If there’s one thing that’s been constant about the past two years of the Hatch creativity and networking weekend in Asheville, it’s been that Hatch folks know how to throw a damn good party. (Work as hard as you play, some might say, and you won’t be a starving artist.) Such was true Thursday night in downtown Asheville, as a re-energized Hatch kicked off with a killer show, hip out-of-town mentors searching out a taste of redneck Asheville and everyone looking to throw back some booze.
A 6 p.m. reception with tons of delicious food at The Southern got Thursday Hatch rolling in style. The party moved next door to the Lexington Avenue Brewery a couple of hours later for some music.
Galen Kipar started out with his mellow vibe, which demands that you listen. Then, with a lubed-up audience and packed house, the much-anticipated cellist Ben Sollee took the stage. It’s hard to peg this guy, because just calling him a cellist seems to diminish him. His music is big, it’s bold and the cello in his hands can turn into a big ol’ drum or a crazy fiddle or a plaintive voice. He’s hot.
As great as Sollee was, I have to say that for me, Casey Driessen, who played along side him, stole the show. The amazing fiddler, who has built a stellar career playing with everyone from Bela Fleck and Tim O’Brien to Darrell Scott and Steve Earle, recently moved to Asheville with his wife Molly. Driessen and his fiddle took everyone for one helluva ride Thursday night. Asheville’s lucky to have him here.
The Hatchers spread out from there. The courtyard at Mayfel’s was packed to the hilt. Just down the street, the newly remodeled Marketplace thumped. With a sparkling bar and some bouncing hip-hop, the Hatch crowd threw off any notion that the the upscale restaurant was stodgy. The place rocked with alcohol-fuled booty-shaking and arm-wrasslin’. Who knows where else folks ended up from there.
The Hatch crew will no doubt be confabbing about the best hangover cures this Friday morning.