Taylor Hunnicutt w/ Carri Smithey Band

Taylor Hunnicutt makes old-school southern music for the modern world. She’s a proud daughter of Alabama, writing songs that nod to the state’s tradition of country storytelling, rock ‘n’ roll rebellion, and guitar-driven grit. Sharpened by a touring schedule that’s kept her on the road for roughly 200 days a year, she makes her full-length debut with Alabama Sound — an album that unfolds like a love letter to the American South, written by a road warrior who’s spent most of the decade far away from home. “It’s a little country, a little singer/songwriter, a little Americana, and a lot of soulful southern rock,” says Hunnicutt, an opera-trained vocalist who began writing songs after dropping out of music school, landing a waitressing job at a blues juke joint, and sitting in with the bands that came through town. She’s no longer the guest artist, though — she’s the main act, and Alabama Sound showcases her high-energy, hellraising brand of southern stomp, country-rock twang, and amplified attitude.

Conner Kelly And The Time Warp w/ Jacoozy

BJ Barham (American Aquarium Solo)

For nearly two decades, American Aquarium have pushed toward that rare form of rock-and-roll that’s revelatory in every sense. “For us the sweet spot is when you’ve got a rock band that makes you scream along to every word, and it’s not until you’re coming down at three a.m. that you realize those words are saying something real about your life,” says frontman BJ Barham. “That’s what made us fall in love with music in the first place, and that’s the goal in everything we do.”On their new album The Fear of Standing Still, the North Carolina-bred bandem body that dynamic with more intensity than ever before, endlessly matching their gritty breed of country-rock with Barham’s bravest and most incisive songwriting to date. As he reflects on matters both personal and sociocultural—e.g., the complexity of Southern identity, the intersection of generational trauma and the dismantling of reproductive rights—American Aquarium instill every moment of The Fear of Standing Still with equal parts unbridled spirit and illuminating empathy. Recorded live at the legendary Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, The Fear of Standing Still marks American Aquarium’s second outing with producer Shooter Jennings—a three-time Grammy winner who also helmed production on 2020’s critically lauded Lamentations, as well as albums from the likes of Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker. In a departure from the stripped-down subtlety of 2022’sChicamacomico(a largely acoustic rumination on grief), the band’s tenth studio LP piles on plenty of explosive riffs and hard-charging rhythms, bringing a visceral energy to the most nuanced and poetic of lyrics. “In our live show the band’s like a freight train that never lets up, and for this record I really wanted to showcase how big and anthemic we can be,” notes Barham, whose bandmates include guitarist Shane Boeker, pedal-steel guitarist Neil Jones, keyboardist Rhett Huffman, drummer Ryan Van Fleet, and bassist Alden Hedges. Mixed by four-time Grammy winner Trina Shoemaker (Queens of the Stone Age,Emmylou Harris),The Fear of Standing Still shares its title with one of the first songs Barham wrote for the album—a soul-baring look at how raising a family has radically altered his priorities and perspective. In the process of creating what he refers to as “a record about growing up and growing older,” Barham also found his songwriting closely informed by his ten years of sobriety, as well as his ever-deepening connection with American Aquarium’s community of fans. “Whenever someone tells me that one of our songs helped them in some way, it encourages me to be more and more open—almost like peeling a layer off an onion,” he says.“This album is a writer 18 years into his career, peeling away the next layer and seeing just how human we can make this thing.”

Fo Daniels + Virginia Man

Evan Blackerby (full band/album release show) W/ Tyler Dodson

mssv (mike baggetta + stephen hodges + mike watt) W/ Thousand Dollar Movie and Spirit Of Hamlet

mssv, composed of guitarist Mike Baggetta, Stephen Hodges on drums and mike watt on bass, creates music that is a heretofore unimagined hybrid of a punk power-trio and a dreamy experimental rock band, though they prefer the term “post-genre.” Their last full-length album, Human Reaction, finds the oddly memorable hooks of their noir-tinged adventure music with a lot more vocals from Main Steam Stop Valve leader Baggetta, adding more personality than ever before, alongside his bandmates, Hodges and watt, who also share in the vocal duties throughout the album. With inventively churning drum textures from Hodges (an instantly identifiable sound honed in his days with Tom Waits and David Lynch) and the full-steam-ahead all-in attitude from watt, (as he’s displayed throughout his storied career with MINUTEMEN, fIREHOSE, and The Stooges), there is the impression of “pressure, combustion, power, and hissing clouds of sonic poetry,” as Premier Guitar said. Also evident is the more fearless exploring that comes from a band that has spent a lot of time together crafting their vision, as well as making room for guests like J Mascis, Petra Haden and Nels Cline on some of their previous releases. Even though Baggetta, who has also worked with David Torn, Jim Keltner, Psychic Temple, Jeff Coffin, Henry Kaiser, Rev. Fred Lane, and Viktor Krauss among many others, wrote all the songs specifically for these bandmates to play, there’s no telling which way the band will turn at any given moment, a proposition that becomes a promise when they break down and reassemble these songs live, with an instinct for restraint and an openness to anarchy. mssv’s 3rd full-length studio album comes out Spring 2025 on BIG EGO Records.

