The Orange Peel Events

Lucero "Ramblin' Roadshow & Memphis Revue"

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20th -

Lucero’s sixth studio album and major label debut, 1372 Overton Park, is due October 6 on Universal/Republic Records. Produced by Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem) and featuring horn arrangements by legendary Memphis session player Jim Spake (Al Green, John Hiatt, Solomon Burke, Cat Power), the record marks a decided turn toward the Memphis soul sound that has long informed the band’s records from afar. 1372 Overton Park follows the band’s 2006 release, Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers, hailed by Pitchfork as “the best showcase for the band’s taut dynamic yet.”

Playing between 150-200 live shows a year, Lucero has come to be known as much for their hard-touring work ethic as for their critically acclaimed records. In addition to his work with the band, lead singer Ben Nichols also released a solo record in early 2009 and co-stars in MTV’s $5 Cover, a series about the Memphis music scene.

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21st -

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo is the top KID HOP artist performing today. What is KID HOP you ask? That's where kids are introduced to hip hop without compromising either one! 23 Skidoo combines a love and understanding for child mentality with a deep respect for hip hop culture, resulting in music that bumps up both the volume and the self esteem. With funk, reggae, bluegrass and classic breaks laying out a landscape populated by witty stories about dragons, mermaids, and flying fish plus a load of positive party rhymes, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo raises the bar for this genre higher than the cookie jar on top of the fridge. With a #1 hit on XMRadio and shows at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and the Smithsonian, 23 Skidoo won't remain secret for long!

Rusted Root

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21st -

Rusted Root released Stereo Rodeo, their first studio album in 7 years, on May 5, 2009. On March 13, 2009 the album became available online. "We named our record Stereo Rodeo after a song that I started writing back when we were recording our last studio record. It’s really just a great name,” says band founder/leader Michael Glabicki. “We were all just so into the music,” says vocalist/percussionist Liz Berlin about the recording process, “the synergy and excitement on this album is so fresh and energizing.” “It is one of the most powerful albums we have ever recorded,” agrees bassist/vocalist Patrick Norman.

“[Stereo Rodeo] is filled with all the different styles you’ve come to expect from Rusted Root, definitely having all the elements you want. From the energetic dance euphoria that Dance in the Middle evokes to the powerful epic sound of Weary Bones,” writes Evan Levy (CBS Radio), of the long awaited eleven-song collection. “We are getting a lot of positive feedback from fans,” says vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter, Michael Glabicki, “We are definitely heading in a lot of different directions with this new CD.”

Edwin McCain Band plus Nathan Lee

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27th -

Blending equal parts folk, soul and rock, platinum-selling singer/songwriter Edwin McCain has signed with Vanguard Records and will release a new studio album next spring. Currently in the new OMG Studios, which he co-owns, in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina, McCain is working with producer Noel Golden (Messenger, Scream and Whisper) and band members Craig Shields (keys, sax); Larry Chaney (lead guitar); Pete Riley (guitar, vocals); Dave Harrison (drums); and Lee Hendricks (bass). Since his 1993 debut, McCain has garnered the attention of millions with the top 10 smash "I'll Be," and the Diane Warren-penned top 40 hit "I Could Not Ask For More," and as a tireless troubadour whose rapturous live performances regularly sell-out. In May 2005, McCain performed "I'll Be" on The Dr. Phil Show, which was voted the "Best Wedding Song" by over one million viewers.

Acoustic Syndicate

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28th -

Acoustic Syndicate’s sound has always been characterized by growth and evolution. Since the band officially formed in the early 1990s, they have continued to challenge themselves to grow as a band with the same earnest intensity that permeates their music. This evolution is never more strikingly apparent than on Long Way Round, their second release for roots label Sugar Hill and their first foray into injecting a studio project with the drive and passion that typifies their live shows.

The band did a lot of things different this time around…Perhaps it was the addition of Texas music legend and producer Lloyd Maines into Acoustic Syndicate’s mix that propelled the band to create what they consider their “best project ever.” Or perhaps it had something to do with saxophonist Jeremy Saunders joining the band, after having been long thought of by the other members as their unofficial fifth member. Front man Steve McMurry would venture to say that the change of the band’s sound from gentle and melodic to bold and live was a natural progression.

