Downtown Asheville Blog

August 25, 2008. North Carolina native son and comedy star Jon Reep will be coming to the Asheville Community Theater this Wednesday.

Reep’s resume is impressive. He won NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” popularized the “That thing gotta Hemi?” line in Dodge Ram commercials, and recently starred in “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.” He’s had his own half-hour special on Comedy Central, and also been on TBS and ABC.

His redneck comedy has a certain kind of flair that extends beyond the realms of Jeff Foxworthy and other similar acts. He also grew up right down I-40, in Hickory, N.C., and is currently based out of Charlotte.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, an Asheville REALTOR.

August 20, 2008. Seven being an auspicious number, Downtown Asheville’s North Carolina Stage Company will celebrate its seventh anniversary with $7 tickets to one of its more popular recent productions. The encore presentation begins tonight and last through Aug. 31.

NC Stage will once again show Chesapeake, a comedy about an artist, a conservative Southern politician, and a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. When the controversial artist applies for public funding, the senator steps in and a hot debate ensues. Somehow, the dog gets involved.

The play received great reviews when it originally debuted at NC Stage, and the theatre company later took it to Charlotte for another successful run.

If you think about it, $7 is less than a movie these days. What a deal!

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, a REALTOR at Coldwell Banker Kasey & Associates.

One of the last events of Downtown Asheville’s summer event series returns this weekend. The Goombay! festival celebrates the Caribbean-African heritage with good food, music and more.

Music will include reggae, blues, r&b and gospel. Reggae acts include Peace, Dubb Axxess and Reggae Infinity, and blues acts will include local staple the Chuck Beattie Band. There’s also been a lot of buzz about Christian rapper B-Wise, who will play Sunday night. The website has a complete schedule of bands.

Saturday’s parade, from noon to 1, is without a doubt the highlight of the weekend. The Goombay! tradition originated in slave-era Caribbean islands, and the parade captures the colorful tradition of that culture. Drums, colorful costumes and dancing will pave the way through The Block, the historic African-American district on South Market Street.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, a Western North Carolina REALTOR.

August 15, 2007. This weekend, much of the action in Downtown Asheville will be on the field — the baseball fields, that is.

On Friday, a local beer store will host a beer sampling and appreciation course before the Asheville Tourists game at McCormick Field. On Saturday, Shindig on the Green continues its summer series on the outfield at Martin Luther King Park.

Bruisin Ales will hold Beer 101, an introduction to the basic styles of beer, the difference between hops and malts, and the correct pairing of glass shape with beer style. Nearly a dozen different beers will be on hand for sampling, and hors d’ouevres will be served. Tickets cost $25 and include admission to the game.

The next evening, Shindig on the Green will be held up the road. There are only three nights left in the weekly series, so grab a picnic blanket or some lawn chairs and come out for a relaxing evening. The music is always good, the sunset is always nice and the barbecue is delicious.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, a Western North Carolina real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Kasey & Associates.

August 12, 2008. There are only two more chances to catch Downtown After Five, the monthly event featuring free music and local food and beer. This Friday, Shannon Whitworth and the Jeff Sipe Band take the stage.

Shannon Whitworth plays soulful Americana/roots rock, a mix of bluegrass, country and blues. The Brevard resident doesn’t have just a sweet, sultry voice — she also plays guitar, banjo and ukelele.

Jeff Sipe once went by the name Apt. Q258 and played drums for a raucous bluegrass/cajun/rock mashup called Leftover Salmon. He also played in a jam band qaurtet with mad scientist and one-man-band Keller Williams. His latest band plays jazz.

Downtown After Five is from 5 to 9 p.m. this Friday at Lexington Avenue, near I-240 and Hiawassee Avenue. The event is free.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, an Asheville real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Kasey & Associates.

The Orange Peel has done it again. The Asheville Citizen-Times is reporting the popular venue will host David Byrne, former lead singer of The Talking Heads, on Sept. 21. Tickets go on sale Friday.

Asheville is by far the smallest market on the tour schedule. Of course, our town attracts many concert-goers from out of town. The Orange Peel has also become a major draw, earning mention in Rolling Stone magazine as one of the Top Ten music venues in the country.

Byrne will be playing songs off his new album with Brian Eno, the ambient-music pioneer who produced landmark albums such as The Talking Heads’ “Remain in Light” and U2’s “Joshua Tree.” Eno is not schedule to appear at the show, however.

Byrne will also play songs from his former band, as well as tunes from his long solo career.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, an Asheville real estate agent who definitely wants tickets.