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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Here’s some of what’s going around on the Asheville music scene, including…

-Several Asheville venues glowed with red light on Tuesday night as part of a national campaign called the Red Alert Restart, which was designed to call attention to the fact that the live events industry, especially music clubs and theaters, have been economically crushed by the pandemic. We Make Events North America, a coalition of trade bodies, businesses, unions and live events workers, organized the event. Some 1,500 buildings in more than 50 cities across the U.S. participated. In Asheville, Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, Echo Mountain Recording Studios, The Orange Peel and Wortham Center all participated. The goal is to move the federal government to pass the Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards A Recovery in Twenty-twenty (RESTART) Act to offer economic relief to the live events industry. The effort also supports the extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Act to provide relief to those without work due to Covid-19.

-WNCW will once host another Outback Opry drive-in concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, featuring Chatham County Line, with opening acts Dom Flemons, a co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jim Lauderdale and award winning singer-songwriter Anna Lynch. The event is a partnership with the Earl Scruggs Music Festival to showcase a sampling of the talent slated to perform at the festival, set for Labor Day weekend of 2021. The event is a full concert production with stage, professional sound and lighting. The show will be held in the parking lot behind The Foundation Performing Arts Center on the campus of Isothermal Community College in Spindale, N.C. Vehicles will be spaced appropriately for social distancing. Buy tickets here.

-The Grey Eagle has announced that it will stage its first ever drive-in style concerts for September and October, both of which will be hosted at the Maggie Valley Fairgrounds. The Sam Bush Band will perform at the venue on Sept. 20, while the Del McCoury Band will perform on Oct. 3. The shows will be the first in a series of socially-distanced off-site events presented by The Grey Eagle, according to the venue. An high-definition screen will be included side-stage to improve the viewing experience, and audio from the show will be broadcast live via an FM transmitter. Vehicles with no more than four wheels and clearance of under 8 feet will be allowed on site. Go to thegreyeagle.com for tickets and more info.

The Maggie Valley Band has released a new EP, Something New Vol. 1, featuring a great new tune called “Good Times.” The band, comprised of sisters Whitney Miller and Caroline Miller, describe their music as a “a raw approach to Appalachian music, intertwined with a heavy ’60s influence.” The Maggie Valley Band released its first studio album, The Hardest Thing, in 2018. Last year, the musicians focused on releasing a series of singles. Check out Something New Vol. 1 and keep your eyes peeled on these talented musicians.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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