Dave Rawlings Machine

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29th -

Acony Records is proud to announce the November 17 release of the Dave Rawlings Machine record, A Friend Of A Friend. The album features members of Old Crow Medicine Show, Benmont Tench from the Heartbreakers, Karl Himmel, Nate Walcott of Bright Eyes, and of course, Gillian Welch. Dave Rawlings Machine is hitting the road in November and December to play shows and visit some of the finest indie record stores in the Southeast and Mideast. The Machine will include Dave and Gillian along with Ketch Secor, Willie Watson and Morgan Jahnig of Old Crow Medicine Show.

David ALLAN Coe plus SwampDaWamp - MOVED TO MARCH 20TH, 2010

THRUSDAY, DECEMBER 3rd -

If there's ever been a way to describe David Allan Coe, it has got to be his ability to defy categorization. He has been his own man since he was a child. He was basically in several of Ohio’s correctional institutions from the age of 9. By the time he emerged a fully formed adult who had taught himself guitar and left for the free world, DAC had a clear eye on what his future was to be. He decided to take the country music world by storm. And though he had to claw, hype and charm his way up the ladder, his talent pulled him through. And his ability to feed the press juicy stories and tales of his misdeeds didn’t hurt either. DAC has regaled writers with tales of his misadventures. With nearly three decades of following his musical muse wherever it's led, this outlaw has crossed the panorama of American roots music. As well as being a singer, songwriter, guitarist, David is also a magician, deep sea treasure hunter and movie star. His movies include "Stagecoach", "The Last Days of Frank and Jessie James", "Lady Grey", "Buckstone County Prison" and "Take This Job and Shove It" to mention a few.

Switchfoot

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4th -

Rarely does a rock band combine explosive guitars with an intense longing for meaning. Jon Foreman and Switchfoot, however, yearn for something more than what pop-culture is selling. "If I'm content as an artist to write a hit song or have a platinum record, then I'll have failed a lot of my fellow human beings," says Foreman. "We have the best jobs in the world because we play music for a living and love doing it, but we didn't get into this to try and sell something. For us, it's about communicating and connecting with people on a different level."

Pelican plus Black Cobra & Disappearer

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5th -

It becomes fitting, upon listening to Pelican's music, that the band hails from Chicago. When Tortoise and their contemporaries ushered in a new wave of instrumental music over a decade ago from the Windy City, it was a pastiche of genre-defying sound, simultaneously cohesive and expansive in influence. Similarly, Pelican's songs touch on so much from the canon of rock music. Yet they have refined their own sound over the course of their career. In 2009, Pelican has shifted gears once again. This year sees them on a new label, Southern Lord, and headed musically to regions as yet unexplored. As always, experimentation and discovery never see them straying too far from their roots.

1st Annual Fundraiser for Youth At Jazz, featuring the asheville music school's ROCK ACADEMY and YOUTH AT JAZZ

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6th - On December 6th the audience at The Orange Peel will enjoy two local youth groups as they perform two genres of music: Rock and Jazz. The asheville music school�s Rock Academy, founded by Anne Coombs, will open the show with a selection of Rock hits. The Youth at Jazz band, founded by Davidson Jones, directed by Gary Bradley, will follow with a selection of classic jazz standards. During the show the audience will be invited to participate in a raffle. Refreshments and snacks will be available. The two organizations are aligned with a vision of creating an opportunity for youth to prepare themselves for successful adult living, with music as a vehicle. Youth at Jazz, was founded on June 6th 2006 as a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. The asheville music school�s Rock Academy grew out of two successful summer Rock camps conducted by Anne Coombs. Funds generated will support the above stated mission, primarily in the form of music scholarships for deserving youths in the Asheville Metropolitan Area.

Hometown Holiday Jam IX To benefit Eliada Homes for Children & Manna Food Bank with The Mike Barnes Group, Marc Keller Band, Mother Soul, A Social Function, Sons of Ralph, Lewis, & The Native Sway plus Peggy Ratusz, Aaron LaFalce, Marsha Morgan, Jack and Jim Mascari

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10th -

Visit www.hometownholidayjam.org for more information. A Fender Stratocaster donated by Musicians Workshop and signed by Warren Haynes will be raffled off at the end of the night. It will be on dispay at Musicians Workshop in advance of the show. Tickets available at the Orange Peel box office or Musicians Workshop.