SUSTO (Solo) w/ Special Guest: Clint Roberts (Holler Choir) and Fancy Gap (trio)

A season of drastic change is what brought SUSTO frontman Justin Osborne to the band’s fifth full-length LP, My Entire Life [New West Records]. There was a divorce, difficulties re-building his band after the pandemic, and the pain and helplessness of witnessing family members struggle with addiction and mental illness. Despite these challenges, Justin ultimately found himself in a new landscape, with new love and a deeper perspective, all of which is masterfully projected into My Entire Life. * Led by the lyrical craftsmanship of singer, guitarist, and songwriter Clint Roberts, the distinctly Appalachian, old-time sound of Asheville’s Holler Choir combines haunting harmonies, stirring string compositions, and heart-wrenching ballads, yet hardly conforms to a stereotypical genre. Call it a confluence of old-time, Americana, and bluegrass, but, by its own exceptional design, the sound and atmosphere of Holler Choir are singular.

Dance From Above featuring: Marley Carroll + Darklove + special b2b2b sets with Alvin Shavers, Niervash, & 50ft

Hard to believe we’re at the end of another blink and you’ll miss it year. We’re happy to say we’re not quite done with it yet. We love to throw one last party before the holidays settle in and this being the end of our 10th year anniversary we wanted to celebrate with a couple of faces that were there way back from the very beginning. Marley Carroll and Darklove! Marley has had a roller coaster of a year after the high of his newest EP being released on Anujadeeps newest sub label blah blah followed by living through the devastation caused by the heavy flooding of WNC and navigating the loss of a loved one. He is one of the most naturally talented, humble, and genuine people we have ever had the pleasure of working with so we are elated he is able to join us to close out the year. Also joining us is a name from the early days of DFA at The Crown. Darklove! This will mark the first time he has joined us in ages and we are so excited to be able to share our dance floor with him again after all these years. Filling out the night will be bookending everything with B2B2B sets featuring Niervash, Alvin Shavers, and 50ft. We’re sad to say our dear friend Rahl wont be able to make it but he will be back with us in the new year. This is a truly special party for us and we want to invite anyone and everyone who can to come join us, we will even be setting up a bit early and playing records starting at 8pm so if you want to come hang before its too late then come on out. Entry is a suggested $10 donation which goes to help cover expenses and keep us going into the coming year. ”

“Behind the Guitar” Acoustic Tour with BELLES and Special Guest Charly Reynolds

With stunning vocals and lyrics as rich as the soil of her native Nebraska, singer-songwriter Kelli Rachel Belles has amassed over 70M cumulative views and streams of her original songs on all platforms. With a direct fan reach of 1M, country music lovers have found in her a young woman who tells stories of love, heartbreak and hardships with meaning, wit, and unflinching honesty, much like her inspirations Loretta Lynn and June Carter Cash.   Having just inked a deal with Deluge Music Publishing in Nashville, and East Music Row Records, Belles announced her second club headlining tour, The Trust Issues Tour, this fall with shows in 14 major cities across the US. “Belles crystal clear vocals and compelling songwriting verify she’s a promising new artist with a bright future ahead,” CMT.com. Charly Reynolds, a charismatic 24-year-old singer-songwriter born and raised in the sunshine state of Florida, is making her place in country music. She released her debut 6 song EP Perfect Timing in June, featuring the upbeat summer anthem “Top Off,” the timely worktape version of “One Day at a Time” release and the melodramatic “Flowers.” She celebrated with two sold-out album release shows in Nashville, TN and Orlando, FL. Reynolds hit the road in the fall for her headlining Nashville Hits The Roof tour at Tin Roof’s across the southeast. Charly played Country Thunder in Florida in October alongside Cody Johnson, Parker McCollum and JoDee Messina. Her version of “Neon Moon” was featured in the Season 5 finale of FOX’s provocative medical drama THE RESIDENT and recently released as a single in late October this year. Reynolds has performed alongside artists as Maddie & Tae, Walker Hayes, Lainey Wilson, Elle King and Brett Eldridge. In 2024 among 5 singles, she plans to release a full length album in the fall. She has an exclusive worldwide booking deal with Wasserman Music.

Genre: Concerts