ARTS + MUSIC

Amanda Giacomini and the 10,000 Buddhas Project. Credit: Cody App
We talk with yoga teacher and artist Amanda Giacomini, who will be painting a wall for her 10,000 Buddhas Project at Strada in Asheville this week before the Asheville Yoga Festival.

Summer Soul Party
Three local bands will play their take on soul music at this celebration of the sultry summertime, happening July 29th at Pisgah Brewing. We've got a pair of tickets to this event. Enter on Facebook.

War for the Planet of the Apes
A compelling story, along with top notch visual effects, are at the heart of this thrilling trilogy conclusion.

Natural Born Leaders. Credit: Grace Barron-Martinez
The band that bathes together...and more from local hip-hop/rock/gumbo funk/prog hop group Natural Born Leaders, including their new video for "Time Flies By," an Asheville Grit premiere!

An Incomplete Guide to Public Vulnerability
Routinely crucifying my privacy on the cross of feminist literature is my way of showing I care.

We checked out the local modular synthesizer company Make Noise, who will be presenting their new instrument and performing this Friday at the BMCM+AC.

Lindsey Kelley Dance
“For Rumbough“ is a full-length dance performance on July 21st and 22nd at 8:00pm and July 23rd at 3:00pm at The Academy at Terpsicorps.

L to R: Billy Brouse, Rob McConnell, Mike Healy, Anthony Thogmartin, Sam Brouse. Photo: Erin Fowler
We sat down with Papadosio at their Pisgah Brewing Summer Seequence show and talked about life, the universe, and everything.

Spoiler Alert flyer
Spoiler Alert! is a live comedy event featuring a movie and three local comedians providing colorful commentary for extra amusement. This Thursday's pick is the gloriously awful Manos: The Hands of Fate.

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Ali McGhee has a conversation with Asheville hip-hop artist SIYAH on the That's So Asheville podcast.

Better than Unicorns on the GritVegas Weekend Update!
Check out the behind-the-scenes (and within-the-scenes) action at Better Than Unicorns, Asheville's local VR company, this week. Plus, our highlights for the music, entertainment, food, and fun happening this weekend.

Photo: Tristan Wheelock
This Thursday, head over to the Fine Arts Theatre to see the best short films of this year's 48 Hour Film Project.

Baby Driver
A much better than anticipated way to spend a few hours at the movies.

Jack Venson. Source: Jackie Venson
Soulful guitarist Jackie Venson opens for Gary Clark Jr. on Wednesday, July 19th at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Our interview with Venson here.

Papadosio
Papadosio comes to Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain this Saturday, 7/15.

FBO on the GritVegas Weekend Update
We had Tuesday off, and now it's almost the weekend again! Here's how we recommend you spend it.

Dance Class at Studio Zahiya
Rethink happy hour with this led class and dance party from Studio Zahiya, happening Saturday, July 8 at the Orange Peel.

Transformers: The Last Knight
I've tried to think of a movie worse than this one (I haven't come up with anything yet, but I'll keep you posted).

Beats Antique
Beats Antique invites you to dance into the night this Friday at New Mountain Amphitheater. French producer CloZee holds down the afterparty.

Kathleen Hahn in the 4th emersion: Fall from Grace. Photo: J. Christian Smilanic, Dawnfire Photography
And so we find ourselves immersed in art. Sassafras Jones on a first two weeks in Asheville.

Firefly Gathering on the Asheville GritVegas Weekend Update!
We interviewed some of the folks behind this year's Firefly Gathering, our featured event of the GritVegas Weekend Update! Plus, your 4th of July roundup.

Mountain Drive By
Snapshots from a mountain town.

Cindy Wilson
Wilson will bring her new subtle and psychedelia sound to Asheville for one night, this Tuesday, June 27, at The Mothlight.

Source: Asheville Fringe Arts Festival website
On June 28th, the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival celebrates community supports and fans of the Fringe at the Crow & Quill, and opens submissions for the 2018 Fringe Festival.

I, Daniel Blake
Pointless bureaucracy and amazing performances take center stage in this moving film about people who are just trying to get by.

Source: Asheville Percussion Festival
From June 26 to July 2, dance to the beat of your own (and some internally renowned others') drum at the Asheville Percussion Festival.

GritVegas weekend update
This weekend, we head to a 100-year-old house in Montford to check out an immersive theatrical performance.

A Good Trip
This weekend, comedian Shane Mauss returns to Asheville with a Saturday night show and Sunday live podcast taping on the final stop of his 100 city psychedelic comedy tour, "A Good Trip."

The Bad Batch
A film with a lot of possibilities that are unfortunately never quite realized.

Buttercup
Sometimes, we played the buttercup game. You hold up buttercups beneath each other’s chins and check the reflection’s color. If the buttercup reflects pale yellow, it means that you are in love. My chin was always yellow.

Vision Quest album cover
Samuel Paradise celebrates the release of his new album, Vision Quest, this Saturday at the Altamont Theatre in downtown Asheville, with support from Futexture and EmE. Read our album review here.

Constellations at 35Below
Constellations ends this Sunday, 6/18. Get it before it's gone.

It Comes At Night
An intense and truly scary examination of what we all may be capable of

GritVegas logo
All Go West is this Saturday and Sunday in West Asheville. Here's who we're most excited to see. Plus, your rundown of what else is happening this weekend.

CTZNWELL founder Kerri Kelly at a living wage rally. Source: ctznwell.org
This year, the Asheville Yoga Festival would like to introduce you to a few new faces.

Swimming Hole
It's almost summertime, and that means it's time to visit a swimming hole.

Lukr
In anticipation for Lukr's Asheville debut at Timo's House on Thursday June 15, he was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.

Jason and the Update
Your weekend is here! How will you spend it? Asheville Grit will be at Xpand Fest; come say hi!

Zombie Cabaret Flyer
Asheville’s Poetry Cabaret Collective has been accepted into the prestigious Capital Fringe Festival and is raising funds to perform for one week of the festival in July.

Photo by Eric France; models: Sarah Hoover, Victoria Rae, Betsabe Fregoso Lee; hair by Twisted Sisters Event Styling Makeup by Terran Ward ; Clothing design by Amanda Rose of Amanda Rose Studios
Revisit—or discover—FASHMBOB IX: Cover Story with this video, produced by Anthony Harden of Alt Media Pros.

The weekend is full of fun, including Just Brew It, the homebrewing festival held at the Wedge. Check it all out!

All Go West 2016. Photo: Arieh Samson
All Go West is bigger and better this year, with a schedule that highlights musical talent from around the region over two days.

Pattern. Mark Flowers
The third in Mark Flowers' series for Signs of Life at Pink Dog Creative.

Swallowing the Bitter Pill
The final entry in "Pieces of the Whole," the series from artist Mark Flowers, whose show opens at Pink Dog Creative on June 2.

Xpand Fest, happening on Saturday, June 10th on the South Slope, has a unique community focus.

Mark Flowers' Signs of Life opens at Pink Dog Creative on June 2. Here's the second in a series about art-making and memory.

Bryan Divisions
Asheville hip-hop artist Bryan Divisions encourages you to love yourself and embrace your shadow side.

Moogfest 2017 GIF
Bleep bloop.

Hallie Jay Pope
A new exhibition at the Asheville Art Museum explores how visual art can be a powerful platform to promote dialogue. On view May 20 - July 16, 2017

The Realistic Joneses
Meet the Joneses when Will Eno’s odd sitcom, The Realistic Joneses, comes to 35below