Night of the Blues with Blonde Blues & Riyen Roots

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12th

Make-A-Wish Holiday Jam III with Sharkadelics, Stripp Band, Charlie's On Acid, Crocodile Smile, Blackjack & Scoot Pittman

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15th - The Make-A-Wish Foundation of WNC and The Orange Peel proudly present the Make-A-Wish Holiday Jam III. 100% of the proceeds go directly to Make-A-Wish and benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Western North Carolina. All of the entertainers donate their time to support this outstanding charity. Making it an exceptional value! This event is a rare opportunity to see many of the area's top bands in one place, as well as recording artists from the Asheville area performing their top-notch stage show or performing with the other exceptional hometown talent. All in the intimate confines of Asheville's premier (smoke-free) Orange Peel. This show grows every year and is expected to set new attendance records once again in 2009. The lineup this year includes Sharkadelics, Stripp Band, Charlie's On Acid, Crocodile Smile, Blackjack and Scoot Pittman. Many souvenirs, gift baskets and memorabilia are available for small donations plus numerous chances to win collector's items and prizes. All proceeds are also donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation! Limited tickets are available for a $10 donation. Individual tax deductible donations can also be made directly to Make-A-Wish through NCwish.org. You won't want to miss this once a year event!

Strange Design - Recreating Phish Shows in their Entirety

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17th - A new study released this week has revealed that plenty of Phish is a necessary part of a well-balanced musical diet. This should come as little surprise, as the Vermont-based foursome is protein-packed and easily-digestible, providing listeners with their much-needed aural nutrients. Although the species disappeared for a few years--leaving many wondering how they would satisfy their aural nutritional needs--they recently resurfaced in a strange vessel some refer to as �The Mothership.� Despite the temporary absence, one thing remains unchanged---Phish is highly-addictive. With the demand vastly outnumbering the supply, many fans are simply not meeting their Phish needs. For those in desperate need of a hearty supplement, Strange Design offers fans an opportunity to hear their favorite shows performed live in their entirety. Much like the way in which Dark Star Orchestra performs sets from the expansive Grateful Dead catalogue, Strange Design performs entire shows from the first twenty years of Phish's career. This approach has helped set them apart from other Phish tribute acts and garnered them critical praise: "This is not a band that plays its fourteen favorite Phish covers -- they study and re-enact full concerts from an era when the band was the most dynamic force in live improvisational music...This is a band that makes it alright to admit you were a Phish die-hard, and will probably leave you recounting your favorite tour stories to complete strangers after the encore..." (Nick Levy, The Brooklyn Revue). Strange Design strives to reconnect the dispersed Phish community by taking show requests from fans, including all the extra-musical components that made Phish unique (trampolines, vacuum solos, choreographed dances, etc), traveling with a full light show, and recreating the energy, sound, and improvisational spirit of the different eras in Phish's career. In short, they want fans to relive the complete Phish concert experience in the intimacy of smaller clubs and music halls close to their doorstep.

Toubab Krewe - TWO NIGHTS! plus State Radio

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30th & THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31st - Blending American and West African influences into a sound all its own, Toubab Krewe has set 'a new standard for fusions of rock 'n' roll and West African music' (Afropop Worlwide). Since forming in 2005, the magnetic instrumental quintet has won a diverse and devoted following at performances everywhere from Bonnaroo to the legendary Festival of the Desert in Essakane, Mali, known as the most remote festival in the world. They developed their unique sound over the course of numerous extended trips to Mali, Guinea, and Ivory Coast, where they immersed themselves in the local culture and studied and performed with luminaries. But the group has its roots in Asheville, NC, where many of its members were childhood friends and long-term musical collaborators. And it was there, at home in the Appalachians, where the band chose to record Their sophomore album is Live at the Orange Peel. The new album captures their outstanding 2008 New Year's run at the Orange Peel in their hometown. All of the songs are previously unreleased and continue to mix American rock 'n' roll with the West African musical traditions the band fell in love with on their travels. Along the way, they explore the worlds of surf and zydeco, fusing it all together into what the Village Voice describes as 'a futuristic, psychedelic, neo-griot frenzy' and Honest Tune hails as 'one of the most innovative voices in music today.' The new release features collaborations with legendary spoken word artist Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets and fiddler Rayna Gellert of Uncle Earl. It was produced by Grammy winning producer Steven Heller, who also produced the band's debut. The band is preparing to release the album as it continues an extensive North American Fall Tour.

