. They were so excited that a keyboard was smashed, which accidentally busted Johnson’s prized acoustic guitar, too. Anyway, less a year later, not only had Schooner’s lineup solidified—Johnson up front, sister Kathryn on keys and exquisite harmonies, Cox on bass and occasional guitar, and scene veteran Billy Alphin adding soul on the drums—but they’d also made a record, You Forget About Your Heart. This will be the first time You Forget About Your Heart will be on vinyl. It is an expanded reissue with three previously unreleased demos, a 20-track companion download with nine additional demos and home recordings, and extensive liner notes documenting the time period by Grayson Harver Currin. Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Threads
