Stuart Duncan and Noam Pikelny in concert by James Cassara At the age of 33 Noam Pikelny has already amassed the sort of credentials typical of someone twice his age. The term prodigy is often cavalierly tossed around to the point that it begins to lose all meaning but PikelnyContinue Reading
Interviewed by James Cassara This month I am delighted to showcase Matt Schnable and Mark Capon, the two gents who own Harvest Records store in West Asheville. Since 2004 Harvest Records has set a standard for independently owned record stores and has been nationally recognized by Rolling Stone Magazine asContinue Reading
While perhaps best known for their 1995 grunge breakthrough “Possum Kingdom” the Toadies have a long and sturdy history, one which roughly correlates with the musical trends of the past quarter century. by James Cassara The band emerged out of Fort Worth, Texas, in 1989; the earliest incarnations were notedContinue Reading
The Mississippi based band Rosco Bandana proudly describes itself as “the product of teenage rebellion and its consequences; of lost love, false starts and most of all lasting friendships.” by James Cassara It’s a time honored and familiar story; a group of kids, their lives consumed by music, take aContinue Reading
The Dead Fingers play Asheville during their national headlining tour celebrating the release of Big Black Dog on sister labels Pipeandgun and Communicating Vessels. Since 2012’s eponymous debut on Big Legal Mess Records, Dead Fingers have had some time to take a step back and take stock of all ofContinue Reading
Beppe Gambetta likes to think of a smile as “the key for reading the musical universe.” by James Cassara It’s a natural trait of his people-the Italian born musician still resides in Genova – and part of the disarming charm and irrepressible temperament he brings to his performances. Reading hisContinue Reading
Behind the Scenes by James Cassara This month I’m continuing my series of semi-regular articles focusing on those dedicated individuals who might not make music, but are no less critical in furthering the entertainment scene in our area. These often unsung figures contribute greatly to the local landscape, and typicallyContinue Reading
While many, me included, first became aware of Paper Bird via their stunning 2012 release Rooms and the subsequent You Tube clips that trickled out in support of it, the band’s roots actually go back to Colorado in late 2006 when Sarah Anderson and sisters Esme and Genevieve Patterson beganContinue Reading
by James Cassara One of the greatest pleasures of writing about music is discovering bands I might not have encountered. Such is the case with Hank West and the Smoking Hots, an energetic and immensely listenable five piece band that seem like men out of time: Which is part ofContinue Reading