Rjd2

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20th -

It’s 2007, and as usual, popular music finds itself stagnant. A cadre of important records slated to change the game forever join queue alongside a frequently replenished fresh faced roster of newcomers poised to champion new sounds and take their spoils. Purists in each camp decry the newcomers, citing the respective death of each genre and yearning for the days of yore, when records were judged by their innate qualities alone and not the amount of blog buzz garnered on the hot new band of the day. What’s to be done about the current state of things? Don’t ask RJ. He’s been in the basement. Before delving into “The Third Hand,” its important to note the many accolades attached to RJ. Catapulted to notoriety, fame, and uber-serious hip-hop credibility with 2002’s Dead Ringer LP, 30-year-old Philadelphia resident and multi-instrumentalist RJD2 has enjoyed a thoroughly prolific career, following that debut album with 2004’s critically acclaimed Since We Last Spoke. In the last year alone, RJ produced records for his group Soul Position and Aceyalone, wrote scores for video games and DVDs, in addition to various remixes for artists such as Astrud Gilberto.

Yonder Mountain String Band - 2 NIGHT!

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd & THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4th -

Yonder Mountain String Band has always played music by its own set of rules. Bending bluegrass, rock and countless other influences that the band cites, Yonder has pioneered a sound of their own. With their traditional lineup of instruments, the band may look like a traditional bluegrass band at first glance but they’ve created their own music that transcends any genre. Dave Johnston points out “What could be more pure than making your own music.” Yonder’s sound cannot be classified purely as “bluegrass” or “string music” but rather it’s an original sound created from “looking at music from [their] own experiences and doing the best job possible.” The band continues to play by their own rules on their new record The Show.

Brandi Carlile

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6th - Blending American and West African influences into a sound all its own, Toubab Krewe has set 'a new standard for fusions of rock 'n' roll and West African music' (Afropop Worlwide). Since forming in 2005, the magnetic instrumental quintet has won a diverse and devoted following at performances everywhere from Bonnaroo to the legendary Festival of the Desert in Essakane, Mali, known as the most remote festival in the world. They developed their unique sound over the course of numerous extended trips to Mali, Guinea, and Ivory Coast, where they immersed themselves in the local culture and studied and performed with luminaries. But the group has its roots in Asheville, NC, where many of its members were childhood friends and long-term musical collaborators. And it was there, at home in the Appalachians, where the band chose to record Their sophomore album is Live at the Orange Peel. The new album captures their outstanding 2008 New Year's run at the Orange Peel in their hometown. All of the songs are previously unreleased and continue to mix American rock 'n' roll with the West African musical traditions the band fell in love with on their travels. Along the way, they explore the worlds of surf and zydeco, fusing it all together into what the Village Voice describes as 'a futuristic, psychedelic, neo-griot frenzy' and Honest Tune hails as 'one of the most innovative voices in music today.' The new release features collaborations with legendary spoken word artist Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets and fiddler Rayna Gellert of Uncle Earl. It was produced by Grammy winning producer Steven Heller, who also produced the band's debut. The band is preparing to release the album as it continues an extensive North American Fall Tour.

Dark Star Orchestra

THRUSDAY, FEBRUARY 18th -

Using entire shows from the Grateful Dead's 30 years of extensive touring as a launching pad, Dark Star Orchestra recreates the original song for song performance set list for an entirely new generation of, as well as old school, Deadheads. Dark Star Orchestra presents its critically acclaimed live show at esteemed venues from coast to coast and internationally. Dark Star Orchestra performs Grateful Dead classics in the same way that an orchestra interprets music of classical composers. The composer spirit is derived and channeled as the players capture the excitement and innovation of the original performances and compositions. Touring nationwide for nine years to the tune of nearly 1500 shows since forming, the band's determined commitment to "raising the Dead" has drawn national media attention.

North Mississippi Allstars

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20th - The North Mississippi Allstars were founded in 1996; a product of a special time for modern Mississippi country blues. RL Burnside, Jr. Kimbrough, Otha Turner and their musical families were at their peak; touring the world, making classic records and doing the all-night boogie at Jr's Juke Joint and Otha's BBQ Goat picnics -- the music and the culture rich as the black Mississippi dirt. Brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson soaked up the music of their father, Jim Dickinson, and absorbed the North Mississippi Blues legacy while playing and shaking it down at the juke joints with their blues ancestors. Luther (guitar and vocals) and Cody (drums and vocals) joined up with bassist Chris Chew to form the core of their own band, The North Mississippi Allstars. Through the filter of generations of Mississippi Blues men, the Allstars pioneered their own blues-infused rock and roll and continue to do so.